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COLUMBUS, OH – A promising new target has emerged in the battle against glioblastoma, the most aggressive and lethal form of primary brain tumor, according to new research. Scientists have identified an enzyme, PGM3, whose inhibition shows potential in halting the rapid growth of these deadly cancer cells.
The findings, published online in the journal Science Advances, detail how PGM3 plays a critical role in the hexosamine synthesis pathway. This metabolic pathway is crucial for processes like protein and lipid glycosylation – where sugar molecules attach to proteins and fats (lipids) – which glioblastoma tumors exploit to fuel their aggressive growth.
Researchers, led by a team at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute1 (OSUCCC – James), demonstrated that targeting PGM3 can disrupt these growth-promoting processes. They believe this approach could lead to reduced tumor growth and potentially eliminate glioblastoma cells.
“This research is important because it has found a new target called PGM3,” said Dr. Deliang Guo, the study’s lead author and founding director of the Center for Cancer Metabolism at OSUCCC – James. “Blocking the PGM3 enzyme can break the connection between sugar and fat creation in cells, which helps stop tumors from growing. By targeting this enzyme, we can develop more effective treatments for glioblastoma, a brain tumor with very few effective treatment options.”
Glioblastoma develops rapidly from glial cells in the brain. According to the Glioblastoma Foundation, approximately 15,000 people are diagnosed with this devastating disease each year in the United States. Despite current treatments involving surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, the prognosis remains grim.
“Glioblastoma is the most lethal primary brain tumor, with a median survival of only 12–16 months from diagnosis despite extensive treatments,” highlighted Dr. Huali Su, the paper’s first author and a researcher with the Department of Radiation Oncology and Center for Cancer Metabolism at OSUCCC – James. “New molecular targets for glioblastoma are urgently needed.”
Dr. Guo, who also holds the Urban and Shelly Meyer Professor of Cancer Research title and is a professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, emphasized that the study presents a hopeful new strategy for combating the disease.
The collaborative research effort included scientists from France, the University of California-Los Angeles, the University of California-Irvine, and the University of Louisville.
The study details can be found in Science Advances under the title “Targeting PGM3 abolishes SREBP-1 activation-hexosamine synthesis feedback regulation to effectively suppress brain tumor growth” (DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adq0334).
Disclaimer: This news article reports on findings from scientific research. The research is still in its early stages, and targeting PGM3 is not yet an approved or available treatment for glioblastoma. Further research and clinical trials are necessary to determine the safety and efficacy of this approach in humans.
