RNA-Seq Study Identifies Progenitor Tumor Cells

A study published in Nature Communications today characterizes five types of main cancer cells within each tumor and a cell hierarchy that can be targeted to slow cancer growth. This cancer cell RNA-seq project included 55,000 glioblastoma and 20,000 normal brain cells. 

Brain cancers are considered to be resistant to treatment due to the varying types of cancer cells found within each tumor. "Our work has gone a long way to resolve the complexity of glioblastoma heterogeneity, and provides a new framework to reconsider the nature of glioblastoma," says lead author Kevin Petrecca.

The team from The Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital) found that progenitor cells proliferated much more when compared to the mature ones that make up the majority of the dividing cells in the tumor. These progenitor cells are the earliest detectable, making them a promising target for therapy development. 

After identifying the weaknesses of the progenitor cells and targeting them, their survival and reproduction slowed down. In their preclinical models, the team reported reduced tumor growth and increased odds of survival. 

"As part of this work, our study also shows, in contrast to decades-long dogma, that glioblastoma stem cells are the most rapidly dividing cancer cells in the tumor, and we identified new ways to target these cells," Petrecca adds. "There is still much work to be done. Understanding how these cancer cells interact with the cancer microenvironment is not well understood in this disease, but this study serves as a good starting point to begin to understand how glioblastoma originates and evolves prior to treatments."

Image: Researchers detected what they describe as a progenitor glioblastoma stem cell (GSC) -- a cell type from which all other cancer cells develop. They showed a cellular hierarchical organization to cancer which originates from progenitor GSCs. Image courtesy of The Neuro.