Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and lethal of all human brain tumors that originate in the brain. For most patients, treatment involves surgery followed by both radiation therapy and chemotherapy with temozolomide. However, many GBMs are resistant to the effects of temozolomide. A team of researchers led by Sameer Agnihotri, at the University of Toronto, Toronto, has now determined that the protein APNG can contribute to GBM resistance to the effects of temozolomide. Importantly, high levels of expression of APNG in the nucleus of ressected tumor cells correlated with poorer overall survival compared with patients lacking APNG expression. Agnihotri, and colleagues therefore suggest that monitoring APNG levels could provide insight into whether or not a patient with GBM will respond to temozolomide, although this awaits confirmation in predictive and prospective studies.
TITLE: Alkylpurine–DNA–N-glycosylase confers resistance to temozolomide in xenograft models of glioblastoma multiforme and is associated with poor survival in patients
AUTHOR CONTACT:
Sameer Agnihotri
Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, University of
Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Phone: 416-813-6688; Fax: 416-813-8456; E-mail: sameer.agnihotri@utoronto.ca .
Journal of Clinical Investigation