THE ROLE OF LNX1 IN GLIOMA STEM CELL EXPANSION

Glioblastoma (GBM) arises from the glial cells in the central nervous system (CNS) and is the most common brain malignancy. GBMs are characterized by robust therapeutic resistance and invasive capabilities, which result in by profound rates of recurrence. Fewer than eight percent of the 10,000 Americans who are diagnosed with this disease each year will survive for five years beyond the initial diagnosis. It is widely accepted that a small subset of GBM cells with stem-like characteristics known as glioma stem cells (GSCs) drive the devastating tumor progression and therapeutic resistance observed in GBMs. GSCs are characterized by the ability to either self-renew or differentiate into all populations that comprise the malignancy. Recent studies suggest that the balance between differentiated glioma cells (GDCs) and GSCs is disregulated by therapeutic intervention.