Paradigm shift: Switch for programmed cell death promotes spread of glioblastoma

The result showed the scientists a way how to stop the invasion of glioblastoma: They treated mice that had been transplanted glioblastoma with an antibody that blocks CD95. As a result, the migration of cancer cells ceded.

“This is almost a paradigm shift,” says Ana Martin-Villalba. “Up to now, the goal has been to promote formation of CD95 and CD95L in tumor cells. In the case of glioblastoma, we now have to warn against this approach: This would only additionally support the spread of the tumor. The goal is rather to block activation of CD95.” However, it is currently not possible to investigate this treatment approach in humans, because a useable antibody against human CD95 protein is not yet available.

Susanne Kleber, Ignacio Sancho-Martinez, Benedict Wiestler, Alexandra Beisel, Christian Gieffers, Oliver Hill, Meinolf Thiemann, Wolf Müller, Jaromir Sykora, Nina Schreglmann, Elisabeth Letellier, Cecilia Zuliani, Stefan Klussmann, Marcin Teodorczyk, Hermann-Josef Gröne, Tom M. Ganten, Holger Sültmann, Jochen Tüttenberg, Andreas von Deimling, Anne Regnier-Vigouroux, Christel Herold-Mende and Ana Martin-Villalba: Yes and PI3K bind CD95 to signal invasion of glioblastoma. Cancer Cell, 11 March 2008

The task of the Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum in Heidelberg (German Cancer Research Center, DKFZ) is to systematically investigate the mechanisms of cancer development and to identify cancer risk factors. The results of this basic research are expected to lead to new approaches in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The Center is financed to 90 percent by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and to 10 percent by the State of Baden-Wuerttemberg. It is a member of the Helmholtz Association of National Research Centers (Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft Deutscher Forschungszentren e.V.).