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Cancer Cell International
Published in: Cancer Cell International 1/2022

Open Access 01-12-2022 | Glioblastoma | Research

Activation of embryonic/germ cell-like axis links poor outcomes of gliomas

Authors: Zhan Ma, Fengyu Zhang, Ji Xiong, Haishi Zhang, Hui-Kuan Lin, Chunfang Liu

Published in: Cancer Cell International | Issue 1/2022

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Abstract

Background

It is unclear which core events drive the malignant progression of gliomas. Earlier studies have revealed that the embryonic stem (ES) cell/early PGC state is associated with tumourigenicity. This study was designed to investigate the role of ES/PGC state in poor outcomes of gliomas.

Methods

Crispr-Cas9 technology, RT–PCR and animal experiments were used to investigate whether PGC-like cell formation play crucial roles in the tumorigenicity of human glioma cells. Bioinformatic analysis was used to address the link between ES/PGC developmental axis and glioma overall outcomes.

Results

Here, our findings showed that germ cell-like cells were present in human gliomas and cultured glioma cells and that the formation of germ cell-like cells was essential for glioma tumours. Bioinformatic analysis showed that the mRNA levels of genes related to embryonic/germ cell development could be detected in most gliomas. Our findings showed that the activation of genes related to reprogramming or the germ cell-like state alone seemed to be insufficient to lead to a malignant prognosis, whereas increased mRNA levels of genes related to the activation of the embryonic/germ cell-like cycle (somatic PGC-EGC-like cycle and somatic parthenogenetic embryo-like cycle) were positively correlated with malignant prognoses and poor clinical outcomes of gliomas. Genes related to the embryonic/germ cell cycle alone or in combination with the WHO grade or 1p19q codeletion status could be used to subdivide gliomas with distinct clinical behaviours.

Conclusion

Together, our findings indicated that a crucial role of germ cell-like cell formation in glioma initiation as well as activation of genes related with the parthenogenetic embryo-like cycle and PGC-EGC-like cycle link to the malignant prognosis and poor outcomes of gliomas, which might provide a novel way to better understand the nature of and develop targeted therapies for gliomas as well as important markers for predicting clinical outcomes in gliomas.
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Metadata
Title
Activation of embryonic/germ cell-like axis links poor outcomes of gliomas
Authors
Zhan Ma
Fengyu Zhang
Ji Xiong
Haishi Zhang
Hui-Kuan Lin
Chunfang Liu
Publication date
01-12-2022
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Cancer Cell International / Issue 1/2022
Electronic ISSN: 1475-2867
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12935-022-02792-8

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