Key enzyme to fight deadly brain cancer identified

This enzyme called PGM3 plays a vital role in the hexosamine synthesis pathway, which is involved in the processes of protein and lipid glycosylation that allow tumours to rapidly grow.

Lipid glycosylation is a process where sugar molecules attach to fats (lipids) in the body.

Researchers with The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James and Richard J. Solove Research Institute believe that targeting PGM3 can reduce tumour growth and eliminate glioblastoma cells.

"This research is important because it has found a new target called PGM3. Blocking the PGM3 enzyme can break the connection between sugar and fat creation in cells, which helps stop tumours from growing," said lead author Deliang Guo, the founding director of the Center for Cancer Metabolism, in a study published in the journal Science Advances.

Glioblastoma is a fast-growing brain tumour that develops from glial cells in the brain. An estimated 15,000 people each year are diagnosed with this lethal brain tumour, according to the Glioblastoma Foundation.

The study highlights a promising new approach to fight glioblastoma, giving hope for future advancements in cancer treatment, said Guo.

"Glioblastoma is the most lethal primary brain tumour, with a median survival of only 12-16 months from diagnosis despite extensive treatments," said Huali Su, the first author of the paper, and a researcher with the Department of Radiation Oncology and Center for Cancer Metabolism at OSUCCC-James.

"New molecular targets for glioblastoma are urgently needed," Su added in the paper.

The research team included scientists from France, along with the University of California-Los Angeles, University of California-Irvine and University of Louisville.