| Grant number: | 11/10001-9 |
| Support Opportunities: | Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate |
| Start date: | September 01, 2011 |
| End date: | February 28, 2015 |
| Field of knowledge: | Interdisciplinary Subjects |
| Principal Investigator: | Oswaldo Keith Okamoto |
| Grantee: | Carolina de Oliveira Rodini |
| Host Institution: | Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil |
Abstract This research project focuses on the involvement of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the development of malignant tumors in the central nervous system. Besides migration to sites of injury, MSCs also display tropism to tumors, being recruited to its microenvironment where they may contribute to the tumor stroma and niche. This process is still poorly understood and its clarification should help the better understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying cancer progression. MSCs are known to express the TGFB1 gene encoding a multifunctional cytokine (TGFbeta1). In addition to an immunomodulatory activity, TGFbeta1 may also regulate the proliferation and migration of tumor cells, and is involved in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, thereby contributing to tumor invasion, metastatic spread, and acquisition of tumor resistance to therapy. In the central nervous system, TGFbeta1 contributes to the development of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most frequent and malignant primary brain tumor. GBM is associated with poor clinical prognosis and no effective treatments are currently available for GBM patients. Considering recent evidences of a MSC-like phenotype in cells comprising human GBM specimens, we hypothesize that MSCs could be recruited by GBM, favoring its development.In this context, the aim of this project is to investigate the relevance of TGFbeta1 produced by MSCs to the tumorigenic properties of GBM, including its effects on tumor cell proliferation, migration and invasion. This project expects to increase knowledge about mechanisms underlying the development of human malignant gliomas, in particular the pro-tumorigenic contribution of MSCs through paracrine effects within the tumor niche. | |
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