title: Targeting chemokine receptor CXCR7 inhibits glioma cell proliferation and mobility.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The functional contribution of chemokine receptor CXCR7 to malignant brain tumor biology remains controversial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Complementary methods were used to confirm CXCR7 expression in clinical glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) specimens and multiple GBM cell lines. Loss-of-function studies were performed using small interfering RNA (siRNA) technology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Elevated CXCR7 levels correlated with reduced survival in glioma patients. CXCR7 was expressed by GBM cell lines and stem-like progenitor cells. Knockdown of CXCR7 by siRNA attenuated phosphorylation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) signaling pathway in response to CXCL12 and resulted in significantly reduced cell proliferation, invasion and migration. Similarly, treatment of glioma cells with a small molecule antagonist of CXCR7, CCX771, significantly inhibited cell proliferation and invasion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CXCR7 actively promotes the proliferation and invasive behavior of glioma tumor cells and stem-like progenitor cells and may be a potential target for glioma therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, U.S.A. yang_liu@urmc.rochester.edu kevin_walter@urmc.rochester.edu.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Eleanor
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Carson-Walter
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, U.S.A. Wilmot Cancer Center, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, U.S.A. yang_liu@urmc.rochester.edu kevin_walter@urmc.rochester.edu.
authors.forename: Kevin A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Walter
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D054377:Chemokine CXCL12 / Q000502:physiology; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D005910:Glioma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D054387:Receptors, CXCR / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C501896:ACKR3 protein, human; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C515255:CXCL12 protein, human; D054377:Chemokine CXCL12; D054387:Receptors, CXCR
keywords: CXCL12; CXCR7; glioma; mobility; proliferation