Targeting SOX2 as a Therapeutic Strategy in Glioblastoma.
Glioblastoma is the most common and malignant brain cancer in adults. Current therapy consisting of surgery followed by radiation and temozolomide has a moderate success rate and the tumor reappears. Among the features that a cancer cell must have to survive the therapeutic treatment and reconstitute the tumor is the ability of self-renewal. Therefore, it is vital to identify the molecular mechanisms that regulate this activity. Sex-determining region Y (SRY)-box 2 (SOX2) is a transcription factor whose activity has been associated with the maintenance of the undifferentiated state of cancer stem cells in several tissues, including the brain. Several groups have detected increased SOX2 levels in biopsies of glioblastoma patients, with the highest levels associated with poor outcome. Therefore, SOX2 silencing might be a novel therapeutic approach to combat cancer and particularly brain tumors. In this review, we will summarize the current knowledge about SOX2 in glioblastoma and recapitulate several strategies that have recently been described targeting SOX2 in this malignancy.
Cellular Oncology Group, Department of Oncology, Biodonostia Institute , San Sebastian , Spain.
Laura
L
Garros-Regulez
Cellular Oncology Group, Department of Oncology, Biodonostia Institute, San Sebastian, Spain; IKERBASQUE Foundation, Bilbao, Spain.
Idoia
I
Garcia
Cellular Oncology Group, Department of Oncology, Biodonostia Institute , San Sebastian , Spain.
Estefania
E
Carrasco-Garcia
Opioid Research Group, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Innsbruck , Innsbruck , Austria.
Aquilino
A
Lantero
Cellular Oncology Group, Department of Oncology, Biodonostia Institute , San Sebastian , Spain.
Paula
P
Aldaz
Cellular Oncology Group, Department of Oncology, Biodonostia Institute , San Sebastian , Spain.
Leire
L
Moreno-Cugnon
Cellular Oncology Group, Department of Oncology, Biodonostia Institute , San Sebastian , Spain.
Olatz
O
Arrizabalaga
Neuro-Oncology Committee, Donostia Hospital , San Sebastian , Spain.
Jose
J
Undabeitia
Neuro-Oncology Committee, Donostia Hospital , San Sebastian , Spain.
Sergio
S
Torres-Bayona
Cellular Oncology Group, Department of Oncology, Biodonostia Institute, San Sebastian, Spain; Neuro-Oncology Committee, Donostia Hospital, San Sebastian, Spain.
Jorge
J
Villanua
Cellular Oncology Group, Department of Oncology, Biodonostia Institute, San Sebastian, Spain; Neuro-Oncology Committee, Donostia Hospital, San Sebastian, Spain.
Irune
I
Ruiz
Cellular Oncology Group, Department of Oncology, Biodonostia Institute, San Sebastian, Spain; Neuro-Oncology Committee, Donostia Hospital, San Sebastian, Spain.
Larraitz
L
Egaña
Cellular Oncology Group, Department of Oncology, Biodonostia Institute, San Sebastian, Spain; Neuro-Oncology Committee, Donostia Hospital, San Sebastian, Spain.
Nicolas
N
Sampron
Cellular Oncology Group, Department of Oncology, Biodonostia Institute, San Sebastian, Spain; IKERBASQUE Foundation, Bilbao, Spain; Neuro-Oncology Committee, Donostia Hospital, San Sebastian, Spain.
Ander
A
Matheu
SOX2; glioblastoma; glioma stem cells; self-renewal inhibition; temozolomide resistance; tumor-initiating cells