Glioblastoma and chemoresistance to alkylating agents: Involvement of apoptosis, autophagy, and unfolded protein response

• Despite advances in neurosurgical techniques and radio-/chemotherapy, the treatment of brain tumors remains a challenge. This is particularly true for the most frequent and fatal adult brain tumor, glioblastoma (GB). Upon diagnosis, the average survival time of GB patients remains only approximately 15 months. The alkylating drug temozolomide (TMZ) is routinely used in brain tumor patients and induces apoptosis, autophagy and unfolded protein response (UPR). Here, we review these cellular mechanisms and their contributions to TMZ chemoresistance in brain tumors, with a particular emphasis on TMZ chemoresistance in glioma stem cells and GB.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinsk bioteknologi -- Biomedicinsk laboratorievetenskap/teknologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Medical Biotechnology -- Biomedical Laboratory Science/Technology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Cell death; Apoptosis; Autophagy; Unfolded protein response; Brain tumor; Glioblastoma; Glioblastoma stem cells; DNA repair; Bcl-2 family protein; Cancer therapy; Temozolomide; Alkylating drugs

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