Targeting Brain Tumor Receptor Slows Glioblastoma Progression

Through a collaborative study, researchers examined the effects of a new inhibitor of PPARα in glioblastoma.

PPARα is a transcription factor known to be involved in the control of energetic metabolism. In a study published in the Journal of Cellular Physiology, researchers found that they could slow the growth of glioblastoma by blocking PPARα.

“Our studies point towards a possible way to counteract glioblastoma growth and recurrence by interfering with energetic metabolism by blocking PPARα,” said lead study author Annamaria Cimini.

The results of the study showed that when PPARα was blocked in glioblastoma, it caused a strong decrease in cell proliferation and migrations. Furthermore, it induced a high sensitivity to radiotherapy.

“The design of a new drug specifically directed against PPARα activity may provide new perspectives for glioblastoma therapies by counteracting its energy supply,” said Antonio Giordano, founder and director of the Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine.