Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 9, 2026

Evaluation of Biomarkers in Glioma by Immunohistochemistry on Paraffin-Embedded 3D Glioma Neurosphere Cultures
06:32

Evaluation of Biomarkers in Glioma by Immunohistochemistry on Paraffin-Embedded 3D Glioma Neurosphere Cultures

Published on: January 9, 2019

Aberrant receptor signaling in human malignant gliomas: mechanisms and therapeutic implications

M Nagane1, H Lin, W K Cavenee

  • 1Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, San Diego Branch, 3080 CMM-East, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0660, USA.

Cancer Letters
|February 13, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Mutant epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) variants, particularly EGFRvIII, are common in glioblastomas. This constitutively active receptor drives tumor growth, presenting EGFRvIII as a potential therapeutic target for aggressive brain tumors.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) alterations, including gene amplification and rearrangement, are prevalent in malignant gliomas.
  • A common EGFR variant, EGFRvIII (also known as de2-7 EGFR or deltaEGFR), lacks part of the extracellular ligand-binding domain.
  • EGFRvIII is frequently observed in de novo glioblastomas, the most aggressive form of brain cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the evidence supporting the role of EGFRvIII in promoting glioma cell growth.
  • To highlight the therapeutic potential of targeting EGFRvIII in glioblastoma.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing scientific literature and research findings.
  • Analysis of data on EGFR alterations in malignant gliomas.
  • Examination of the functional consequences of EGFRvIII expression in vivo.

Main Results:

  • Expression of deltaEGFR (EGFRvIII) confers a growth advantage to human glioma cells in vivo.
  • This growth advantage is attributed to the constitutively active tyrosine kinase activity of EGFRvIII.
  • EGFRvIII is a key driver of tumor progression in a significant subset of glioblastomas.

Conclusions:

  • EGFRvIII plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of aggressive glioblastomas.
  • The unique characteristics of EGFRvIII make it a promising and specific therapeutic target.
  • Targeting EGFRvIII could offer a novel treatment strategy for patients with glioblastoma.

More Related Videos

Translational Orthotopic Models of Glioblastoma Multiforme07:37

Translational Orthotopic Models of Glioblastoma Multiforme

Published on: February 17, 2023

Preparation Of Neovascular Tissues from Human Glioma Tissues for Quantitative Proteomics Analysis of Tumor Angiogenesis09:33

Preparation Of Neovascular Tissues from Human Glioma Tissues for Quantitative Proteomics Analysis of Tumor Angiogenesis

Published on: March 20, 2026

Related Concept Videos

Enzyme-linked Receptors01:00

Enzyme-linked Receptors

Enzyme-linked receptors are proteins that act as both receptor and enzyme, activating multiple intracellular signals. This is a large group of receptors that include the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) family. Many growth factors and hormones bind to and activate the RTKs.
Neurotrophin (NT) receptors are a family of RTKs, including trkA, trkB, and trkC (tropomyosin-related kinase) receptors. TrkA is specific for nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin-6, and neurotrophin-7. TrkB binds...
Mitogens and the Cell Cycle02:38

Mitogens and the Cell Cycle

Mitogens and their receptors play a crucial role in controlling the progression of the cell cycle. However, the loss of mitogenic control over cell division leads to tumor formation. Therefore, mitogens and mitogen receptors play an important role in cancer research. For instance, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) - a type of mitogen and its transmembrane receptor (EGFR), decides the fate of the cell's proliferation. When EGF binds to EGFR, a member of the ErbB family of tyrosine kinase...
Abnormal Proliferation02:23

Abnormal Proliferation

Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the daughter...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
Receptor Downregulation in MVBs01:15

Receptor Downregulation in MVBs

Multivesicular bodies (MVBs) are mature endosomes that sort ubiquitinated proteins and then fuse with lysosomes to degrade the sorted proteins. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor (EGFR) form a complex that can be internalized through endocytosis, sorted into an MVB, and later degraded.
The EGFR can initiate signaling pathways that  lead to cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation. Overexpression of EGFR  stimulates cells to proliferate. Excessive  EGFR activation may...