Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Characterization of Cell Membrane Extensions and Studying Their Roles in Cancer Cell Adhesion Dynamics
08:11

Characterization of Cell Membrane Extensions and Studying Their Roles in Cancer Cell Adhesion Dynamics

Published on: March 26, 2018

DRR drives brain cancer invasion by regulating cytoskeletal-focal adhesion dynamics

P U Le1, A Angers-Loustau, R M W de Oliveira

  • 1Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Oncogene
|June 15, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Downregulated in renal cell carcinoma (DRR) drives malignant glioma invasion by organizing cell cytoskeletons and focal adhesions. This discovery offers new insights into brain cancer progression and potential therapeutic targets.

Area of Science:

  • Neuro-oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Malignant glioma invasion is a major cause of treatment failure in brain cancer.
  • The molecular mechanisms regulating glioma invasion are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify novel regulators of glioma invasion.
  • To elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which these regulators promote invasion.

Main Methods:

  • Developed a novel functional-screening strategy.
  • Utilized in vitro and in vivo assays to assess invasion.
  • Investigated protein interactions and cytoskeletal organization.

Main Results:

  • Identified downregulated in renal cell carcinoma (DRR) as a novel regulator of glioma invasion.
  • DRR is highly expressed in invasive glioma components but not in normal glial cells.
  • DRR associates with actin and microtubular cytoskeletons, promoting focal adhesion disassembly and enhancing cell invasion.

Conclusions:

  • DRR is a novel cytoskeletal crosslinker that drives malignant glioma invasion.
  • DRR regulates focal adhesion dynamics and cell movement, representing a potential therapeutic target for brain cancer.

More Related Videos

Impedance-based Real-time Measurement of Cancer Cell Migration and Invasion09:23

Impedance-based Real-time Measurement of Cancer Cell Migration and Invasion

Published on: April 2, 2020

Establishing In Vitro Models of Dorsal Root Ganglia Culture: Complementary Approaches for Investigating Cancer-Nerve Crosstalk11:26

Establishing In Vitro Models of Dorsal Root Ganglia Culture: Complementary Approaches for Investigating Cancer-Nerve Crosstalk

Published on: July 11, 2025

Related Concept Videos

Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia01:35

Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia

Invadosome is a broad category of cell surface structures with proteolytic activity that  degrades the extracellular matrix (ECM). Invadosomes are present in normal cell types, including macrophages, endothelial cells, and neurons, as well as tumor cells. Although the macrophage podosomes and tumor cell invadopodia are classified as invadosomes, they have different structures, molecular pathways, and functions. Podosomes are short structures that last for a few minutes. However, invadopodia can...
Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions01:17

Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions

Integrins act both as extracellular input receivers and as intracellular processing activators. As their name suggests, integrins are entirely integrated into the membrane structure. Their hydrophobic membrane-spanning regions interact with the phospholipid bilayer's hydrophobic region. These membrane receptors provide extracellular attachment sites for effectors like hormones and growth factors. They activate intracellular response cascades when their effectors are bound and active.
Some...
Small GTPases - Ras and Rho01:24

Small GTPases - Ras and Rho

Ras and Rho are small monomeric GTPases that act downstream of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) and regulate various cellular processes. These GTPases switch between active and inactive states by binding to guanine nucleotides.
Three regulatory proteins control their activity:
Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells02:53

Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells

Cancer cells accumulate genetic changes at an abnormally rapid rate due to the defects in the DNA repair mechanisms. From an evolutionary perspective, such genetic instability is advantageous for cancer development. Mutant cell lines accumulate a series of beneficial mutations that contribute to their progression into cancer.
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells02:53

Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells

Cancer cells accumulate genetic changes at an abnormally rapid rate due to the defects in the DNA repair mechanisms. From an evolutionary perspective, such genetic instability is advantageous for cancer development. Mutant cell lines accumulate a series of beneficial mutations that contribute to their progression into cancer.
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration01:32

Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration

A migrating cell changes its shape during the cyclic events of attachment and detachment from the substratum and repositions the cell organelles correspondingly. These complex events are orchestrated by the dynamic cytoskeletal network comprising actin filaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules. Cytoskeletal crosstalk — the direct and indirect communication between the different components — is crucial for this coordination. Direct communication involves various linker proteins that...