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Updated: Jun 2, 2026
Isolation and Flow Cytometric Analysis of Glioma-infiltrating Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells
Published on: November 28, 2015
Mechanisms of immunomodulation in human glioblastoma
Tony Avril1, Elodie Vauleon, Séverine Tanguy-Royer
1Département de Biologie, Centre Eugène Marquis, Rue de la bataille Flandres Dunkerque, CS44229, 35042 Rennes cedex, France. t.avril@rennes.fnclcc.fr
Abstract:
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), WHO grade IV astrocytoma, is the most dramatic primary brain cancer with a very poor prognosis due to inevitable disease recurrence. Less than 10% of GBM patients are still alive 5 years after diagnosis despite a multimodal treatment with surgical resection of the tumor, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Cellular immunotherapy in gliomas, one of the promising new therapies, has shown convincing results in some patients with induction of antitumor immune responses and prolonged survival. In particular, several patients treated with dendritic cell vaccinations have demonstrated systemic antigen-specific cytotoxicity and intratumor infiltration of cytotoxic T cells. However, this is not always correlated with clinical improvement because GBM cells have multiple mechanisms that lead to suppression of the patient's antitumor immune responses. This article will focus on some aspects of the systemic immunosuppression observed in GBM patients as well as the multiple mechanisms of local immunoresistance developed by GBM.
Insights
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a deadly brain cancer. While cellular immunotherapy shows promise, GBM employs immune suppression and resistance mechanisms hindering treatment effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Neuro-oncology
- Immunology
- Cancer Biology
Background:
- Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a WHO grade IV astrocytoma, presents a grave prognosis with high recurrence rates.
- Standard multimodal treatments (surgery, radiation, chemotherapy) yield limited long-term survival (<10% at 5 years).
- Cellular immunotherapy offers a promising therapeutic avenue for gliomas, demonstrating potential for antitumor immune responses and survival extension.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore systemic immunosuppression in GBM patients.
- To detail local immunoresistance mechanisms employed by GBM.
- To understand challenges in cellular immunotherapy for GBM.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on GBM immunology.
- Analysis of immune evasion strategies in GBM.
- Examination of cellular immunotherapy outcomes in glioma patients.
Main Results:
- Dendritic cell vaccinations can induce antigen-specific cytotoxicity and T cell infiltration in some GBM patients.
- GBM possesses multiple mechanisms to suppress host antitumor immune responses.
- Clinical improvement does not always correlate with observed immune responses.
Conclusions:
- GBM actively counteracts antitumor immunity through systemic and local mechanisms.
- Overcoming GBM-induced immunosuppression is crucial for effective immunotherapy.
- Further research is needed to enhance immunotherapy efficacy against GBM.
