Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 17, 2026

Using Primary Neurosphere Cultures to Study Primary Cilia
08:14

Using Primary Neurosphere Cultures to Study Primary Cilia

Published on: April 14, 2017

9.8K

Losers of Primary Cilia Gain the Benefit of Survival

Gladiola Goranci-Buzhala1, Elke Gabriel1, Aruljothi Mariappan1

  • 1Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne and Institute of Biochemistry I of the University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.

Cancer Discovery
|December 7, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Medulloblastoma cells develop drug resistance by losing primary cilia when treated with the Smoothened (SMO) inhibitor sonidegib. This cilia loss, linked to mutations, creates a drug-resistant "persister-like" state.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Cell Biology
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • Medulloblastoma is a common pediatric brain tumor.
  • The Smoothened (SMO) signaling pathway is a therapeutic target in medulloblastoma.
  • Primary cilia play roles in various cellular processes, including development and signaling.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of primary cilia in medulloblastoma response to SMO inhibitors.
  • To identify mechanisms of drug resistance in medulloblastoma.

Main Methods:

  • Treatment of medulloblastoma cells with the SMO inhibitor sonidegib.
  • Analysis of primary cilia status and gene mutations in drug-resistant cells.
  • Assessment of drug resistance mechanisms.

Main Results:

  • Loss of primary cilia in medulloblastoma cells confers resistance to sonidegib.
  • Medulloblastoma cells lose primary cilia upon sonidegib treatment, leading to acquired resistance.
  • Cilia loss is associated with recurrent mutations in ciliogenesis genes, driving drug resistance.

Conclusions:

  • Primary cilia loss is a novel mechanism for medulloblastoma cells to acquire a "persister-like" state against SMO inhibitors.
  • Targeting ciliogenesis or restoring cilia function may overcome drug resistance in medulloblastoma.
  • Understanding this mechanism opens new avenues for medulloblastoma treatment strategies.

More Related Videos

Evaluation of Planar-Cell-Polarity Phenotypes in Ciliopathy Mouse Mutant Cochlea07:07

Evaluation of Planar-Cell-Polarity Phenotypes in Ciliopathy Mouse Mutant Cochlea

Published on: February 21, 2016

11.0K
Simple Detection of Primary Cilia by Immunofluorescence08:07

Simple Detection of Primary Cilia by Immunofluorescence

Published on: May 15, 2020

11.9K

Related Concept Videos

Microtubules in Signaling01:22

Microtubules in Signaling

The primary cilium, made up of microtubules, acts as antennae on the cell surfaces for relaying external stimuli into the cells. These fine hair-like structures are present, generally one per cell. These are non-motile cilia in a 9+0 microtubules arrangement, where the central pair of microtubules are absent. The primary cilia arise from the basal body embedded in the cell membrane. Intraflagellar transport (IFT) carries requisite proteins from the cytoplasm to the cilium because the primary...
2.2K
Unrenewable Cells00:50

Unrenewable Cells

In humans, the photoreceptor cells of the eye and sensory hair cells of the ear lack stem cells. These cells are thus unrenewable and cannot be replaced when they are damaged or destroyed.
Photoreceptors
The retina is composed of several layers and contains specialized cells called photoreceptors. The photoreceptors (rods and cones) change their membrane potential when stimulated by light energy. There are two types of photoreceptors—rods and cones—which differ in the shape of...
3.0K
Loss of Tumor Suppressor Gene Functions01:12

Loss of Tumor Suppressor Gene Functions

Tumor suppressor genes are normal genes that can slow down cell division, repair DNA mistakes, or program the cells for apoptosis in case of irreparable damage. Hence, they play an essential role in preventing the proliferation of damaged cells.
When the tumor suppressor genes develop mutations or are lost, cells start growing out of control, leading to cancer. However, a single functional copy of the tumor suppressor gene is enough for the cells to maintain their normal functions and cell...
6.1K
The Retinoblastoma Gene01:20

The Retinoblastoma Gene

Tumor suppressor genes are normal genes that can slow down cell division, repair DNA mistakes, or program the cells for apoptosis in case of irreparable damage. Hence, they play an essential role in preventing the proliferation of damaged cells.
The first-ever tumor suppressor gene called Rb was identified in retinoblastoma - a rare eye tumor in children. In inherited forms of the disease, a child inherits one defective copy of the Rb gene, which predisposes them to retinoblastoma. However,...
4.8K
Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure01:03

Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure

The process of olfaction, also known as the sense of smell, is a sophisticated chemical response system. The specialized sensory neurons that facilitate this process, known as olfactory receptor neurons, are situated in an upper segment of the nasal cavity, known as the olfactory epithelium. Olfactory sensory neurons are bipolar, with their dendrites extending from the epithelium's apex into the mucus that lines the nasal cavity. Airborne molecules, when inhaled, traverse the olfactory...
11.9K
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,...
7.2K