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Published on: January 9, 2019
Biomarkers Regulated by Lipid-Soluble Vitamins in Glioblastoma
Dina El-Rabie Osman1, Brandon Wee Siang Phon1, Muhamad Noor Alfarizal Kamarudin1
1Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway 47500, Malaysia.
Abstract:
Glioblastoma (GBM), a highly lethal form of adult malignant gliomas with little clinical advancement, raises the need for alternative therapeutic approaches. Lipid-soluble vitamins have gained attention in malignant brain tumors owing to their pleiotropic properties and their anti-cancer potential have been reported in a number of human GBM cell lines. The aim of this paper is to systematically review and describe the roles of various biomarkers regulated by lipid-soluble vitamins, such as vitamins A, D, E, and K, in the pathophysiology of GBM. Briefly, research articles published between 2005 and 2021 were systematically searched and selected from five databases (Scopus, PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE via Ovid, and Web of Science) based on the study's inclusion and exclusion criteria. In addition, a number of hand-searched research articles identified from Google Scholar were also included for the analysis. A total of 40 differentially expressed biomarkers were identified from the 19 eligible studies. The results from the analysis suggest that retinoids activate cell differentiation and suppress the biomarkers responsible for stemness in human GBM cells. Vitamin D appears to preferentially modulate several cell cycle biomarkers, while vitamin E derivatives seem to predominantly modulate biomarkers related to apoptosis. However, vitamin K1 did not appear to induce any significant changes to the Raf/MEK/ERK signaling or apoptotic pathways in human GBM cell lines. From the systematic analysis, 12 biomarkers were identified that may be of interest for further studies, as these were modulated by one or two of these lipid-soluble vitamins.
Insights
Lipid-soluble vitamins like A and D show promise in targeting glioblastoma (GBM) by modulating biomarkers related to stemness and cell cycle. Vitamin E also impacts apoptosis, but vitamin K1 showed minimal effects in GBM cell lines.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Nutritional Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive brain cancer with limited treatment options.
- Lipid-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) possess anti-cancer properties relevant to GBM.
- Understanding vitamin-regulated biomarkers is crucial for novel GBM therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review biomarkers modulated by lipid-soluble vitamins in GBM pathophysiology.
- To identify potential therapeutic targets within GBM based on vitamin-regulated pathways.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search (2005-2021) across five major databases and Google Scholar.
- Inclusion and exclusion criteria applied to select relevant research articles.
- Analysis of 19 eligible studies identifying 40 differentially expressed biomarkers.
Main Results:
- Retinoids (Vitamin A) suppress GBM stemness biomarkers and promote differentiation.
- Vitamin D modulates cell cycle biomarkers in GBM.
- Vitamin E derivatives primarily affect apoptosis-related biomarkers; Vitamin K1 showed no significant impact on key pathways.
Conclusions:
- Lipid-soluble vitamins influence GBM pathophysiology through distinct biomarker modulation.
- Vitamins A, D, and E offer potential therapeutic avenues by targeting specific GBM pathways.
- Twelve biomarkers warrant further investigation for their role in GBM treatment.

