New insights into the role of thrombospondin-1 in glioblastoma development

Glioblastoma (GB), the most malignant subtype of diffuse glioma, is highly aggressive, invasive and vascularized. Its median survival is still short even with maximum standard care. There is a need to identify potential new molecules and mechanisms, that are involved in the interactions of GB cells with the tumor microenvironment (TME), for therapeutic intervention. Thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) is a multi-faceted matricellular protein which plays a significant role in development, physiology and pathology including cancer. Recent studies have pinpoint an important role of TSP1 in GB development which will be summarized and discussed herein. We will discuss studies, mainly from preclinical research, which should lead to a deeper understanding of TSP1's role in GB development. We will also discuss some issues with regard to the use of this knowledge for the clinic.