Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 11, 2026

Isolation and Flow Cytometric Analysis of Glioma-infiltrating Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells
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WDR4 promotes glioma progression by regulating cell proliferation and cell cycle via the PI3K/Akt-CDK1/2 signaling

Jun Liu1, Zhe Zhang1, Shuaishuai Xue2

  • 1Department of Neurosurgery, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China.

Neoplasma
|November 14, 2025
PubMed

Insights

WD Repeat Domain 4 (WDR4) is highly expressed in glioma, promoting tumor progression. Targeting WDR4 may offer a new therapeutic strategy for glioma patients.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • WD Repeat Domain 4 (WDR4) is implicated in various cancers, but its role in glioma is unclear.
  • Understanding WDR4's function is crucial for developing new glioma treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the expression, prognostic value, and molecular mechanisms of WDR4 in glioma.
  • To determine if WDR4 could be a potential therapeutic target for glioma.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of TCGA, GTEx, GEPIA, and HPA databases for WDR4 expression.
  • Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and multivariate Cox regression for prognostic assessment.
  • In vitro (cell viability, colony formation, cell cycle) and in vivo (xenograft model) functional assays.
  • Western blotting, GSEA, and KEGG pathway analysis to elucidate molecular mechanisms.

Main Results:

  • WDR4 was significantly upregulated in glioma tissues and cell lines.
  • High WDR4 expression correlated with poor overall survival and was an independent prognostic factor.
  • WDR4 silencing inhibited glioma cell proliferation, induced G1 cell cycle arrest, and downregulated CDK1/2.
  • WDR4 activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway was implicated in its oncogenic role.

Conclusions:

  • WDR4 is overexpressed in glioma and drives tumor progression through the PI3K/Akt-CDK1/2 pathway.
  • WDR4 represents a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for glioma.

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