Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 14, 2026

Advancements in the Metabolic Profiling of Three-Dimensional Brain Tumor Spheroids for Drug Screening
Published on: September 5, 2025
ERO1a fosters glioblastoma aggressiveness and metabolic flexibility by regulating mitochondria-associated membrane
Arthur Bassot1, Lola Violy2, Lucas Gorka2
1Department of CITI, Team GLIMMER of Light, Cancer Research Centre of Lyon - CRCL, INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR 5286, Institut Convergence Plascan, Centre Léon Bérard, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France. Arthur.bassot@lyon.unicancer.fr.
Abstract:
Despite the wealth of data generated in the omics era to investigate molecular drivers, glioblastoma (GBM) remains one of the most incurable cancers with a poor median of survival. Here we unravelled the dynamic crosstalk between the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria, known as mitochondria-associated membranes (MAMs) and define how modulation of calcium fluxes and MAM structure influences GBM cell plasticity and metabolic flexibility. We identified ERO1α, whose expression is significantly associated with poor GBM patient survival, as a critical MAM protein that regulates MAM structure, dynamics and calcium-mediated functions. Our data demonstrate that ERO1α activity and expression promotes GBM aggressiveness in vitro and in vivo and enhances mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. By establishing a direct link between ERO1α-mediated MAM modulation and the antitumour effects of ERO1α inhibition, this work highlights a context-dependent, druggable vulnerability that can be exploited for GBM therapy.
Related Concept Videos
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression
The mTOR pathway or the...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression
The mTOR pathway or the...
Tumor Progression
Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...
Tumor Progression
Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...
Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
