Pharmacological targeting of the tumor-immune symbiosis in glioblastoma

Trends Pharmacol Sci. 2022 Aug;43(8):686-700. doi: 10.1016/j.tips.2022.04.002. Epub 2022 May 7.

Abstract

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and highly lethal form of primary brain tumor in adults. The median survival of GBM patients is approximately 14-16 months despite multimodal therapies. Emerging evidence has substantiated the critical role of symbiotic interactions between GBM cells and noncancerous immune cells (e.g., myeloid cells and T cells) in regulating tumor progression and therapy resistance. Approaches to target the tumor-immune symbiosis have emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy for GBM. Here, we review the recent developments for pharmacological targeting of the GBM-immune symbiosis and highlight the role of such strategies to improve the effectiveness of immunotherapies in GBM.

Keywords: glioblastoma; immunotherapy; macrophages; microglia, MDSCs; symbiosis.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Brain Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Brain Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Glioblastoma* / drug therapy
  • Glioblastoma* / pathology
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy
  • Symbiosis
  • Tumor Microenvironment