Mechanisms of Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis in Glioblastoma

Cells of glioblastoma, the most frequent primary malignant brain tumor, are characterized by their rapid growth and infiltration of adjacent healthy brain parenchyma, which reflects their aggressive biological behavior. In order to maintain their excessive proliferation and invasion, glioblastomas exploit the innate biological capacities of the patients suffering from this tumor. The pathways involved in cell cycle regulation and apoptosis are the mechanisms most commonly affected. The following work reviews the regulatory pathways of cell growth in general as well as the dysregulated cell cycle and apoptosis relevant mechanisms observed in glioblastomas. We then describe the molecular targeting of the current established adjuvant therapy and present ongoing trials or completed studies on specific promising therapeutic agents that induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of glioblastoma cells.

Automated summary

Glioblastoma, a common malignant brain tumor, exhibits rapid growth and infiltration. It takes advantage of the patients' biological capacities to maintain its excessive proliferation and invasion, primarily through disrupting cell cycle regulation and apoptosis mechanisms. Molecular targeting therapies have been developed for glioblastoma, and promising therapeutic agents that induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis are being studied.