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Glioma Stem Cells: Markers, Hallmarks and Therapeutic Targeting by Metformin

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Pathology & Oncology Research

Abstract

Malignant gliomas are among the deadliest primary brain tumors. Despite multimodal therapy and advances in chemotherapy, imaging, surgical and radiation techniques, these tumors remain virtually incurable. Glioma stem cells may be responsible for resistance to traditional therapies and tumor recurrence. Therefore, elimination of glioma stem cells may be crucial for achieving therapeutic efficacy. Metformin, a small molecule drug widely used in the therapy of type 2 diabetes, has shown significant anti-tumor effects in patients with breast cancer and prostate cancer. Recent preclinical data suggest that metformin also has therapeutic effects against glioma. Here we review the markers and hallmarks of glioma stem cells, and the molecular mechanisms involved in therapeutic targeting of glioma stem cells by metformin.

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Acknowledgments

J.N. is grateful to Dr. Karen S. Aboody (Department of Neurosciences, City of Hope National Medical Center and Beckman Research Institute, Duarte, California) for her generous support over the years during which the author has been doing research on stem cell-based glioma therapies in her laboratory, as well as for the financial support by the Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation, STOP CANCER, and the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM, DR1-01421), awarded to Dr. Aboody. N.K. and P.N. acknowledge the generous financial support by the European Union Hungary-Croatia IPA Cross-border Co-operation Programme, HUHR/1001/2.1.3/0007 CABCOS 2 Project. The authors apologize to scientists whose important contributions to cancer and glioma biology and research on metformin have not been cited because of space limitations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Immunology and Biotechnology, University of Pécs Medical School, Szigeti út 12, H-7624, Pécs, Hungary

    Joseph Najbauer & Péter Németh

  2. Institute of Public Health for the Osijek-Baranja County, F. Krežme 1, 31000, Osijek, Croatia

    Nikola Kraljik

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  1. Joseph Najbauer
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Correspondence to Joseph Najbauer.

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JN, Conception, design and writing of the manuscript, Guarantor; NK, Co-writing and critically revising the article; PN, Conception, design, co-writing and critically revising the article.

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Najbauer, J., Kraljik, N. & Németh, P. Glioma Stem Cells: Markers, Hallmarks and Therapeutic Targeting by Metformin. Pathol. Oncol. Res. 20, 789–797 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12253-014-9837-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12253-014-9837-z

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