A gene called ZEB1 may matter more for women with glioblastoma
Original title: Sexual Dimorphism of ZEB1 Expression and Function in Glioblastoma.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was done on cells in a lab, not in people. It is a very early step.
This was a look back at old patient records, plus tests on cells in a dish.
The short version
A gene called ZEB1 was linked to longer survival in women, but not in men.
What was studied. Researchers used a public set of glioblastoma: The fastest-growing type of glioma (grade 4). Treatment usually starts soon after diagnosis: surgery first, then radiation and chemotherapy. See the glossary tumor data and patient records. They compared ZEB1 gene levels by sex, then tested tumor cells from men and women in the lab.
What they found. Women with high ZEB1 levels lived longer. Men with high ZEB1 levels did not. In male tumor cells, turning ZEB1 down also lowered two Y chromosome genes, called KDM5D and UTY.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: Sex may change how this gene acts in glioblastoma: The fastest-growing type of glioma (grade 4). Treatment usually starts soon after diagnosis: surgery first, then radiation and chemotherapy. See the glossary. That could help explain why this tumor behaves differently in men and women. It does not change how anyone is treated today.
What it doesn't mean: This does not mean there is a new treatment, and it is not a cure. No drug was tested in people. The survival link comes from old records, so it does not prove the gene caused people to live longer. The lab part was done on cells in a dish. Care for men and women stays the same for now.
Source: PubMed, August 6, 2026 · Read the original
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