A protein called CALU helps glioma cells stay alive
Original title: Loss of CALU disrupts intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis and triggers apoptosis in glioma cells.
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 only done in lab cells and in mice.
The short version
In lab tests, taking away a protein called CALU made glioma: A tumor that starts in the glial cells, the support cells of the brain and spinal cord. Gliomas are given a grade from 1 to 4 describing how the tumor is expected to behave. See the glossary cells die.
What was studied. Researchers studied a protein called CALU in glioma: A tumor that starts in the glial cells, the support cells of the brain and spinal cord. Gliomas are given a grade from 1 to 4 describing how the tumor is expected to behave. See the glossary. They looked at public tumor data, tested glioma cells in the lab, and grew human glioma tumors in mice.
What they found. CALU was high in gliomas. Higher levels were linked to poorer survival. When the team removed CALU, calcium built up inside the cells. That harmed the parts of the cell that make energy, and the cells died. In mice, removing CALU made the tumors grow less.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: CALU may be worth studying as a target for future glioma: A tumor that starts in the glial cells, the support cells of the brain and spinal cord. Gliomas are given a grade from 1 to 4 describing how the tumor is expected to behave. See the glossary drugs. There is no treatment based on this today.
What it doesn't mean: This does not mean a new treatment is ready. The work was done in cells in a dish and in mice, not in people. No drug for this has been tested in patients. It is not a promise of a cure, and it does not change care right now.
Source: PubMed, August 16, 2026 · Read the original
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