A protein on immune cells may help brain tumors grow
Original title: NFAM1 organizes a lipid raft-restricted DAPP1-PLCG2 module to drive M2-like GAM polarization via Ca²⁺-NFAT1 signaling in glioma.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was done in animals, not people. Most findings at this stage never become treatments.
The treatment was only tested in mice and lab cells, not in people.
The short version
A protein in immune cells seems to help brain tumors grow, and blocking it helped mice live longer.
What was studied. Researchers studied a protein called NFAM1 in human brain tumor samples, in lab cells, and in mice. They also tested a plant compound called madecassoside that blocks it.
What they found. NFAM1 was high in immune cells that help brain tumors grow. Higher levels went with more serious tumors and shorter survival. Madecassoside blocked NFAM1 in mice, and those mice had smaller tumors and lived longer.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: This points to a possible new target for brain tumor treatment. It does not change care today. Nothing here is something a patient can ask for yet.
What it doesn't mean: This does not mean a new treatment is available. The testing was done in lab dishes and in mice, not in people. The human samples were only looked at, not treated. Many things that help mice do not help people. This is not a cure and not a promise of one.
Source: PubMed, October 1, 2026 · Read the original
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