Lab study points to a gene that helps glioblastoma cells stay stem-like
Original title: EIF3B is associated with m6A-related regulation of E2F7 and promotes stemness in glioblastoma multiforme.
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 cells in a lab, not in people.
The short version
In lab tests, turning down one gene made glioblastoma: A glioma that is given grade 4. Grade 4 is the highest grade there is. The tumor grows fast. Treatment usually starts soon after it is found. It often means surgery, and then radiation and chemotherapy. See the glossary cells grow less well.
What was studied. Researchers worked with glioblastoma: A glioma that is given grade 4. Grade 4 is the highest grade there is. The tumor grows fast. Treatment usually starts soon after it is found. It often means surgery, and then radiation and chemotherapy. See the glossary cells grown in a lab dish. They studied a gene called EIF3B and another gene called E2F7. They also looked at gene data from stored glioblastoma samples.
What they found. When the team lowered EIF3B in the cells, levels of E2F7 went down too. The E2F7 message broke down faster and carried less of a chemical tag called m6A. The cells also formed fewer tumor spheres and made fewer stem cell markers. In the stored data, higher EIF3B went along with higher glioma: A tumor that starts in the glial cells. Those are the support cells of the brain and spinal cord. Gliomas are given a grade from 1 to 4. The grade says how the tumor is expected to act. See the glossary grade and worse outcomes.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: This may help scientists find a new target to aim a future drug at. It does not change any treatment a patient can get now.
What it doesn't mean: This was done in cells in a lab, not in people or animals. There is no drug that blocks this gene for patients. It does not show that blocking it would help anyone live longer. This is not a cure, and it is many years away from everyday care, if it gets there at all.
Source: PubMed, July 27, 2026 · Read the original
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