Lab study points to a protein that keeps tough tumor cells going
Original title: H2AX phosphorylation driven by the SET-PP2A axis maintains glioma stem cell properties.
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 lab work on tumor cells, not a treatment tested in people.
The short version
Scientists found a protein that helps the tumor cells most likely to grow back stay alive.
What was studied. Researchers worked with glioma: A tumor that starts in the glial cells, the support cells of the brain and spinal cord. Gliomas are graded 1 to 4 by how fast they tend to grow. See the glossary stem cells in the lab. These are a small group 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 cells that can bring the tumor back and spread. The team used gene editing tools to remove a protein called H2AX and watched what happened.
What they found. The glioma: A tumor that starts in the glial cells, the support cells of the brain and spinal cord. Gliomas are graded 1 to 4 by how fast they tend to grow. See the glossary stem cells had more H2AX than other cells, and more of it was switched on by a chemical tag. When the team removed H2AX, the cells lost their ability to renew themselves and form tumors. Putting normal H2AX back fixed this, but a changed version that could not carry the tag did not.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: This work points to a possible new target for future drugs. If a drug could turn down this protein tag, it might weaken the tumor cells that drive regrowth. The team also found a drug like approach in the lab that lowered the tag.
What it doesn't mean: This does not mean a new treatment is coming soon. The work was done on cells in the lab, not in people. No one has shown it is safe or that it helps patients live longer or better. It is not a cure, and it is not something a doctor can offer today. Years of more testing would be needed first.
Source: PubMed, December 2, 2025 · Read the original
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