WEBINAR: Lecture series Cancer Research: "Myeloid Cells in Glioblastoma" - Prof Dolores Hambardzumyan

The most abundant non-neoplastic cell population in the glioblastoma microenvironment are tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). TAMs are a mixed population of brain resident microglia, bone-marrow-derived monocytes, and monocyte-derived macrophages. TAMs are recruited to the glioblastoma microenvironment, have immunosuppressive functions, and can release a wide array of growth factors and cytokines in response to factors produced by neoplastic cells to promote tumor growth and therapy resistance. Although TAMs are genetically stable, they change their expression profile in response to glioblastoma. We have shown that the number, composition, and expression profile of TAMs differ significantly between human GBM subtypes, likely because of distinct genetic signatures of tumors, raising the possibility of their differential interaction with tumor cells and T-cells. A better understanding of the inter- and intra-tumor heterogeneity of the TAM compartment is essential for developing successful therapies aiming to eliminate the supportive niche myeloid cells provide in pediatric and adult brain tumors.

DOWNLOAD POSTER HERE