CD38 deficiency in the tumor microenvironment attenuates glioma progression and modulates features of tumor-associated microglia/macrophages.

ABSTRACT: Gliomas are the most frequent primary tumors of the brain, and for highly malignant gliomas there is no successful treatment. The tumor microenvironment contains large numbers of infiltrating microglia and macrophages (MM). There is increasing evidence that the tumor-associated MM support glioma expansion. CD38 is a multifunctional ectoenzyme that uses nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide as a substrate to generate second messengers. Previously we showed that CD38 deficiency modulates microglial "activation" and impaired recovery from head trauma by a microglia-associated mechanism. In view of the supportive role of MM in glioma progression and the role of CD38 in microglia activation, we hypothesize that deficiency of CD38 in the tumor microenvironment would inhibit glioma progression. Using

SUBMITTER: Levy A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3408254 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature