Brain tumor
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive (grade IV) and most common form of a malignant brain tumor. Even when aggressive multimodality therapy consisting of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgical excision is used, median survival is only 12–17 months. Standard therapy for glioblastoma multiforme consists of maximal surgical resection of the tumor, followed by radiotherapy between two and four weeks after the surgical procedure to remove the cancer, then by chemotherapy, such as temozolomide. Most patients with glioblastoma take a corticosteroid, typically dexamethasone, during their illness to relieve symptoms. Experimental treatments include targeted therapy, gamma knife radiosurgery, boron neutron capture therapy and gene therapy.
EMP3
One of the signaling activation pathway involving EMP3 in the progression of glioblastoma was identified in 2016. The pathway was identified as TGF-β/Smad2/3 signaling, in which the unregulated TGF-β signaling promotes tumorigenesis in various human cells, especially CD44-high glioma cells. The interaction between EMP3 and the receptor of TGF-β regulate the TGF-β/Smad2/3 signaling activation, which eventually suppresses cell proliferation and weakens tumorigenesis in glioblastoma.