Submitter Withdrawn 22nd Annual Lorne Proteomics Symposium 2017

Glioma Stem Cells Induce Invasion-like Structures in Normal Astrocytes via Extracellular Vesicles (#109)

Susannah Hallal 1 2 , Duthika Mallawaaratchy 3 , Heng Wei 2 4 , Saeideh Ebrahim Khani 1 2 , Michael Buckland 1 2 4 , Kimberley Kaufman 2 3 4
  1. Pathology, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  2. Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  3. Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  4. Neuropathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and lethal primary brain tumour in adults. GBM carries an exceedingly poor prognosis due to its aggressive, invasive and recurrent nature. In order to promote tumour progression, GBM cells have been shown to hijack their tumour microenvironment via extracellular vesicle (EV) signalling. EVs are 30-1000 nm membranous vesicles that are released by all cells and are gaining immense attention in cancer research for their role in intercellular communication. 

Glioma stem-like cells (GSC) are proposed to drive the aggressiveness, relapse and treatment resistance of GBM tumours. We have observed an induction of an invasion-like phenotype in normal primary astrocytes after uptake of GSC-EVs. In order to investigate astrocyte protein changes following exposure to GSC-EV, whole cell proteome analysis by label-free quantitative LC-MS/MS of treated astrocytes was performed. Characterising the molecular changes within astrocytes in response to GSC-EV will help us understand GBM progression and invasion.