Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • News & Views
  • Published:

NEURO-ONCOLOGY

Glioma progression through synaptic activity

Two new studies show that gliomas can manipulate normal elements of neuronal development and plasticity to create neuron–glia synapses, activation of which leads to glioma proliferation. Interventions that target the AMPA receptor could slow down tumour growth by altering this synaptic transmission.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Venkatesh, H. S. et al. Electrical and synaptic integration of glioma into neural circuits. Nature 573, 539–545 (2019).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Venkataramani, V. et al. Glutamatergic synaptic input to glioma cells drives brain tumour progression. Nature 573, 532–538 (2019).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Osswald, M. et al. Brain tumour cells interconnect to a functional and resistant network. Nature 528, 93–98 (2015).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Venkatesh, H. S. et al. Neuronal activity promotes glioma growth through neuroligin-3 secretion. Cell 161, 803–816 (2015).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Venkatesh, H. S. et al. Targeting neuronal activity-regulated neuroligin-3 dependency in high-grade glioma. Nature 549, 533–537 (2017).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Lange, F. et al. AMPA receptor antagonist perampanel affects glioblastoma cell growth and glutamate release in vitro. PLoS ONE 14, e0211644 (2019).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Huberfeld, G. & Vecht, C. J. Seizures and gliomas - towards a single therapeutic approach. Nat. Rev. Neurol. 12, 204–216 (2016).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Izumoto, S. et al. Seizures and tumor progression in glioma patients with uncontrollable epilepsy treated with perampanel. Anticancer Res. 38, 4361–4366 (2018).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Grossman, S. A. et al. Talampanel with standard radiation and temozolomide in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma: a multicenter phase II trial. J. Clin. Oncol. 27, 4155–4161 (2009).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Iwamoto, F. M. et al. Phase 2 trial of talampanel, a glutamate receptor inhibitor, for adults with recurrent malignant gliomas. Cancer 116, 1776–1782 (2010).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Patrick Y. Wen.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Lim-Fat, M.J., Wen, P.Y. Glioma progression through synaptic activity. Nat Rev Neurol 16, 6–7 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41582-019-0290-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41582-019-0290-1

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing: Cancer

Sign up for the Nature Briefing: Cancer newsletter — what matters in cancer research, free to your inbox weekly.

Get what matters in cancer research, free to your inbox weekly. Sign up for Nature Briefing: Cancer