Stroke Remodels Tumor Microenvironment to Promote Glioma Growth

A study conducted by researchers at Texas Children’s Duncan Neurological Research Institute and Baylor College of Medicine has found that stroke can promote the growth of glioma, a malignant brain tumor. The team used mouse and human models to investigate the cellular and molecular mediators involved in this process. They discovered that stroke induces remodeling of the tumor microenvironment (TME), alongside the emergence of a distinct population of tumor-associated astrocytes (TAAs) with reduced calcium activity.

This was accompanied by an accumulation of tumor-associated microglia and macrophages (TAMs). The researchers found that restoring TAAs' calcium signaling or depleting TAMs could suppress stroke-induced glioma progression, indicating the importance of these cell types in the injury response. Lead researcher Dr. Hyun Kyoung Lee noted that recent clinical studies have shown a correlation between glioma and brain injuries, with patients who have experienced ischemic stroke being at an increased risk of developing brain tumors, with a risk factor ranging from three to seven times higher.

The study, published in Nature Cancer, suggests that targeting injury-induced tumor-promoting pathways could be a potential therapeutic approach for reducing the risk of glioma growth in patients with a history of brain injury.