{
  "id": 6178247,
  "title": "Pannexin 1 inhibition reduces tumorigenic properties of patient-derived glioblastoma cells through the HIPPO and Wnt signalling pathways",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/07/pannexin-1-inhibition-reduces-tumorigenic-properties-of-patient",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-09-07T00:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "bioRxiv",
    "slug": "biorxiv",
    "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.03.749222v1?rss=1"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most prevalent type of primary brain tumor, with a median survival of merely 12-18 months, underscoring the urgent need for novel therapeutic targets. Researchers found that pannexin 1 (PANX1), a glycoprotein integral to purinergic signaling, is overexpressed in GBM as opposed to normal tissue and is present throughout the tumors in patients. Analysis carried out on patient-derived GBM cell lines showed a significant increase in PANX1 expression within these primary lines when compared to brain tissue and glial cell controls. Gene expression analysis using bulk RNA-sequencing on GBM cells without PANX1, achieved through CRISPR/Cas9 deletion (PANX1-KO), versus control groups, showed that PANX1-KO in GBM cells impacts cell surface and junctional components, pathways, and processes, including the HIPPO pathway, as well as significantly reducing the mRNA levels of beta-catenin and other components of the Wnt pathway. Elimination of PANX1 led to a disruption in the beta-catenin protein and a marked decrease in cell migration and proliferation. Pharmacological inhibition of PANX1 in GBM cells treated with probenecid (PBN) and spironolactone (SPIR) resulted in a substantial reduction in living cell numbers and migration, as evidenced by a scratch assay. Both inhibitors led to a marked decrease in filament formation of F-actin, and the cellular localization of beta-catenin became more intracellular compared to control samples. Tumors derived from GBM treated with PBN exhibited a reduction in tumor cell viability via bioluminescent imaging and a decrease in hemorrhaging incidents. These findings suggest that PANX1 could be a promising therapeutic target for GBM and could play a role in multiple cancer signaling pathways that govern this debilitating disease.",
  "summary": "Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary brain tumour, with a median survival of 12-18 months, highlighting a need for new treatment targets. We observed that pannexin 1 (PANX1), a channel-forming glycoprotein important in purinergic signalling, is upregulated in GBM compared to normal tissue and expressed throughout patient tumours. Western blot analysis of patient-derived GBM cell lines…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}