Itay Tirosh

Abstract:
The role of the nervous system in the regulation of cancer is increasingly appreciated. In gliomas, neuronal activity drives tumour progression through paracrine signalling factors such as neuroligin-3 and brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF), and through electro physiologically functional neuron-to-glioma synapses mediated by AMPA (α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid) receptors. The consequent glioma cell membrane depolarization drives tumour proliferation. In the healthy brain, activity-regulated secretion of BDNF promotes adaptive plasticity of synaptic connectivity and strength. Here we show that malignant synapses exhibit similar plasticity regulated by BDNF.