The study identified a previously missing link between an active mechanical sensor molecule in brain tumors, called YAP, which the scientists observed activating ‘TRIO’ protein to propel cell movement.
With the new data, the Yale and Mayo labs have developed a gene-based ‘prognostic signature’ that they hope will provide crucial information to help patients and their physicians to better predict survival rates. The researchers are also exploring TRIO as a target for new therapies to slow glioblastoma progression and improve quality of life and patient survival.
The research was led by Sagar Shah and Chunxiao Ren, former and current members of the Levchenko and Hinojosa’s labs.
This research was funded by the National Institutes of Health.