Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Malignant Nervous System Cancers

A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Cancer Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 October 2025 | Viewed by 377

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN 37132, USA
Interests: biology; medulloblastoma

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cancers of the central and peripheral nervous system commonly affect children, adolescents, and young adults. While some may be benign and lead to favorable outcomes, others are aggressive, difficult to treat, and can lead to death. The majority of cancers that arise within the central nervous system are gliomas and medulloblastomas, while the most common extracranial nervous system cancer is neuroblastoma. Significant strides have been made over the last ten years to rigorously characterize these three nervous system cancers, paving the way for the identification of new and improved therapies. However, given the complex and heterogeneous nature of these malignancies, more work is needed to close the survival gap.

This Special Issue aims to improve our understanding of malignant nervous system cancers by combining contemporary research that illuminates current and emerging mechanisms of tumorigenesis, progression, maintenance, and treatment. Research on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of gliomas, medulloblastomas, and neuroblastomas is the key to identifying novel therapeutic avenues to explore, making current therapies less toxic and with fewer side effects, and overcoming resistance associated with high-risk diseases.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following range of topics relevant to malignant nervous system cancers: diagnostic and prognostic marker identification, tumor microenvironment and heterogeneity, resistance mechanisms, targeted therapies, epigenetics, and fundamental biology related to the genetic risk factors associated with the disease.

I look forward to receiving your contributions,

Dr. April Weissmiller
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • medulloblastoma
  • pediatric glioma
  • neuroblastoma
  • diagnosis and prognostic markers
  • IDH, TERT, and EGFR mutations
  • DNA methylation
  • treatment approaches and strategies (chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy)
  • resistance mechanisms
  • tumor microenvironment
  • molecular characteristics of tumor heterogeneity

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

15 pages, 2893 KiB  
Article
NRP1 and GFAP Expression in the Medulloblastoma Microenvironment: Implications for Angiogenesis and Tumor Progression
by Margarita Belem Santana-Bejarano, María Paulina Reyes-Mata, José de Jesús Guerrero-García, Daniel Ortuño-Sahagún and Marisol Godínez-Rubí
Cancers 2025, 17(15), 2417; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17152417 - 22 Jul 2025
Viewed by 241
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Medulloblastoma (MB) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in children. Its tumor microenvironment (TME) includes endothelial, glial, and immune cells that influence tumor architecture and progression. Neuropilin-1 (NRP1), a co-receptor for semaphorins and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), is [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Medulloblastoma (MB) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in children. Its tumor microenvironment (TME) includes endothelial, glial, and immune cells that influence tumor architecture and progression. Neuropilin-1 (NRP1), a co-receptor for semaphorins and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), is expressed in various cell types during oncogenesis, yet its role in MB progression remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the expression and localization of NRP1 and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in MB tissue. Methods: We analyzed MB tissue samples using immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and quantitative PCR. Samples were stratified by molecular subgroup (WNT, SHH, non-WNT/non-SHH). We assessed NRP1 expression in tumor-associated microglia/macrophages (TAMs) and endothelial cells, as well as GFAP expression in astrocytes and tumor cells. Histopathological correlations and survival analyses were also conducted. Results: NRP1 was consistently expressed by TAMs across all MB molecular subgroups. Tumor vasculature showed strong endothelial NRP1 expression, while perivascular astrocytic coverage was frequently absent. Astrocytic processes exhibited spatial differences according to tumor histology. In SHH-MBs, a subset of tumor cells showed aberrant GFAP expression, which correlated with tumor recurrence or progression. Conclusions: NRP1 and GFAP display distinct expression patterns within the MB microenvironment, reflecting subgroup-specific biological behavior. Endothelial NRP1 positivity combined with limited vascular-astrocytic interaction and aberrant GFAP expression in SHH-MB may contribute to dysregulated angiogenesis and tumor progression. These findings warrant further investigation to explore their prognostic and therapeutic implications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Malignant Nervous System Cancers)
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