Epstein Lay Abstract

To develop better treatments for children’s brain tumors it is critical to better understand their unique biology at the molecular level. This is the theme guiding our proposal.

Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels, is critical for growth of brain tumors. While cells that originate in the bone marrow and home in to tumors (“bone marrow-derived cells”) are critical for angiogenesis in some tumors, it is not known whether they are important in brain tumors.

Integrins are cell surface protein molecules that integrate between cells and their microenvironment. Integrin α4β1 (alpha-4-beta-1) is critical for angiogenesis. It is also not known whether integrin α4β1 is required in brain tumor angiogenesis, nor whether its inhibition will suppress growth of pediatric brain tumors.

Using models of brain tumors in mice we will determine whether bone marrow-derived cells and integrin α4β1 are important in brain tumor angiogenesis, and whether inhibiting them can slow growth of brain tumors in the mice, or even cause the shrinkage of existing tumors. Results will indicate whether inhibitors of integrin α4β1 may be helpful in future treatment of children’s brain tumors.