# Collaborative Activities of the Key Transcription Factors in Glioblastoma Stem-like Cancer Cells

> **NIH NIH SC3** · TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-KINGSVILLE · 2022 · $103,500

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
The median survival time of glioblastoma multiform (GBM) patients is only 15 months from initial
diagnosis, making it the most aggressive and lethal form of adult brain tumor. The World Health
Organization (WHO) classifies GBM as a grade IV tumor (the highest grade), and only 5% of the
GBM patients survive 5 years or longer after diagnosis. The poor prognosis and high mortality
rates of GBM are due, in part, to the stem-like tumor-propagating cells present in the GBM.
Although these GBM stem-like cancer populations are believed to contribute to therapeutic
resistance and cancer recurrence, the underlying mechanism of stem cell induction and
maintenance, is not fully understood. The ultimate goals of this proposal are to identify stem-
specific genes controlled by two key transcription factors and develop novel DNA methylation
technologies to eliminate GBM stem populations. The transcription factors SALL2, SOX2, OLIG2
and POU3F2 are required for reprogramming differentiated GBM cells into stem-like tumor
propagating cells. Of these proteins, only SALL2 appears to physically interact with SOX2. This
will be the first investigation to evaluate the pathological consequences of the interaction between
SALL2 and SOX2, identifying its target genes and determining their roles in driving GBM stem
populations (Specific Aim I). In addition, this will be the first experimental approach to precisely
target the SALL2 promoter for methylation, blocking its expression and thus eliminating GBM
stem-like cancer cells (Specific Aim II). Completion of these aims will substantially increase our
understanding of how GBM stem-like cells are induced and maintained. Our innovative
approaches will facilitate the development of novel methylation-mediated therapeutics to block
therapeutic resistance and inhibit tumor recurrence by specifically suppressing GBM stem-like
populations.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10400674
- **Project number:** 5SC3GM141756-02
- **Recipient organization:** TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-KINGSVILLE
- **Principal Investigator:** Chang Kyoo Sung
- **Activity code:** SC3 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $103,500
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-05-01 → 2025-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10400674

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10400674, Collaborative Activities of the Key Transcription Factors in Glioblastoma Stem-like Cancer Cells (5SC3GM141756-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10400674. Licensed CC0.

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