# Targeting circRNA translation in glioblastoma

> **NIH NIH R01** · GREATER LOS ANGELES VETERANS RESEARCH AND EDUCATION FOUNDATION · 2024 · $313,616

## Abstract

Project Summary
 Glioblastomas are highly malignant and invasive, making these neoplasms extremely difficult to surgically
resect and these properties often result in tumors which are refractory to standard chemotherapeutic therapies.
Unfortunately monotherapies targeting known drivers of glioblastomas such as hyperactive EGFR and c-MET
RTKs have proven to be ineffective suggesting redundant mechanisms of activation. We have identified
circular RNA-derived proteins which are overexpressed in glioblastoma and these novel products are capable
of stimulating receptor tyrosine kinase activity leading to enhanced proliferation, mobility and invasive
characteristics. In this application we propose to 1.) determine the mechanism(s) of circ-HGF mediated
activation of c-MET in glioblastoma, 2.) clarify the role of PKA/PTBP1 signaling in the regulation of circ-HGF
and circ-E-Cad translation initiation and expression in GBM, 3.) evaluate a novel small molecule inhibitor of
circ-HGF and circ-E-Cad IRES-dependent translation in orthotopic GBM PDX models. We also propose to
investigate and chemically modify the inhibitor to build in desired anti-glioblastoma effects.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10864893
- **Project number:** 1R01CA278783-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** GREATER LOS ANGELES VETERANS RESEARCH AND EDUCATION FOUNDATION
- **Principal Investigator:** JOSEPH F GERA
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $313,616
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-03-01 → 2029-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10864893

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10864893, Targeting circRNA translation in glioblastoma (1R01CA278783-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10864893. Licensed CC0.

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