# Regulation of Glioblastoma Stem-Like Cells by CDC20-Anaphase-Promoting Complex

> **NIH NIH R01** · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $333,594

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Glioblastoma is the most common malignant primary brain tumor in adults and is invariably fatal. Glioblastoma
stem-like cells (GSCs) represent a dynamic subpopulation of glioblastoma cells, which are now known to
exhibit treatment resistance and cause tumor recurrence. Therefore, knowledge of the mechanisms governing
the GSC state is essential to develop effective therapies against glioblastoma. Using patient-derived
glioblastoma cell lines, we have recently uncovered a requirement for the E3 ligase CDC20-Anaphase-
Promoting Complex (CDC20-APC) in key GSC functions of invasion, self-renewal, and tumor initiation.
Furthermore, we have identified the pluripotency regulatory transcription factor SOX2 as a novel CDC20-
interacting protein, which mediates the downstream effects of CDC20-APC in GSCs in vitro. How exactly the
CDC20-APC/SOX2 signaling pathway is regulated in GSCs and what role the CDC20-APC/SOX2 pathway
plays in glioblastoma in vivo remain to be defined. The goals of our proposal are: 1) to identify the molecular
mechanisms underlying the CDC20-APC/SOX2 pathway in GSC invasiveness, 2) to determine the impact of
the CDC20-APC/SOX2 pathway on tumor initiation and maintenance in glioblastoma in vivo, and 3) to
determine the effect of the CDC20-APC/SOX2 pathway on GSC responsiveness to standard-of-care
chemotherapy temozolomide and radiation therapy. The long-term goal of this project is to develop novel
CDC20-APC-directed therapeutic strategies to disrupt the GSC state and enhance the effectiveness of current
treatments.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9932512
- **Project number:** 5R01NS094670-05
- **Recipient organization:** WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Albert Hong-Jae Kim
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $333,594
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-07-01 → 2021-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9932512

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9932512, Regulation of Glioblastoma Stem-Like Cells by CDC20-Anaphase-Promoting Complex (5R01NS094670-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9932512. Licensed CC0.

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