Analysis of Molecular Communications on the Growth Structure of Glioblastoma Multiforme

TL;DR

This study investigates how intercellular molecular communication influences the growth and invasiveness of Glioblastoma Multiforme, combining experimental data and information theory to understand tumor development and potential therapeutic targets.

Contribution

It introduces a novel model linking intercellular communication to GBM growth structure, integrating experimental results with information-theoretic analysis.

Findings

Growth direction correlates with increased mutual information.

Communication varies with tumor invasiveness levels.

Structural influence of cell communication impacts tumor progression.

Abstract

In this paper we consider the influence of intercellular communication on the development and progression of Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM), a grade IV malignant glioma which is defined by an interplay Grow i.e. self renewal and Go i.e. invasiveness potential of multiple malignant glioma stem cells. Firstly, we performed wet lab experiments with U87 malignant glioma cells to study the node-stem growth pattern of GBM. Next we develop a model accounting for the structural influence of multiple transmitter and receiver glioma stem cells resulting in the node-stem growth structure of GBM tumour. By using information theory we study different properties associated with this communication model to show that the growth of GBM in a particular direction (node to stem) is related to an increase in mutual information. We further show that information flow between glioblastoma cells for different levels of invasiveness vary at different points between node and stem. These findings are expected to contribute significantly in the design of future therapeutic mechanisms for GBM.