The Role of Viruses in the Glioma Tumor Microenvironment: Immunosuppressors or Primers for Anti-Tumor Immunity?

TL;DR

This paper reviews how viruses may influence glioblastoma progression and whether they suppress or enhance anti-tumor immunity.

Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive review of viral associations in glioblastoma and their impact on immune responses.

Findings

Viruses can alter cellular growth and immune signaling in glioblastoma.

The role of viruses in modulating anti-tumor immunity remains unclear.

Targeting viruses may offer new therapeutic strategies for glioblastoma.

Abstract

Viral infections have been linked to the development of several cancers, including glioblastoma—the most common primary brain tumor. This review summarizes current research on how different viruses may influence glioblastoma progression and patient outcomes. We also explore therapeutic strategies that target these viruses as potential strategies to improve treatment for this aggressive disease.

The WHO estimates that nearly 10–15% of cancers have a known viral etiology, although this number is likely an underestimate. In glioblastoma (GBM), the most common primary brain malignancy, viral associations have been proposed and investigated without a definitive etiology. Viral–host interactions are known to alter cellular growth and stem cell programming, as well as modulate innate immune signaling. However, in GBM, the multifaceted role of endogenous or exogenous viral expression remains unclear. Here, we provide a review of common viral associations in GBM and discuss how these viruses modulate intrinsic cellular processes to enhance anti-viral immune response or suppress anti-tumor immunity.

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