Neural Regeneration Research (Apr 2025)

Impacts of Nutlin-3a and exercise on murine double minute 2–enriched glioma treatment

  • Yisheng Chen,
  • Zhongcheng Fan,
  • Zhiwen Luo,
  • Xueran Kang,
  • Renwen Wan,
  • Fangqi Li,
  • Weiwei Lin,
  • Zhihua Han,
  • Beijie Qi,
  • Jinrong Lin,
  • Yaying Sun,
  • Jiebin Huang,
  • Yuzhen Xu,
  • Shiyi Chen

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-23-00875
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 20, no. 4
pp. 1135 – 1152

Abstract

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Recent research has demonstrated the impact of physical activity on the prognosis of glioma patients, with evidence suggesting exercise may reduce mortality risks and aid neural regeneration. The role of the small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) protein, especially post-exercise, in cancer progression, is gaining attention, as are the potential anti-cancer effects of SUMOylation. We used machine learning to create the exercise and SUMO-related gene signature (ESLRS). This signature shows how physical activity might help improve the outlook for low-grade glioma and other cancers. We demonstrated the prognostic and immunotherapeutic significance of ESLRS markers, specifically highlighting how murine double minute 2 (MDM2), a component of the ESLRS, can be targeted by nutlin-3. This underscores the intricate relationship between natural compounds such as nutlin-3 and immune regulation. Using comprehensive CRISPR screening, we validated the effects of specific ESLRS genes on low-grade glioma progression. We also revealed insights into the effectiveness of Nutlin-3a as a potent MDM2 inhibitor through molecular docking and dynamic simulation. Nutlin-3a inhibited glioma cell proliferation and activated the p53 pathway. Its efficacy decreased with MDM2 overexpression, and this was reversed by Nutlin-3a or exercise. Experiments using a low-grade glioma mouse model highlighted the effect of physical activity on oxidative stress and molecular pathway regulation. Notably, both physical exercise and Nutlin-3a administration improved physical function in mice bearing tumors derived from MDM2-overexpressing cells. These results suggest the potential for Nutlin-3a, an MDM2 inhibitor, with physical exercise as a therapeutic approach for glioma management. Our research also supports the use of natural products for therapy and sheds light on the interaction of exercise, natural products, and immune regulation in cancer treatment.

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