Adult Human Glioblastomas Harbor Radial Glia-like Cells

Abstract

Summary: Radial glia (RG) cells are the first neural stem cells to appear during embryonic development. Adult human glioblastomas harbor a subpopulation of RG-like cells with typical RG morphology and markers. The cells exhibit the classic and unique mitotic behavior of normal RG in a cell-autonomous manner. Single-cell RNA sequencing analyses of glioblastoma cells reveal transcriptionally dynamic clusters of RG-like cells that share the profiles of normal human fetal radial glia and that reside in quiescent and cycling states. Functional assays show a role for interleukin in triggering exit from dormancy into active cycling, suggesting a role for inflammation in tumor progression. These data are consistent with the possibility of persistence of RG into adulthood and their involvement in tumor initiation or maintenance. They also provide a putative cellular basis for the persistence of normal developmental programs in adult tumors. : Tabar and colleagues report that adult brain tumors comprise neoplastic radial glia-like cells reminiscent of normal radial glia of early development. They are responsive to inflammation signals and may represent putative stem cells of origin of this lethal tumor. Keywords: radial glia, cancer stem cells, glioblastoma, inflammation, brain tumor, scRNASeq, tumor mitosis