Published online May 26, 2023. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v15.i5.302
Peer-review started: December 10, 2022
First decision: January 23, 2023
Revised: February 3, 2023
Accepted: March 8, 2023
Article in press: March 8, 2023
Published online: May 26, 2023
Processing time: 166 Days and 22.8 Hours
Literature data on glioblastoma ongoingly underline the link between metabolism and cancer stemness, the latter is one responsible for potentiating the resistance to treatment, inter alia due to increased invasiveness. In recent years, glioblastoma stemness research has bashfully introduced a key aspect of cytoskeletal rearrangements, whereas the impact of the cytoskeleton on invasiveness is well known. Although non-stem glioblastoma cells are less invasive than glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs), these cells also acquire stemness with greater ease if characterized as invasive cells and not tumor core cells. This suggests that glioblastoma stemness should be further investigated for any phenomena related to the cytoskeleton and metabolism, as they may provide new invasion-related insights. Previously, we proved that interplay between metabolism and cytoskeleton existed in glioblastoma. Despite searching for cytoskeleton-related processes in which the investigated genes might have been involved, not only did we stumble across the relation to metabolism but also reported genes that were found to be implicated in stemness. Thus, dedicated research on these genes in GSCs seems justifiable and might reveal novel directions and/or biomarkers that could be utilized in the future. Herein, we review the previously identified cyto
Core Tip: Glioblastoma stemness intensifies the resistance to treatment via increased invasiveness. Among the processes crucial for glioblastoma stem cells, metabolism is known to influence invasion. However, the cytoskeleton is currently negligent in glioblastoma stemness research, while it also regulates invasion. Herein, we review the link between stemness and cytoskeleton/metabolism-related genes that we previously identified in glioblastoma. These genes influence stemness via numerous biological processes; for some genes, clinical trials are currently ongoing. Others were connected to glioblastoma stemness for the first time. Future glioblastoma-related research should delve into the cytoskeleton since the concept is already encouraging.