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Copyright ©The Author(s) 2022.
World J Stem Cells. Aug 26, 2022; 14(8): 587-598
Published online Aug 26, 2022. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v14.i8.587
Table 1 Main features of medulloblastoma groups
MB group
Pathway
Prognosis
Cell of origin
CSC markers
Metabolism
WNT[2]↑ WNT signalling (Activated β-catenin)[4,5]Good[4,5]Progenitors in the dorsal brainstem[23]CD133[20], Nestin[20], CD15[30], Sox2[30,31], ki67/nestin, Ki67/DCX, and Ki67/TUC-4[32]↑ Glycolysis[47]
SHH[2]↑ SHH signalling pathway[5]Intermediate[4]Immature cerebellar granule neuron precursors[19,20] or neural stem cells[21-23]CD133[20], Nestin[20], CD15[30], Sox2[30,31], CD271 [28], ki67/nestin, ki67/DCX, and ki67/TUC-4[32]↑ Glycolysis[46]; ↑ Fatty acid synthesis[40]; ↓ Fatty acid oxidation[40]
Group 3[2]↑ MYCN gene[4,5]Poor prognosis and high metastatic rate[4,5]Cerebellar stem cells[25,26]CD133[20], Nestin[20], CD15[30], Sox2[30,31], ki67/nestin, ki67/DCX, and ki67/TUC-4[32]↑ Glycolysis[47]; ↑ Fatty acid synthesis[51]; ↑ Gluconeogenesis[51]; ↑Glutamine anabolism[51]
Group 4[2]Chromosome 17 abnormalities[4,5]Intermediate[2]Further investigation neededCD133[20], Nestin[20], CD15[30], Sox2[30,31], ki67/nestin, ki67/DCX, and ki67/TUC-4[32]↑ Fatty acid synthesis[41]; ↑ One carbon pool by folate[41]
CD15: Cluster of differentiation 15; CD133: Cluster of differentiation 133; CD271: Cluster of differentiation 271; DCX: Doublecortin; MB: Medulloblastoma; SHH: Sonic hedgehog; Sox2: SRY-box transcription factor 2; TUC-4: TOAD/Ulip/CRMP family protein 4; WNT: Wingless/integrated.
Table 2 Metabolic therapeutic targeting in medulloblastoma
MB groupMB
MB-CSCs
General drug (target)
Group specific drug (target)
General drug (target)
Group specific drug (target)
WNT[2]C75 (FASN)[36], Oxamate (LDH)[41], DFMO (ODC)1, Isotretinoin (RAR, RXR)1DCA (PDK)[54]; Curcumin (pleiotropic)[73]; IP6 (mTOR)[55]
SHH[2]GW9662 (PPARγ)[39]
Group 3[2]GSK2837808a, FX11 (LDHA)[43]; TAK228, Sirolimus, Temsirolimus, Everolimus (mTOR)[71]; JHU395 (Glutamine)[72]WP1066 (STAT3) & Chloroquine (autophagy)[58]
Group 4[2]
1Compounds tested in clinical trials. DCA: Dichloroacetic acid; DFMO: Difluoromethylornithine; FASN: Fatty acid synthase; LDH: Lactate dehydrogenase; MB: Medulloblastoma; MB-CSCs: Medulloblastoma cancer stem cells; mTOR: Mammalian target of rapamycin; ODC: Ornithine decarboxylase; PPARγ: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma; RAR: Retinoic acid receptor; RXR: Retinoid X receptor; STAT3: Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3.