Analysis of cell heterogeneity and cytokines in patients with glioblastoma: impact on tumor progression and therapeutic utility.

Glioblastomas (GBM) are heterogeneous and predominantly composed of cells with a distinctly glial phenotype and several immune infiltrating cells. These cells are chemo-radioresistant and responsible for tumor progression and recurrence after conventional therapy. Depending on the type of cells and their functional interactions between tumoral, stem and immune cells may play a key role suppressing the tumor or providing support for tumor growth. The complexity of human GBM immune system requires very high-throughput techniques for analysis (flow cytometry and molecular techniques). In addition, cellular cultures of stem cells and IL1 and TGFB will be perfomed. Despite the significant advancements in cell biology, this demand has not been satisfied in practical medicine. The general aim is to identify and characterize the cellular heterogeneity (tumoral, stem cells and immune cells) in GBM and correlate them with the clinical and biological features of the disease. Identification of cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying activation of the innate immunity is of paramount importance in immunotherapy of GBM. We will study the intricate network of interactions between tumoral cells and immune system which could reveal crucial targets involved in GBM progression. We aim at targeting innate immune cells together with tumoral cells to overcome immune evasion and immunosuppression.