Huadong Pei, Ph.D., The George Washington University
New Funding Summary, first of two years
Medulloblastoma is the most common and aggressive type of brain tumor in children. It originates in the back part of the brain called the cerebellum. In up to 1/3 of cases, it can spread to other parts of the brain and spinal cord. Most cases are diagnosed before age 10. Perturbation of the Hedgehog (HH) pathway and activation of glioma-associated oncogene (GLI), a dedicated transcription factor in the HH pathway, is responsible for approximately 30% of medulloblastoma. However, incomplete understanding of HH signaling activation represents a significant challenge to designing more effective and personalized treatment for HH-dependent medulloblastoma. The proposed project has the potential to improve public health by elucidating the novel role of O-GlcNAcylation in regulating GLI functions and HH pathway, which will eventually lead to better diagnosis and treatment of medulloblastoma. Treatment for medulloblastoma usually includes surgery followed by radiation or chemotherapy, or both. The proposed work will utilize laboratory-based science to advance strategies for overcoming radiochemoresistance in medulloblastoma.