Signaling Pathways of AXL Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Contribute to the Pathogenetic Mechanisms of Glioblastoma - review

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Patrick

Brain tumors comprise diverse neoplasms with high global prevalence, among which glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive primary form. Despite current interventions such as surgery, radiotherapy, and Temozolomide-based pharmacological approaches, mortality remains high within months of diagnosis, driving the need for novel therapies. This review centers on the AXL receptor tyrosine kinase, linking activated AXL to tumor growth, migration, angiogenesis, and resistance through regulation of apoptotic, angiogenic, and inflammatory signaling in glioblastoma.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages17

Reading Time43 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Glioblastoma clinical forms and epidemiology

Diagnosis and differential diagnosis

cells Review Signaling Pathways of AXL Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Contribute to the Pathogenetic Mechanisms of Glioblastoma Alberto Repici 1, Alessio Ardizzone 1, Fabiola De Luca 1, Lorenzo Colarossi 2, Angela Prestifilippo 2, Gabriele Pizzino 2, Irene Paterniti 1, Emanuela Esposito 1, * and Anna Paola Capra 1 Citation: Repici, A.; Ardizzone, A.; De Luca, F.; Colarossi, L.; Prestifilippo, A.; Pizzino, G.; Paterniti, I.; Esposito, E.; Capra, A.P. Signaling Pathways of AXL Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Contribute to the Pathogenetic Mechanisms of Glioblastoma. Cells 2024, 13, 361. [https://doi.org/](https://doi.org/)[ ](https://doi.org/)[10.3390/cells13040361](10.3390/cells13040361) Academic Editor: Alexander E. Kalyuzhny Received: 16 January 2024 Revised: 5 February 2024 Accepted: 16 February 2024 Published: 19 February 2024 Copyright: © 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license ([https://](https://)[ ](https://)[creativecommons.org/licenses/by/](creativecommons.org/licenses/by/)[ ](creativecommons.org/licenses/by/)[4.0/](4.0/)) . 1 Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; [alberto.repici@unime.it](alberto.repici@unime.it) (A.R.); [aleardizzone@unime.it](aleardizzone@unime.it) (A.A.); [fabiola.deluca@studenti.unime.it](fabiola.deluca@studenti.unime.it) (F.D.L.); ipaterniti@unime.it (I.P.); [annapaola.capra@unime.it](annapaola.capra@unime.it) (A.P.C.) 2 Istituto Oncologico del Mediterraneo, Via Penninazzo 7, 95029 Viagrande, Italy; [lorenzo.colarossi@grupposamed.com](lorenzo.colarossi@grupposamed.com) (L.C.); [angela.prestifilippo@grupposamed.com](angela.prestifilippo@grupposamed.com) (A.P.); [gabriele.pizzino@grupposamed.com](gabriele.pizzino@grupposamed.com) (G.P.) * Correspondence: eesposito@unime.it; Tel.: +39-090-6765208 Abstract: Brain tumors are a diverse collection of neoplasms affecting the brain with a high prevalence rate in people of all ages around the globe. In this pathological context, glioblastoma, a form of glioma that belongs to the IV-grade astrocytoma group, is the most common and most aggressive form of the primary brain tumors. Indeed, despite the best treatments available including surgery, radiotherapy or a pharmacological approach with Temozolomide, glioblastoma patients’ mortality is still high, within a few months of diagnosis. Therefore, to increase the chances of these patients surviving, it is critical to keep finding novel treatment opportunities. In the past, efforts to treat glioblastoma have mostly concentrated on customized treatment plans that target specific mutations such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, Neurotrophic Tyrosine Receptor Kinase (NTRK) fusions, or multiple receptors using multi-kinase inhibitors like Sunitinib and Regorafenib, with varying degrees of success. Here, we focused on the receptor tyrosine kinase AXL that has been identified as a mediator for tumor progression and therapy resistance in various cancer types, including squamous cell tumors, small cell lung cancer, and breast cancer. Activated AXL leads to a significant increase in tumor proliferation, tumor cell migration, and angiogenesis in different in vitro and in vivo models of cancer since this receptor regulates interplay with apoptotic, angiogenic and inflammatory pathways. Based on these premises, in this review we mainly focused on the role of AXL in the course of glioblastoma, considering its primary biological mechanisms and as a possible target for the application of the most recent treatments. Keywords: neuro-oncology; Central Nervous System (CNS); glioblastoma; AXL receptor; neuroinflammation 1. Introduction Glioblastoma, a very aggressive and malignant kind of brain cancer, rises from gl

FAQs

How is glioblastoma diagnosed in clinical practice?

Diagnosis can involve neurological examination and imaging modalities such as PET, CT, or MRI. Differential diagnosis may require biopsy tissue collection and analysis, and genetic testing may be used to detect relevant mutations.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Patrick