Issues

Glioma-associated cancer-initiating cells participate in tumor-mediated immune suppression by inhibiting effector T-cell functions by a combination of cell surface contact inhibition via B7-H1 and soluble factors including Galectin-3. Shown here are human glioma-associated cancer-initiating cells xenografted into the frontal lobe of a nude mouse that shows their ability to recapitulate many of the hallmark features of malignant gliomas including mass effect, diffuse ill-defined infiltration and tracking along white matter tracts such as the corpus callosum. Differentiation of the glioma-associated cancer-initiating cells markedly reduces their ability to mediate immune suppression. For further details, please see Wei et al on page 461 in this issue.