FOLR1 Regulates the Malignant Progression of Glioblastoma through the SRC/ERK1/2 Axis

作者：Xueshan Jia, Weihang Liang, Junya Yang, Xuejiao Chen, Bin Yi, Zhikun Cao, Qingfeng Tian · 发表于：Combinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput Screening · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.2174/0113862073335351241226070841 · 研究领域：Folate and B Vitamins Research、Retinoids in leukemia and cellular processes、Nuclear Receptors and Signaling

BACKGROUND: GBM is an aggressive brain tumor with limited treatment options. Prior research has indicated FOLR1 as a pivotal gene involved in cancer pathogenesis. AIM: This study aimed to explore the involvement of folate receptor alpha (FOLR1) in glioblastoma (GBM) and evaluate its potential as a therapeutic target. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the expression pattern of FOLR1 in GBM, its impact on patient prognosis, and its role in GBM cell growth and the SRC/ERK1/2 signaling axis. METHODS: Initially, we conducted an expression analysis of FOLR1 based on public databases and examined its expression pattern in GBM and its impact on patient prognosis. Subsequently, cell experiments were carried out to evaluate the regulation of GBM cells by differential FOLR1 expression. We then downloaded 100 FOLR1 co-expressed genes from the Linkedomics data repository and performed an enrichment analysis. Finally, the role of FOLR1 and SRC/ERK1/2 axis in GBM was analyzed again by cell experiments. RESULTS: FOLR1 was found to be substantially expressed in GBM patients and was linked to a poor prognosis. Cell experiments showed that overexpression of FOLR1 promoted GBM cell growth, while low expression of FOLR1 inhibited cell growth. Additionally, genes related to FOLR1 were enriched in the lysosome, toxoplasmosis, and other pathways. This study further indicated that FOLR1 facilitates the activation of the SRC/ERK1/2 signaling pathway in GBM cells, and the attenuation of these pathways...