46-667MAG MilliporeMILLIPLEX MAP GAPDH Total Magnetic Bead MAPmate™ - Cell Signaling Single Plex or Multiplex Assay

The long-term survival of patients with glioblastoma (GB) is compromised by the proclivity for local invasion into the surrounding normal brain, escaping surgical resection and contributing to therapeutic resistance. Tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK), a member of the tumor necrosis factor superfamily, can stimulate glioma cell invasion via binding to fibroblast growth factor-inducible 14 (Fn14) and subsequent activation of the Rho GTPase family member Rac1. Here, we demonstrate that TWEAK acts as a chemotactic factor for glioma cells, a potential process for driving cell invasion into the surrounding brain tissue. TWEAK exposure induced the activation of Src-family kinases (SFK), and pharmacologic suppression of SFK activity inhibited TWEAK-induced chemotactic migration. We employed a multiplexed Luminex assay and identified Lyn as a candidate SFK activated by TWEAK. Depletion of Lyn suppressed TWEAK-induced chemotaxis and Rac1 activity. Furthermore, Lyn gene expression levels increase with primary glioma tumor grade and inversely correlate with patient survival. These results show that TWEAK-induced glioma cell chemotaxis is dependent upon Lyn kinase function, and thus, provides opportunities for therapeutic targeting of this deadly disease.