More than 16% of cancer incidence worldwide has been attributed to infectious pathogens [1], with the responsibility of infections in brain cancer in question. Glioblastoma (GB), a grade IV brain cancer, has the lowest survival rate [2]. Despite aggressive and targeted therapies, patients remain to have worst prognosis. While several studies have suggested potential involvement of viruses in the pathogenesis of GB, however this is limited to the use of only one technology (DNA/RNA sequencing or immunohistochemistry). Therefore, this study aims to address the plausible associations between viruses in GB.
To clarify the role of viruses in the pathology of GB, we combined three different research approaches, namely bioinformatics, proteomics, and genome genomics, in this study. The bioinformatic approaches screened publicly accessible raw mass spectrometry data from three separate publications, employing our internally developed data identification pipeline. This dataset was further strengthened with whole-genome metagenomics and mass spectrometry-based proteomics on a total of 15 GB tissue samples.
Our bioinformatic analysis of publicly accessible data for viruses, further supported with our genomics and proteomics findings has revealed the presence of various herpesvirus species across our cohorts of samples. The next stage of our analysis will examine the proteins and its’ interactions with human proteins in GB. The potential identification of viruses within GB has the potential to drive a new stratification of tumour types in GB patients. Ultimately, paving the way for the development of innovative treatments aimed at enhancing outcomes for individuals with GB.