Glycoprotein nonmetastatic melanoma protein B (GPNMB) promotes the progression of brain glioblastoma via Na+/K+-ATPase.

Glycoprotein nonmetastatic melanoma protein B (GPNMB), which is involved in invasion and metastasis, was found to be overexpressed in various cancers. High levels of GPNMB and Na+/K+-ATPase α subunits are associated with a poor prognosis in glioblastoma patients. We showed that GPNMB interacts with Na+/K+-ATPase α subunits to activate PI3K/Akt and MEK/ERK pathways. However, it remains unclear whether the interaction of GPNMB and Na+/K+-ATPase α subunits is involves in progression of glioma. The tumor size induced by the injection of glioma GL261 cells was larger in transgenic mice overexpressing GPNMB when compared with wild-type mice. Additionally, the interaction of GPNMB and Na+/K+-ATPase α subunits was identified in the murine glioma model and in the tumors of glioblastoma patients. Ouabain, a Na+/K+-ATPase inhibitor, suppressed the glioma growth induced by the injection of glioma cells in the transgenic mice overexpressing GPNMB and blocked the GPNMB-induced migration of glioma cells. These findings indicate that GPNMB promotes glioma growth via Na+/K+-ATPase α subunits. Thus, the interaction between GPNMB and Na+, K+-ATPase α subunits represents a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of brain glioblastomas.