Expression and role of LIN28B in medulloblastoma [Poster]

Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant childhood brain tumour, accounting for approximately 20% of all brain tumours in children. Due to the harsh nature of current treatments, children who survive the cancer often show severely impaired physical, cognitive, social and emotional function for the rest of their lives. There is therefore a clear need for new treatment options for high-risk MB. Our in silico transcriptomics analysis revealed a significant upregulation of LIN28B gene in MB tumour tissues compared to other childhood brain tumours and normal brain tissues. LIN28B gene expression was significantly correlated with higher metastasis and lower survival rates in MB patients. In vitro studies demonstrated that siRNA-mediated silencing of LIN28B, results in ~20% suppression of proliferation of Daoy MB cells. Proteomics analysis showed that LIN28B silencing results in downregulation of proteins that are associated with ribosomal biogenesis and rRNA processing. Further studies are warranted to determine the role of LIN28B in these processes, and to assess whether targeting of this protein can be a potential approach for MB treatment.