Tau Protein as Therapeutic Target for Cancer? Focus on Glioblastoma

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Tau protein is a microtubule-associated protein, widely known for its role in neurodegenerative diseases. Recent studies show that Tau can also be involved in the progression of many cancers as well as in cancer treatment resistance. This work overviews the role of Tau in tumorigenic processes with a focus on glioblastoma which exhibits a high expression level of this protein. Unraveling the role of Tau in glioblastoma and cancers, in general, will boost our understanding of the Tau protein and more significantly may open new avenues of strategies for curing cancer patients, in particular those with glioblastoma. ABSTRACT: Despite being extensively studied for several decades, the microtubule-associated protein Tau has not finished revealing its secrets. For long, Tau has been known for its ability to promote microtubule assembly. A less known feature of Tau is its capability to bind to cancer-related protein kinases, suggesting a possible role of Tau in modulating microtubule-independent cellular pathways that are associated with oncogenesis. With the intention of finding new therapeutic targets for cancer, it appears essential to examine the interaction of Tau with these kinases and their consequences. This review aims at collecting the literature data supporting the relationship between Tau and cancer with a particular focus on glioblastoma tumors in which the pathological significance of Tau remains largely unexplored. We will first treat this subject from a mechanistic point of view showing the pivotal role of Tau in oncogenic processes. Then, we will discuss the involvement of Tau in dysregulating critical pathways in glioblastoma. Finally, we will outline promising strategies to target Tau protein for the therapy of glioblastoma.