Paediatric gliomas have high rates of mutations in certain types of proteins and their associated genes (which are responsible for the formation of the proteins). Together, they form what is known as a ‘complex’ and play important roles in development and biological processes. This complex is highly concentrated within compartments in the nucleus of cells known as PML bodies. Removing these damaged PML bodies has been shown to play a curative role in cancer such as leukaemia. As such, there is a high likelihood that, like certain leukaemia, targeting and destroying PML bodies will be beneficial in treating certain paediatric brain cancers. 

In their latest report, Dr. Voon and her team have found evidence that H3.3 point mutations in paediatric brain cancers affect the formation of PML bodies, which are known as oncogenic drivers (responsible for both the initiation and maintenance of cancer). PML bodies can be targeted by arsenic trioxide and the team discovered that histone-mutated paediatric glioma cell lines are hypersensitive to arsenic trioxide. These are promising early results that impact both the direction of brain cancer research and have potential therapeutic applications in the treatment of histone-mutated brain cancers.