{
  "abstract": "Neuronal-cancer cell interactions are a key component of brain tumor pathophysiology, yet many fundamental questions remain unanswered, with even more remaining unasked. Here, we present a comprehensive brain tumor reference map generated from bulk RNA-seq data of ~4,300 adult and pediatric brain tumors, including various glioma subtypes, medulloblastomas, ependymomas, and meningiomas, alongside ~1,400 healthy brain samples. By analyzing synaptic processes and synaptic gene expression across tumor types, we reveal the complexity of neuron-tumor crosstalk and its potential impact on patient survival. Our findings identify key synaptic signaling pathways and dysregulated patterns in brain tumors, including HNRNPH2 upregulation, a key factor in RNA processing and metabolism, in gliomas and medulloblastomas. Additionally, we highlight the role of cholinergic signaling, particularly CHRNA9, as a driver of glioma progression, which is also upregulated in WNT and Group 4 medulloblastomas, ependymomas, and meningiomas. Furthermore, P2 purinergic signaling emerges as a key player in glioma progression. These insights lay the groundwork for future studies exploring whether targeting these pathways could reprogram the tumor microenvironment toward an anti-tumor state, ultimately leading to novel therapeutic strategies and improved patient outcomes.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Seattle Children's; University of Washington School of Medicine; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center"
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 7,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "L. Merino-Galan"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. Arora"
    },
    {
      "name": "G. Glatzer"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. Jensen"
    },
    {
      "name": "A. Rajendran"
    },
    {
      "name": "E. C. Holland"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "S. S. Pattwell"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7zqqnjv9xfd60.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.09.30.755821",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.30.755821v1.full",
  "id": "7zqqnjv9xfd60",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.30.755821v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "cancer biology"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2716|Glioma Diagnosis and Treatment"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7216553237",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.30.755821v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-30",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7zqqnjv9xfd60.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:25:46Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.09.30.755821",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.30.755821v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "biorxiv:cancer biology",
      "subfield": "oncology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Transcriptomic analysis reveals differential regulation of synaptic components in pediatric and adult brain tumors",
  "title_text": "Transcriptomic analysis reveals differential regulation of synaptic components in pediatric and adult brain tumors",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:25:46Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7zqqnjv9xfd60",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}