Smac mimetic promotes glioblastoma cancer stem-like cell differentiation by activating NF-κB

Recently, a broader role of inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) proteins besides their antiapoptotic functions has been described. Therefore, we investigated the effect of non-toxic concentrations of the small-molecule Smac mimetic BV6, which antagonizes IAP proteins, on differentiation of cancer stem-like cells (CSLCs) derived from primary glioblastoma (GBM) specimens. Here, we identify a novel function of BV6 in regulating differentiation of GBM CSLCs by activating NF-κB. BV6 at non-lethal doses stimulates morphological changes associated with the differentiation of GBM CSLCs. BV6 increases transcriptional activity,…