The Effects of Pepstatin A on Cathepsin D using GBM Cell Lines

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a rapidly progressing brain cancer found to overexpress the biological marker Cathepsin D. Pepstatin A has been identified as a potential inhibitor of Cathepsin D in breast cancers. This study sought to verify the viability of Pepstatin A as a potential inhibitor of Cathepsin D in GBM cells lines by adding a solution of DMSO and Pepstatin A to GBM cells. A control was maintained for the comparison of cells treated with Pepstatin A and cells not treated. Exposing GBM to Pepstatin A should theoretically inhibit the progression of GBM. Future experimentation is planned to study the effects of Pepstatin D