A Mathematical Modeling Study on the Impact of Enteric Glia-Derived Interferon-Gamma on Glioblastoma Progression

This study aims to investigate the neuroimmune interaction between interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), secreted by enteric glial cells in the enteric nervous system, and glioma cell proliferation in Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) using mathematical modeling. Five nonlinear differential equations representing glioma, macrophages, TGF-β, and CD8+ T cells were solved via MATLAB’s ode45 solver. A parameter ΔEGC was introduced to model IFN-γ secretion. Key immune parameters linked to ΔEGC were identified and defined as ΔEGC-dependent functions. Sensitivity analysis was used to quantify their effects. The model revealed a decrease in glioma cells and supported findings in the literature suggesting that enteric glia-derived IFN-γ may represent a promising target for alternative immunotherapy in GBM.