The integrin ␣61 and its main ligand laminin-111 are overexpressed in glioblastoma, as compared with normal brain tissue, suggesting they may be involved in glioblastoma malignancy. To address this question, we stably expressed the ␣6 integrin subunit in the U87 cell line via retroviral-mediated gene transfer. We show that cell surface expression of the ␣61 integrin led to dramatic changes in tumor U87 cell behavior, both in vitro and in vivo. Nude mice receiving either subcutaneous or intracerebral inoculation of ␣61-expressing cells developed substantially more voluminous tumors than mice injected with control cells. The difference in tumor growth was associated with a marked increase in vascularization in response to ␣61 integrin expression and may also be related to changes in the balance between cell proliferation and survival. Indeed, expression of ␣61 enhanced proliferation and decreased apoptosis of U87 cells both in the tumor and in vitro. Additionally, we demonstrate that ␣61 is implicated in glioblastoma cell migration and invasion and that laminin-111 might mediate dissemination of ␣61-positive cells in vivo. Our results highlight for the first time the considerable role of the integrin ␣61 in glioma progression. Malignant brain tumors have an increasing incidence in both children and adults. In adults, the most common type of primary brain tumor, malignant glioma, is considered as one of the deadliest of human cancers. Despite recent advances in both diagnostic modalities and therapeutic strategies, the 5-year survival rate of less than 3% in patients with glioblastoma is among the lowest for all cancers.1 Patients with the most malignant histopathological subtype, glioblastoma, carry the worst prognosis, with median survival rate of less than 1 year, despite aggressive surgery associated with adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy. 1 Glioblastoma are characterized by rapidly dividing cells, high degree of vascularity, invasion into normal brain tissue, and an intense resistance to death-inducing stimuli.2,3 Since integrins, the major family of extracellular matrix (ECM) receptors, are involved in these events, they are one of the most promising molecules to consider for a targeted therapy.Integrins are cell surface transmembrane ␣ heterodimers that recognize specific ECM ligands. The combination of ␣ and  subunits, leading to the formation of at least 24 receptors, determines the ligand specificity. 4 Glioblastoma commonly displays enhanced expression of several integrins along with their ECM ligands: ␣v3 and ␣v5 (tenascin and vitronectin receptors), ␣51 (fibronectin receptor), ␣21 (collagens receptor), and ␣31, ␣64, and ␣61 (laminins receptors).5 Numerous studies have focused on the ␣v integrin family. The integrins ␣v3 and ␣v5 are markers of glioblastoma malignancy 6 and influence a variety of processes in glioblastoma progression in vivo, including proliferation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis.7 Furthermore, cilengitide, an ␣v3 and ␣v5 integrins antagonist, extends mouse surviv...