Characterisation of mesothelioma-initiating cells and their susceptibility to anti-cancer agents.

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Elham Alizadeh Pasdar

Full Text Available Malignant mesothelioma (MM is an aggressive type of tumour causing high mortality. One reason for this paradigm may be the existence of a subpopulation of tumour-initiating cells (TICs that endow MM with drug resistance and recurrence. The objective of this study was to identify and characterise a TIC subpopulation in MM cells, using spheroid cultures, mesospheres, as a model of MM TICs. Mesospheres, typified by the stemness markers CD24, ABCG2 and OCT4, initiated tumours in immunodeficient mice more efficiently than adherent cells. CD24 knock-down cells lost the sphere-forming capacity and featured lower tumorigenicity. Upon serial transplantation, mesospheres were gradually more efficiently tumrigenic with increased level of stem cell markers. We also show that mesospheres feature mitochondrial and metabolic properties similar to those of normal and cancer stem cells. Finally, we show that mesothelioma-initiating cells are highly susceptible to mitochondrially targeted vitamin E succinate. This study documents that mesospheres can be used as a plausible model of mesothelioma-initiating cells and that they can be utilised in the search for efficient agents against MM.

Cancer-initiating cells derived from established cervical cell lines exhibit stem-cell markers and increased radioresistance

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López, Jacqueline; Poitevin, Adela; Mendoza-Martínez, Veverly; Pérez-Plasencia, Carlos; García-Carrancá, Alejandro

2012-01-01

Cancer-initiating cells (CICs) are proposed to be responsible for the generation of metastasis and resistance to therapy. Accumulating evidences indicates CICs are found among different human cancers and cell lines derived from them. Few studies address the characteristics of CICs in cervical cancer. We identify biological features of CICs from four of the best-know human cell lines from uterine cervix tumors. (HeLa, SiHa, Ca Ski, C-4 I). Cells were cultured as spheres under stem-cell conditions. Flow cytometry was used to detect expression of CD34, CD49f and CD133 antigens and Hoechst 33342 staining to identify side population (SP). Magnetic and fluorescence-activated cell sorting was applied to enrich and purify populations used to evaluate tumorigenicity in nude mice. cDNA microarray analysis and in vitro radioresistance assay were carried out under standard conditions. CICs, enriched as spheroids, were capable to generate reproducible tumor phenotypes in nu-nu mice and serial propagation. Injection of 1 × 10 3 dissociated spheroid cells induced tumors in the majority of animals, whereas injection of 1 × 10 5 monolayer cells remained nontumorigenic. Sphere-derived CICs expressed CD49f surface marker. Gene profiling analysis of HeLa and SiHa spheroid cells showed up-regulation of CICs markers characteristic of the female reproductive system. Importantly, epithelial to mesenchymal (EMT) transition-associated markers were found highly expressed in spheroid cells. More importantly, gene expression analysis indicated that genes required for radioresistance were also up-regulated, including components of the double-strand break (DSB) DNA repair machinery and the metabolism of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Dose-dependent radiation assay indicated indeed that CICs-enriched populations exhibit an increased resistance to ionizing radiation (IR). We characterized a self-renewing subpopulation of CICs found among four well known human cancer-derived cell lines (HeLa, Si

Human NK cells selective targeting of colon cancer-initiating cells: A role for natural cytotoxicity receptors and MHC class i molecules

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Tallerico, Rossana

2013-01-23

Tumor cell populations have been recently proposed to be composed of two compartments: tumor-initiating cells characterized by a slow and asymmetrical growth, and the "differentiated" cancer cells with a fast and symmetrical growth. Cancer stem cells or cancer-initiating cells (CICs) play a crucial role in tumor recurrence. The resistance of CICs to drugs and irradiation often allows them to survive traditional therapy. NK cells are potent cytotoxic lymphocytes that can recognize tumor cells. In this study, we have analyzed the NK cell recognition of tumor target cells derived from the two cancer cell compartments of colon adenocarcinoma lesions. Our data demonstrate that freshly purified allogeneic NK cells can recognize and kill colorectal carcinoma- derived CICs whereas the non-CIC counterpart of the tumors (differentiated tumor cells), either autologous or allogeneic, is less susceptible to NK cells. This difference in the NK cell susceptibility correlates with higher expression on CICs of ligands for NKp30 and NKp44 in the natural cytotoxicity receptor (NCR) group of activating NK receptors. In contrast, CICs express lower levels of MHC class I, known to inhibit NK recognition, on their surface than do the "differentiated" tumor cells. These data have been validated by confocal microscopy where NCR ligands and MHC class I molecule membrane distribution have been analyzed. Moreover, NK cell receptor blockade in cytotoxicity assays demonstrates that NCRs play a major role in the recognition of CIC targets. This study strengthens the idea that biology-based therapy harnessing NK cells could be an attractive opportunity in solid tumors. Copyright © 2013 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc. All rights reserved.

Human NK cells selective targeting of colon cancer-initiating cells: A role for natural cytotoxicity receptors and MHC class i molecules

KAUST Repository

Tallerico, Rossana; Todaro, Matilde; Di Franco, Simone; MacCalli, Cristina; Garofalo, Cinzia; Sottile, Rosa; Palmieri, Camillo; Tirinato, Luca; Pangigadde, Pradeepa N.; La Rocca, Rosanna; Mandelboim, Ofer; Stassi, Giorgio; Di Fabrizio, Enzo M.; Parmiani, Giorgio; Moretta, Alessandro; Dieli, Francesco; Kã rre, Klas; Carbone, Ennio

2013-01-01

Tumor cell populations have been recently proposed to be composed of two compartments: tumor-initiating cells characterized by a slow and asymmetrical growth, and the "differentiated" cancer cells with a fast and symmetrical growth. Cancer stem cells or cancer-initiating cells (CICs) play a crucial role in tumor recurrence. The resistance of CICs to drugs and irradiation often allows them to survive traditional therapy. NK cells are potent cytotoxic lymphocytes that can recognize tumor cells. In this study, we have analyzed the NK cell recognition of tumor target cells derived from the two cancer cell compartments of colon adenocarcinoma lesions. Our data demonstrate that freshly purified allogeneic NK cells can recognize and kill colorectal carcinoma- derived CICs whereas the non-CIC counterpart of the tumors (differentiated tumor cells), either autologous or allogeneic, is less susceptible to NK cells. This difference in the NK cell susceptibility correlates with higher expression on CICs of ligands for NKp30 and NKp44 in the natural cytotoxicity receptor (NCR) group of activating NK receptors. In contrast, CICs express lower levels of MHC class I, known to inhibit NK recognition, on their surface than do the "differentiated" tumor cells. These data have been validated by confocal microscopy where NCR ligands and MHC class I molecule membrane distribution have been analyzed. Moreover, NK cell receptor blockade in cytotoxicity assays demonstrates that NCRs play a major role in the recognition of CIC targets. This study strengthens the idea that biology-based therapy harnessing NK cells could be an attractive opportunity in solid tumors. Copyright © 2013 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc. All rights reserved.

Canonical and Non-Canonical NF-κB Signaling Promotes Breast Cancer Tumor-Initiating Cells

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Kendellen, Megan F.; Bradford, Jennifer W.; Lawrence, Cortney L.; Clark, Kelly S.; Baldwin, Albert S.

2014-01-01

Tumor-initiating cells (TICs) are a sub-population of cells that exhibit a robust ability to self-renew and contribute to the formation of primary tumors, the relapse of previously treated tumors, and the development of metastases. TICs have been identified in various tumors, including those of the breast, and are particularly enriched in the basal-like and claudin-low subtypes of breast cancer. The signaling pathways that contribute to the function and maintenance of TICs are under intense study. We explored the potential involvement of the NF-κB family of transcription factors in TICs in cell lines that are representative of basal-like and claudin-low breast cancer. NF-κB was found to be activated in breast cancer cells that form tumorspheres efficiently. Moreover, both canonical and non-canonical NF-κB signaling is required for these cells to self-renew in vitro and to form xenograft tumors efficiently in vivo using limiting dilutions of cells. Consistent with this, canonical and non-canonical NF-κB signaling is activated in TICs isolated from breast cancer cell lines. Experimental results indicate that NF-κB promotes the function of TICs by stimulating epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and by upregulating the expression of the inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-6. The results suggest the use of NF-κB inhibitors for clinical therapy of certain breast cancers. PMID:23474754

A new prospect in cancer therapy: targeting cancer stem cells to eradicate cancer.

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Chen, Li-Sha; Wang, An-Xin; Dong, Bing; Pu, Ke-Feng; Yuan, Li-Hua; Zhu, Yi-Min

2012-12-01

According to the cancer stem cell theory, cancers can be initiated by cancer stem cells. This makes cancer stem cells prime targets for therapeutic intervention. Eradicating cancer stem cells by efficient targeting agents may have the potential to cure cancer. In this review, we summarize recent breakthroughs that have improved our understanding of cancer stem cells, and we discuss the therapeutic strategy of targeting cancer stem cells, a promising future direction for cancer stem cell research.

The role of CD133 in normal human prostate stem cells and malignant cancer-initiating cells.

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Vander Griend, Donald J; Karthaus, Wouter L; Dalrymple, Susan; Meeker, Alan; DeMarzo, Angelo M; Isaacs, John T

2008-12-01

Resolving the specific cell of origin for prostate cancer is critical to define rational targets for therapeutic intervention and requires the isolation and characterization of both normal human prostate stem cells and prostate cancer-initiating cells (CIC). Single epithelial cells from fresh normal human prostate tissue and prostate epithelial cell (PrEC) cultures derived from them were evaluated for the presence of subpopulations expressing stem cell markers and exhibiting stem-like growth characteristics. When epithelial cell suspensions containing cells expressing the stem cell marker CD133+ are inoculated in vivo, regeneration of stratified human prostate glands requires inductive prostate stromal cells. PrEC cultures contain a small subpopulation of CD133+ cells, and fluorescence-activated cell sorting-purified CD133+ PrECs self-renew and regenerate cell populations expressing markers of transit-amplifying cells (DeltaNp63), intermediate cells (prostate stem cell antigen), and neuroendocrine cells (CD56). Using a series of CD133 monoclonal antibodies, attachment and growth of CD133+ PrECs requires surface expression of full-length glycosylated CD133 protein. Within a series of androgen receptor-positive (AR+) human prostate cancer cell lines, CD133+ cells are present at a low frequency, self-renew, express AR, generate phenotypically heterogeneous progeny negative for CD133, and possess an unlimited proliferative capacity, consistent with CD133+ cells being CICs. Unlike normal adult prostate stem cells, prostate CICs are AR+ and do not require functional CD133. This suggests that (a) AR-expressing prostate CICs are derived from a malignantly transformed intermediate cell that acquires "stem-like activity" and not from a malignantly transformed normal stem cell and (b) AR signaling pathways are a therapeutic target for prostate CICs.

Investigate the Role of Obesity in Ovarian Cancer Initiation and Progression

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2017-07-01

cells and in transformed ovarian cells affected by obesity that lead to ovarian cancer initiation and progression. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Obesity, Ovarian...5 7. Participants & Other Collaborating Organizations...that lead to ovarian cancer initiation and progression. We also aim to identify secreted factors from adipose tissue that promote ovarian cancer

Treatment of initially metastatic small-cell lung cancer

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Kohutek, F.; Bystricky, B.; Tamasova, M.

2013-01-01

Lung cancer (LC) is the most common cause of death associated with neoplasms. The incidence of LC in 2007 was 71.3/100,000 men and 18.6/100,000 women in Slovakia. Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) includes 15 - 18% of all cases. The diagnosis of LC is based on patient's history, physical examination, basic laboratory tests, x-ray imaging and computed tomography (CT) imaging and histology. The material required for histology can be obtained by means of endoscopy or surgery. Ultrasonography (USG) and/or CT of abdomen is commonly performed as a part of staging process, along with CT or MRI of brain. Bone scan is performed in case of suspicion of bone involvement. According to TNM classification, seventh edition, the same classification can be used for SCLC and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are available for treatment of initially metastatic SCLC. First-line chemotherapy regimen should be based on combination of cisplatin or carboplatin with etoposide (PE). Alternatively, CAV regimen (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine) can be used. Newer regimens did not provide benefit when compared to standard regimens. If progression occurs later than 3 months after finishing first-line chemotherapy, the same regimen may be used in second-line chemotherapy. If progression occurs earlier than 3 months after finishing first-line chemotherapy, topotecan-based regimen is an option for second-line line chemotherapy. Despite promising outcomes of amrubicin-based second-line chemotherapy in Japan, amrubicin is not available in countries of E U. Standard therapy schedules do not include radiotherapy targeted on primary tumor and affected lymph-nodes. According to American and European guidelines, prophylactic cranial irradiation is recommended for patients with extensive disease-SCLC with good performance status after achieving complete or partial response to first-line chemotherapy. (author)

Multifaceted Interpretation of Colon Cancer Stem Cells.

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Hatano, Yuichiro; Fukuda, Shinya; Hisamatsu, Kenji; Hirata, Akihiro; Hara, Akira; Tomita, Hiroyuki

2017-07-05

Colon cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide, despite recent advances in clinical oncology. Accumulating evidence sheds light on the existence of cancer stem cells and their role in conferring therapeutic resistance. Cancer stem cells are a minor fraction of cancer cells, which enable tumor heterogeneity and initiate tumor formation. In addition, these cells are resistant to various cytotoxic factors. Therefore, elimination of cancer stem cells is difficult but essential to cure the malignant foci completely. Herein, we review the recent evidence for intestinal stem cells and colon cancer stem cells, methods to detect the tumor-initiating cells, and clinical significance of cancer stem cell markers. We also describe the emerging problems of cancer stem cell theory, including bidirectional conversion and intertumoral heterogeneity of stem cell phenotype.

Targeting tumor-initiating cells: Eliminating anabolic cancer stem cells with inhibitors of protein synthesis or by mimicking caloric restriction

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Lamb, Rebecca; Harrison, Hannah; Smith, Duncan L.; Townsend, Paul A.; Jackson, Thomas; Ozsvari, Bela; Martinez-Outschoorn, Ubaldo E.; Pestell, Richard G.; Howell, Anthony; Lisanti, Michael P.; Sotgia, Federica

2015-01-01

We have used an unbiased proteomic profiling strategy to identify new potential therapeutic targets in tumor-initiating cells (TICs), a.k.a., cancer stem cells (CSCs). Towards this end, the proteomes of mammospheres from two breast cancer cell lines were directly compared to attached monolayer cells. This allowed us to identify proteins that were highly over-expressed in CSCs and/or progenitor cells. We focused on ribosomal proteins and protein folding chaperones, since they were markedly over-expressed in mammospheres. Overall, we identified >80 molecules specifically associated with protein synthesis that were commonly upregulated in mammospheres. Most of these proteins were also transcriptionally upregulated in human breast cancer cells in vivo, providing evidence for their potential clinical relevance. As such, increased mRNA translation could provide a novel mechanism for enhancing the proliferative clonal expansion of TICs. The proteomic findings were functionally validated using known inhibitors of protein synthesis, via three independent approaches. For example, puromycin (which mimics the structure of tRNAs and competitively inhibits protein synthesis) preferentially targeted CSCs in both mammospheres and monolayer cultures, and was ~10-fold more potent for eradicating TICs, than “bulk” cancer cells. In addition, rapamycin, which inhibits mTOR and hence protein synthesis, was very effective at reducing mammosphere formation, at nanomolar concentrations. Finally, mammosphere formation was also markedly inhibited by methionine restriction, which mimics the positive effects of caloric restriction in cultured cells. Remarkably, mammosphere formation was >18-fold more sensitive to methionine restriction and replacement, as directly compared to monolayer cell proliferation. Methionine is absolutely required for protein synthesis, since every protein sequence starts with a methionine residue. Thus, the proliferation and survival of CSCs is very sensitive to

Branched chain amino acid suppressed insulin-initiated proliferation of human cancer cells through induction of autophagy.

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Wubetu, Gizachew Yismaw; Utsunomiya, Tohru; Ishikawa, Daichi; Ikemoto, Tetsuya; Yamada, Shinichiro; Morine, Yuji; Iwahashi, Shuichi; Saito, Yu; Arakawa, Yusuke; Imura, Satoru; Arimochi, Hideki; Shimada, Mitsuo

2014-09-01

Branched chain amino acid (BCAA) dietary supplementation inhibits activation of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF)/IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR) axis in diabetic animal models. However, the in vitro effect of BCAA on human cancer cell lines under hyper-insulinemic conditions remains unclear. Colon (HCT-116) and hepatic (HepG2) tumor cells were treated with varying concentrations of BCAA with or without fluorouracil (5-FU). The effect of BCAA on insulin-initiated proliferation was determined. Gene and protein expression was analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blotting, respectively. BCAA supplementation had no significant effect on cell proliferation and did not show significant synergistic or antagonistic effects with 5-FU. However, BCAA significantly decreased insulin-initiated proliferation of human colon and hepatic cancer cell lines in vitro. BCAA supplementation caused a marked decrease in activated IGF-IR expression and significantly enhanced both mRNA and protein expression of LC3-II and BECN1 (BECLIN-1). BCAA could be a useful chemopreventive modality for cancer in hyperinsulinemic conditions. Copyright© 2014 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.

Using Human Stem Cells to Study the Role of the Stroma in the Initiation of Prostate Cancer

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2011-03-01

Edinburgh, UK (Invited Speaker) 2. Risbridger GP (2009) 9th International Congress of Andrology, Barcelona , Spain (Invited Speaker) – “From Human Stem...malignant cancer- initiating cells. Cancer Research 68 9703–9711. (doi:10. 1158/0008-5472.CAN-08-3084) Verhagen AP, Aalders TW, Ramaekers FC , Debruyne

Imaging Reporters for Proteasome Activity Identify Tumor- and Metastasis-Initiating Cells

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Amanda C. Stacer

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Tumor-initiating cells, also designated as cancer stem cells, are proposed to constitute a subpopulation of malignant cells central to tumorigenesis, metastasis, and treatment resistance. We analyzed the activity of the proteasome, the primary organelle for targeted protein degradation, as a marker of tumor- and metastasis-initiating cells. Using human and mouse breast cancer cells expressing a validated fluorescent reporter, we found a small subpopulation of cells with low proteasome activity that divided asymmetrically to produce daughter cells with low or high proteasome activity. Breast cancer cells with low proteasome activity had greater local tumor formation and metastasis in immunocompromised and immunocompetent mice. To allow flexible labeling of cells, we also developed a new proteasome substrate based on HaloTag technology. Patient-derived glioblastoma cells with low proteasome activity measured by the HaloTag reporter show key phenotypes associated with tumor-initiating cells, including expression of a stem cell transcription factor, reconstitution of the original starting population, and enhanced neurosphere formation. We also show that patient-derived glioblastoma cells with low proteasome activity have higher frequency of tumor formation in mouse xenografts. These studies support proteasome function as a tool to investigate tumor- and metastasis-initiating cancer cells and a potential biomarker for outcomes in patients with several different cancers.

DNA Amplification by Breakage/Fusion/Bridge Cycles Initiated by Spontaneous Telomere Loss in a Human Cancer Cell Line

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Anthony W.l. Lo

2002-01-01

Full Text Available The development of genomic instability is an important step in generatingthe multiple genetic changes required for cancer. One consequence of genomic instability is the overexpression of oncogenes due to gene amplification. One mechanism for gene amplification is the breakagelfusionlbridge (B/F/Bcyclethatinvolvesthe repeated fusion and breakage of chromosomes following the loss of a telomere. B/F/B cycles have been associated with low-copy gene amplification in human cancer cells, and have been proposed to be an initiating event in high-copy gene amplification. We have found that spontaneous telomere loss on a marker chromosome 16 in a human tumor cell line results in sister chromatid fusion and prolonged periods of chromosome instability. The high rate of anaphase bridges involving chromosome 16 demonstrates that this instability results from B/F/B cycles. The amplification of subtelomeric DNA on the marker chromosome provides conclusive evidence that B/F/B cycles initiated by spontaneous telomere loss are a mechanism for gene amplification in human cancer cells.

Elimination of head and neck cancer initiating cells through targeting glucose regulated protein78 signaling

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Huang Chih-Yang

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC is a highly lethal cancer that contains cellular and functional heterogeneity. Previously, we enriched a subpopulation of highly tumorigenic head and neck cancer initiating cells (HN-CICs from HNSCC. However, the molecular mechanisms by which to govern the characteristics of HN-CICs remain unclear. GRP78, a stress-inducible endoplasmic reticulum chaperone, has been reported to play a crucial role in the maintenance of embryonic stem cells, but the role of GRP78 in CICs has not been elucidated. Results Initially, we recognized GRP78 as a putative candidate on mediating the stemness and tumorigenic properties of HN-CICs by differential systemic analyses. Subsequently, cells with GRP78 anchored at the plasma membrane (memGRP78+ exerted cancer stemness properties of self-renewal, differentiation and radioresistance. Of note, xenotransplantation assay indicated merely 100 memGRP78+ HNSCCs resulted in tumor growth. Moreover, knockdown of GRP78 significantly reduced the self-renewal ability, side population cells and expression of stemness genes, but inversely promoted cell differentiation and apoptosis in HN-CICs. Targeting GRP78 also lessened tumorigenicity of HN-CICs both in vitro and in vivo. Clinically, co-expression of GRP78 and Nanog predicted the worse survival prognosis of HNSCC patients by immunohistochemical analyses. Finally, depletion of GRP78 in HN-CICs induced the expression of Bax, Caspase 3, and PTEN. Conclusions In summary, memGRP78 should be a novel surface marker for isolation of HN-CICs, and targeting GRP78 signaling might be a potential therapeutic strategy for HNSCC through eliminating HN-CICs.

Isolation and Characterization of Cancer Stem Cells of the Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (A549) Cell Line.

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Halim, Noor Hanis Abu; Zakaria, Norashikin; Satar, Nazilah Abdul; Yahaya, Badrul Hisham

2016-01-01

Cancer is a major health problem worldwide. The failure of current treatments to completely eradicate cancer cells often leads to cancer recurrence and dissemination. Studies have suggested that tumor growth and spread are driven by a minority of cancer cells that exhibit characteristics similar to those of normal stem cells, thus these cells are called cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs are believed to play an important role in initiating and promoting cancer. CSCs are resistant to currently available cancer therapies, and understanding the mechanisms that control the growth of CSCs might have great implications for cancer therapy. Cancer cells are consist of heterogeneous population of cells, thus methods of identification, isolation, and characterisation of CSCs are fundamental to obtain a pure CSC populations. Therefore, this chapter describes in detail a method for isolating and characterizing a pure population of CSCs from heterogeneous population of cancer cells and CSCs based on specific cell surface markers.

Targeted Cancer Therapy: Vital Oncogenes and a New Molecular Genetic Paradigm for Cancer Initiation Progression and Treatment

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Willis, Rudolph E.

2016-01-01

It has been declared repeatedly that cancer is a result of molecular genetic abnormalities. However, there has been no working model describing the specific functional consequences of the deranged genomic processes that result in the initiation and propagation of the cancer process during carcinogenesis. We no longer need to question whether or not cancer arises as a result of a molecular genetic defect within the cancer cell. The legitimate questions are: how and why? This article reviews the preeminent data on cancer molecular genetics and subsequently proposes that the sentinel event in cancer initiation is the aberrant production of fused transcription activators with new molecular properties within normal tissue stem cells. This results in the production of vital oncogenes with dysfunctional gene activation transcription properties, which leads to dysfunctional gene regulation, the aberrant activation of transduction pathways, chromosomal breakage, activation of driver oncogenes, reactivation of stem cell transduction pathways and the activation of genes that result in the hallmarks of cancer. Furthermore, a novel holistic molecular genetic model of cancer initiation and progression is presented along with a new paradigm for the approach to personalized targeted cancer therapy, clinical monitoring and cancer diagnosis. PMID:27649156

Chemo-radionuclide therapy for thyroid cancer. Initial experimental study with cultured cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Misaki, Takashi; Iwata, Masahiro; Iida, Yasuhiro; Kasagi, Kanji; Konishi, Junji

2002-01-01

Radioiodine therapy has long been used for distant metastases of thyroid cancer. Although partially effective in most cases, it can render a complete cure only in a limited number of patients. One way to enhance its efficacy would be to combine it with antineoplastic agents. Here we describe an initial in vitro evaluation with 4 thyroid cancer cell lines. Cells were sparsely seeded in microtiter plates and allowed to grow for 2 days; then they were exposed to sublethal concentrations of cisplatin (CDDP), doxorubicin (Dox), or 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), followed by treatment with I-131 for 48 hr. Cell survival was measured with a commercial kit based on the colorimetry of succinate dehydrogenase activity. Chemotherapeutic drugs exerted similar concentration-dependent cytotoxic effects in all 4 cell lines. The doses necessary to reduce the surviving fraction to half of the control were about 3 μg/ml for CDDP, 0.3 μg/ml for Dox, and 3 μg/ml for 5-FU (when used continuously for 48 hours). On the other hand, sensitivity to I-131 irradiation differed among the lines; same doses (7.4-14.8 MBq/ml) caused the greatest damage in FRO cells, a modest effect in NPA and WRO, and only minimal change in B-CPAP. The combined effect was most demonstrable in wells treated with Dox and radioiodine, whereas the addition of CDDP or 5-FU had marginal or insignificant merit, respectively. In FRO cells, half-lethal doses of the above mentioned CDDP, Dox, and 5-FU, when used together with 14.8 MBq/ml I-131, reduced cell survival to 54.5%, 29.4% and 33.4%, respectively, vs. 60.2% with radioiodine alone. In vitro, clinical concentrations of Dox can accelerate the killing of thyroid cancer cells by radioiodine. These favorable experimental results warrant future studies to evaluate whether this new bidisciplinary approach is clinically relevant and feasible. (author)

Chemo-radionuclide therapy for thyroid cancer. Initial experimental study with cultured cells

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Misaki, Takashi; Iwata, Masahiro; Iida, Yasuhiro; Kasagi, Kanji; Konishi, Junji [Kyoto Univ. (Japan). Graduate School of Medicine

2002-09-01

Radioiodine therapy has long been used for distant metastases of thyroid cancer. Although partially effective in most cases, it can render a complete cure only in a limited number of patients. One way to enhance its efficacy would be to combine it with antineoplastic agents. Here we describe an initial in vitro evaluation with 4 thyroid cancer cell lines. Cells were sparsely seeded in microtiter plates and allowed to grow for 2 days; then they were exposed to sublethal concentrations of cisplatin (CDDP), doxorubicin (Dox), or 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), followed by treatment with I-131 for 48 hr. Cell survival was measured with a commercial kit based on the colorimetry of succinate dehydrogenase activity. Chemotherapeutic drugs exerted similar concentration-dependent cytotoxic effects in all 4 cell lines. The doses necessary to reduce the surviving fraction to half of the control were about 3 {mu}g/ml for CDDP, 0.3 {mu}g/ml for Dox, and 3 {mu}g/ml for 5-FU (when used continuously for 48 hours). On the other hand, sensitivity to I-131 irradiation differed among the lines; same doses (7.4-14.8 MBq/ml) caused the greatest damage in FRO cells, a modest effect in NPA and WRO, and only minimal change in B-CPAP. The combined effect was most demonstrable in wells treated with Dox and radioiodine, whereas the addition of CDDP or 5-FU had marginal or insignificant merit, respectively. In FRO cells, half-lethal doses of the above mentioned CDDP, Dox, and 5-FU, when used together with 14.8 MBq/ml I-131, reduced cell survival to 54.5%, 29.4% and 33.4%, respectively, vs. 60.2% with radioiodine alone. In vitro, clinical concentrations of Dox can accelerate the killing of thyroid cancer cells by radioiodine. These favorable experimental results warrant future studies to evaluate whether this new bidisciplinary approach is clinically relevant and feasible. (author)

Cancer Stem Cells in Pancreatic Cancer

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Bao, Qi; Zhao, Yue; Renner, Andrea; Niess, Hanno; Seeliger, Hendrik; Jauch, Karl-Walter; Bruns, Christiane J., E-mail: christiane.bruns@med.uni-muenchen.de [Department of Surgery, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Klinikum Grosshadern, Marchioninistr. 15, D-81377, Munich (Germany)

2010-08-19

Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive malignant solid tumor well-known by early metastasis, local invasion, resistance to standard chemo- and radiotherapy and poor prognosis. Increasing evidence indicates that pancreatic cancer is initiated and propagated by cancer stem cells (CSCs). Here we review the current research results regarding CSCs in pancreatic cancer and discuss the different markers identifying pancreatic CSCs. This review will focus on metastasis, microRNA regulation and anti-CSC therapy in pancreatic cancer.

Mel-18 controls the enrichment of tumor-initiating cells in SP fraction in mouse breast cancer.

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Janakiraman, Harinarayanan; Nobukiyo, Asako; Inoue, Hiroko; Kanno, Masamoto

2011-06-01

Side population (SP) cell analysis has been used to identify and isolate a minor population of cells with stem cell properties in normal tissues and in many cancers including breast cancer cells. However, the molecular mechanisms that operate in tumor-initiating cells (TICs) in SP fraction remain unclear. The Polycomb group genes, including Bmi1 and Mel-18, have been implicated in the maintenance of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and suggested to be oncogenic and tumor suppressive, respectively, in breast cancer. In this study, we determined the critical role of Mel-18 in the enrichment mechanisms of TICs with the SP phenotype in a mouse breast cancer cell line, MMK3, that was established from a breast cancer developed spontaneously in Mel-18+/- mice. The Mel-18 protein expression level significantly correlates to the percentage of SP fraction in the mouse breast cancer cell line MMK3 series. The comparison between MMK3V3 (V3) cells containing one copy of the Mel-18 gene and MMK3S2 (S2) cells having twice the amount of Mel-18 expression clearly demonstrates the above relationship. Similar results obtained with the percentage of ALDH+ cells in V3 and S2 further confirmed the correlation between protein expression level of Mel-18 and the TICs. More importantly, transplantation of SP and non-SP cells of V3 and S2 cells into the NOD/SCID mice clearly showed that the heterozygous level of Mel-18 leads to the disappearance of enrichment of TICs into SP fraction in vivo. Stem cell pathway focused gene expression profiling of V3 and S2 cells revealed that the genes Abcg2, Aldh1a1 and Dhh were highly down-regulated in V3 compared to S2. These results indicate that the precise Mel-18 expression level controls TIC enrichment mechanisms through the regulation of channel molecule of Abcg2 and functional TIC marker of Aldhlal. In conclusion, our findings revealed the significance of fine-tuning mechanisms for Mel-18 protein expression level in the maintenance of TIC into SP

Cancer Stem Cells in Pancreatic Cancer

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Bao, Qi; Zhao, Yue; Renner, Andrea; Niess, Hanno; Seeliger, Hendrik; Jauch, Karl-Walter; Bruns, Christiane J.

2010-01-01

Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive malignant solid tumor well-known by early metastasis, local invasion, resistance to standard chemo- and radiotherapy and poor prognosis. Increasing evidence indicates that pancreatic cancer is initiated and propagated by cancer stem cells (CSCs). Here we review the current research results regarding CSCs in pancreatic cancer and discuss the different markers identifying pancreatic CSCs. This review will focus on metastasis, microRNA regulation and anti-CSC therapy in pancreatic cancer. PMID:24281178

Cancer Stem Cells in Pancreatic Cancer

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Karl-Walter Jauch

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive malignant solid tumor well-known by early metastasis, local invasion, resistance to standard chemo- and radiotherapy and poor prognosis. Increasing evidence indicates that pancreatic cancer is initiated and propagated by cancer stem cells (CSCs. Here we review the current research results regarding CSCs in pancreatic cancer and discuss the different markers identifying pancreatic CSCs. This review will focus on metastasis, microRNA regulation and anti-CSC therapy in pancreatic cancer.

An inhibitor of K+ channels modulates human endometrial tumor-initiating cells

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Leslie Kimberly K

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Many potassium ion (K+ channels function as oncogenes to sustain growth of solid tumors, but their role in cancer progression is not well understood. Emerging evidence suggests that the early progenitor cancer cell subpopulation, termed tumor initiating cells (TIC, are critical to cancer progression. Results A non-selective antagonist of multiple types of K+ channels, tetraethylammonium (TEA, was found to suppress colony formation in endometrial cancer cells via inhibition of putative TIC. The data also indicated that withdrawal of TEA results in a significant enhancement of tumorigenesis. When the TIC-enriched subpopulation was isolated from the endometrial cancer cells, TEA was also found to inhibit growth in vitro. Conclusions These studies suggest that the activity of potassium channels significantly contributes to the progression of endometrial tumors, and the antagonists of potassium channels are candidate anti-cancer drugs to specifically target tumor initiating cells in endometrial cancer therapy.

Cabozantinib for Initial Treatment of Kidney Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

FDA has approved cabozantinib (Cabometyx®) as an initial treatment for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma. The approval adds another tyrosine kinase inhibitor to the available options for patients with advanced kidney cancer.

Tetrandrine, a Compound Common in Chinese Traditional Medicine, Preferentially Kills Breast Cancer Tumor Initiating Cells (TICs) In Vitro

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Wei; Debeb, Bisrat G.; Lacerda, Lara; Li, Jessica; Woodward, Wendy A.

2011-01-01

Tetrandrine is a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid found in Stephania tetrandra, a Chinese medicine commonly used as an anti-inflammatory. It has extensive pharmacological activity, including positive ion channel blockade and inhibition of multiple drug resistance proteins. These activities are very similar to that of salinomycin, a known drug targeting breast cancer initiation cells (TICs). Herein, we tested tetrandrine targeting of breast cancer TICs. SUM-149, an inflammatory breast cancer cell line and SUM-159, a non-inflammatory metaplastic breast cancer cell line were used in these studies. In proliferation assays using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl) -2H-tetrazolium (MTS), we found that the IC 50 for inhibition of proliferation is 15.3 ± 4.1 μM for SUM-149 and 24.3 ± 2.1 μM for SUM-159 cells. Tetrandrine also inhibited mammosphere formation, a surrogate for breast cancer TICs growth in vitro with IC 50 around 1 μM for SUM-149 and around 2 μM for SUM-159 cells. Tetrandrine has similar effects on the mammosphere formation from cells isolated from fresh patient sample. Moreover, tetrandrine decreases the aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) positive population in SUM-159 by 45% ± 5.45% P = 0.005. In summary, tetrandrine demonstrates significant efficacy against in vitro surrogates for inflammatory and aggressive breast cancer TICs

Tetrandrine, a Compound Common in Chinese Traditional Medicine, Preferentially Kills Breast Cancer Tumor Initiating Cells (TICs) In Vitro

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Wei; Debeb, Bisrat G.; Lacerda, Lara; Li, Jessica; Woodward, Wendy A., E-mail: wwoodward@mdanderson.org [Division of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030 (United States)

2011-05-04

Tetrandrine is a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid found in Stephania tetrandra, a Chinese medicine commonly used as an anti-inflammatory. It has extensive pharmacological activity, including positive ion channel blockade and inhibition of multiple drug resistance proteins. These activities are very similar to that of salinomycin, a known drug targeting breast cancer initiation cells (TICs). Herein, we tested tetrandrine targeting of breast cancer TICs. SUM-149, an inflammatory breast cancer cell line and SUM-159, a non-inflammatory metaplastic breast cancer cell line were used in these studies. In proliferation assays using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl) -2H-tetrazolium (MTS), we found that the IC{sub 50} for inhibition of proliferation is 15.3 ± 4.1 μM for SUM-149 and 24.3 ± 2.1 μM for SUM-159 cells. Tetrandrine also inhibited mammosphere formation, a surrogate for breast cancer TICs growth in vitro with IC{sub 50} around 1 μM for SUM-149 and around 2 μM for SUM-159 cells. Tetrandrine has similar effects on the mammosphere formation from cells isolated from fresh patient sample. Moreover, tetrandrine decreases the aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) positive population in SUM-159 by 45% ± 5.45% P = 0.005. In summary, tetrandrine demonstrates significant efficacy against in vitro surrogates for inflammatory and aggressive breast cancer TICs.

Tetrandrine, a Compound Common in Chinese Traditional Medicine, Preferentially Kills Breast Cancer Tumor Initiating Cells (TICs In Vitro

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jessica Li

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Tetrandrine is a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid found in Stephania tetrandra, a Chinese medicine commonly used as an anti-inflammatory. It has extensive pharmacological activity, including positive ion channel blockade and inhibition of multiple drug resistance proteins. These activities are very similar to that of salinomycin, a known drug targeting breast cancer initiation cells (TICs. Herein, we tested tetrandrine targeting of breast cancer TICs. SUM-149, an inflammatory breast cancer cell line and SUM-159, a non-inflammatory metaplastic breast cancer cell line were used in these studies. In proliferation assays using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl-2-(4-sulfophenyl-2H-tetrazolium (MTS, we found that the IC50 for inhibition of proliferation is 15.3 ± 4.1 µM for SUM-149 and 24.3 ± 2.1 µM for SUM-159 cells. Tetrandrine also inhibited mammosphere formation, a surrogate for breast cancer TICs growth in vitro with IC50 around 1 µM for SUM-149 and around 2 µM for SUM-159 cells. Tetrandrine has similar effects on the mammosphere formation from cells isolated from fresh patient sample. Moreover, tetrandrine decreases the aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH positive population in SUM-159 by 45% ± 5.45% P = 0.005. In summary, tetrandrine demonstrates significant efficacy against in vitro surrogates for inflammatory and aggressive breast cancer TICs.

Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells Expressing CD44 Are Enriched for Stem Cell-Like Properties

Science.gov (United States)

Leung, Elaine Lai-Han; Fiscus, Ronald R.; Tung, James W.; Tin, Vicky Pui-Chi; Cheng, Lik Cheung; Sihoe, Alan Dart-Loon; Fink, Louis M.; Ma, Yupo; Wong, Maria Pik

2010-01-01

Background The cancer stem cell theory hypothesizes that cancers are perpetuated by cancer stem cells (CSC) or tumor initiating cells (TIC) possessing self-renewal and other stem cell-like properties while differentiated non-stem/initiating cells have a finite life span. To investigate whether the hypothesis is applicable to lung cancer, identification of lung CSC and demonstration of these capacities is essential. Methodology/Principal Finding The expression profiles of five stem cell markers (CD34, CD44, CD133, BMI1 and OCT4) were screened by flow cytometry in 10 lung cancer cell lines. CD44 was further investigated by testing for in vitro and in vivo tumorigenecity. Formation of spheroid bodies and in vivo tumor initiation ability were demonstrated in CD44+ cells of 4 cell lines. Serial in vivo tumor transplantability in nude mice was demonstrated using H1299 cell line. The primary xenografts initiated from CD44+ cells consisted of mixed CD44+ and CD44− cells in similar ratio as the parental H1299 cell line, supporting in vivo differentiation. Semi-quantitative Real-Time PCR (RT-PCR) showed that both freshly sorted CD44+ and CD44+ cells derived from CD44+-initiated tumors expressed the pluripotency genes OCT4/POU5F1, NANOG, SOX2. These stemness markers were not expressed by CD44− cells. Furthermore, freshly sorted CD44+ cells were more resistant to cisplatin treatment with lower apoptosis levels than CD44− cells. Immunohistochemical analysis of 141 resected non-small cell lung cancers showed tumor cell expression of CD44 in 50.4% of tumors while no CD34, and CD133 expression was observed in tumor cells. CD44 expression was associated with squamous cell carcinoma but unexpectedly, a longer survival was observed in CD44-expressing adenocarcinomas. Conclusion/Significance Overall, our results demonstrated that stem cell-like properties are enriched in CD44-expressing subpopulations of some lung cancer cell lines. Further investigation is required to clarify

Epigenetics in cancer stem cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Toh, Tan Boon; Lim, Jhin Jieh; Chow, Edward Kai-Hua

2017-02-01

Compelling evidence have demonstrated that bulk tumors can arise from a unique subset of cells commonly termed "cancer stem cells" that has been proposed to be a strong driving force of tumorigenesis and a key mechanism of therapeutic resistance. Recent advances in epigenomics have illuminated key mechanisms by which epigenetic regulation contribute to cancer progression. In this review, we present a discussion of how deregulation of various epigenetic pathways can contribute to cancer initiation and tumorigenesis, particularly with respect to maintenance and survival of cancer stem cells. This information, together with several promising clinical and preclinical trials of epigenetic modulating drugs, offer new possibilities for targeting cancer stem cells as well as improving cancer therapy overall.

BMI-1 targeting interferes with patient-derived tumor-initiating cell survival and tumor growth in prostate cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Yusuff, Shamila; Davis, Stephani; Flaherty, Kathleen; Huselid, Eric; Patrizii, Michele; Jones, Daniel; Cao, Liangxian; Sydorenko, Nadiya; Moon, Young-Choon; Zhong, Hua; Medina, Daniel J.; Kerrigan, John; Stein, Mark N.; Kim, Isaac Y.; Davis, Thomas W.; DiPaola, Robert S.; Bertino, Joseph R.; Sabaawy, Hatem E.

2016-01-01

Purpose Current prostate cancer (PCa) management calls for identifying novel and more effective therapies. Self-renewing tumor-initiating cells (TICs) hold intrinsic therapy-resistance and account for tumor relapse and progression. As BMI-1 regulates stem cell self-renewal, impairing BMI-1 function for TICs-tailored therapies appears to be a promising approach. Experimental design We have previously developed a combined immunophenotypic and time-of-adherence assay to identify CD49bhiCD29hiCD44hi cells as human prostate TICs. We utilized this assay with patient derived prostate cancer cells and xenograft models to characterize the effects of pharmacological inhibitors of BMI-1. Results We demonstrate that in cell lines and patient-derived TICs, BMI-1 expression is upregulated and associated with stem cell-like traits. From a screened library, we identified a number of post-transcriptional small molecules that target BMI-1 in prostate TICs. Pharmacological inhibition of BMI-1 in patient-derived cells significantly decreased colony formation in vitro and attenuated tumor initiation in vivo, thereby functionally diminishing the frequency of TICs, particularly in cells resistant to proliferation- and androgen receptor (AR)-directed therapies, without toxic effects on normal tissues. Conclusions Our data offer a paradigm for targeting TICs and support the development of BMI-1-targeting therapy for a more effective PCa treatment. PMID:27307599

How dysregulated colonic crypt dynamics cause stem cell overpopulation and initiate colon cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Boman, Bruce M; Fields, Jeremy Z; Cavanaugh, Kenneth L; Guetter, Arthur; Runquist, Olaf A

2008-05-01

Based on investigation of the earliest colonic tissue alteration in familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) patients, we present the hypothesis that initiation of colorectal cancer by adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) mutation is mediated by dysregulation of two cellular mechanisms. One involves differentiation, which normally decreases the proportion (proliferative fraction) of colonic crypt cells that can proliferate; the other is a cell cycle mechanism that simultaneously increases the probability that proliferative cells are in S phase. In normal crypts, stem cells (SC) at the crypt bottom generate rapidly proliferating cells, which undergo differentiation while migrating up the crypt. Our modeling of normal crypts suggests that these transitions are mediated by mechanisms that regulate proliferative fraction and S-phase probability. In FAP crypts, the population of rapidly proliferating cells is shifted upwards, as indicated by the labeling index (LI; i.e., crypt distribution of cells in S phase). Our analysis of FAP indicates that these transitions are delayed because the proliferative fraction and S-phase probability change more slowly as a function of crypt level. This leads to expansion of the proliferative cell population, including a subpopulation that has a low frequency of S-phase cells. We previously reported that crypt SC overpopulation explains the LI shift. Here, we determine that SCs (or cells having high stemness) are proliferative cells with a low probability of being in S phase. Thus, dysregulation of mechanisms that control proliferative fraction and S-phase probability explains how APC mutations induce SC overpopulation at the crypt bottom, shift the rapidly proliferating cell population upwards, and initiate colon tumorigenesis.

Cancer stem cells and differentiation therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Xiong; Jin, Xun; Kim, Hyunggee

2017-10-01

Cancer stem cells can generate tumors from only a small number of cells, whereas differentiated cancer cells cannot. The prominent feature of cancer stem cells is its ability to self-renew and differentiate into multiple types of cancer cells. Cancer stem cells have several distinct tumorigenic abilities, including stem cell signal transduction, tumorigenicity, metastasis, and resistance to anticancer drugs, which are regulated by genetic or epigenetic changes. Like normal adult stem cells involved in various developmental processes and tissue homeostasis, cancer stem cells maintain their self-renewal capacity by activating multiple stem cell signaling pathways and inhibiting differentiation signaling pathways during cancer initiation and progression. Recently, many studies have focused on targeting cancer stem cells to eradicate malignancies by regulating stem cell signaling pathways, and products of some of these strategies are in preclinical and clinical trials. In this review, we describe the crucial features of cancer stem cells related to tumor relapse and drug resistance, as well as the new therapeutic strategy to target cancer stem cells named "differentiation therapy."

Genetic subclone architecture of tumor clone-initiating cells in colorectal cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Giessler, Klara M; Kleinheinz, Kortine; Huebschmann, Daniel; Balasubramanian, Gnana Prakash; Dubash, Taronish D; Dieter, Sebastian M; Siegl, Christine; Herbst, Friederike; Weber, Sarah; Hoffmann, Christopher M; Fronza, Raffaele; Buchhalter, Ivo; Paramasivam, Nagarajan; Eils, Roland; Schmidt, Manfred; von Kalle, Christof; Schneider, Martin; Ulrich, Alexis; Scholl, Claudia; Fröhling, Stefan; Weichert, Wilko; Brors, Benedikt; Schlesner, Matthias; Ball, Claudia R; Glimm, Hanno

2017-07-03

A hierarchically organized cell compartment drives colorectal cancer (CRC) progression. Genetic barcoding allows monitoring of the clonal output of tumorigenic cells without prospective isolation. In this study, we asked whether tumor clone-initiating cells (TcICs) were genetically heterogeneous and whether differences in self-renewal and activation reflected differential kinetics among individual subclones or functional hierarchies within subclones. Monitoring genomic subclone kinetics in three patient tumors and corresponding serial xenografts and spheroids by high-coverage whole-genome sequencing, clustering of genetic aberrations, subclone combinatorics, and mutational signature analysis revealed at least two to four genetic subclones per sample. Long-term growth in serial xenografts and spheroids was driven by multiple genomic subclones with profoundly differing growth dynamics and hence different quantitative contributions over time. Strikingly, genetic barcoding demonstrated stable functional heterogeneity of CRC TcICs during serial xenografting despite near-complete changes in genomic subclone contribution. This demonstrates that functional heterogeneity is, at least frequently, present within genomic subclones and independent of mutational subclone differences. © 2017 Giessler et al.

Leukemia-Initiating Cells in T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

OpenAIRE

Tan, Shi Hao; Bertulfo, Fatima Carla; Sanda, Takaomi

2017-01-01

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is a hematological malignancy characterized by the clonal proliferation of immature T-cell precursors. T-ALL has many similar pathophysiological features to acute myeloid leukemia, which has been extensively studied in the establishment of the cancer stem cell (CSC) theory, but the CSC concept in T-ALL is still debatable. Although leukemia-initiating cells (LICs), which can generate leukemia in a xenograft setting, have been found in both human T-AL...

Mammary Stem Cells and Breast Cancer Stem Cells: Molecular Connections and Clinical Implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Celià-Terrassa, Toni

2018-05-04

Cancer arises from subpopulations of transformed cells with high tumor initiation and repopulation ability, known as cancer stem cells (CSCs), which share many similarities with their normal counterparts. In the mammary gland, several studies have shown common molecular regulators between adult mammary stem cells (MaSCs) and breast cancer stem cells (bCSCs). Cell plasticity and self-renewal are essential abilities for MaSCs to maintain tissue homeostasis and regenerate the gland after pregnancy. Intriguingly, these properties are similarly executed in breast cancer stem cells to drive tumor initiation, tumor heterogeneity and recurrence after chemotherapy. In addition, both stem cell phenotypes are strongly influenced by external signals from the microenvironment, immune cells and supportive specific niches. This review focuses on the intrinsic and extrinsic connections of MaSC and bCSCs with clinical implications for breast cancer progression and their possible therapeutic applications.

Outlines of a general theory of cancer initiation in the cell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ladik, J.J. [Friedrich Alexander Univ. Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen (Germany)

1996-12-31

According to the central dogma of molecular biology information flows in the living cell from DNA through RNA to proteins. Therefore most investigations of cancer initiation try to explain those effects of carcinogen binding to- or radiation hits on DNA which lead to the first steps of the malignant transformations. On the other hand recent detailed theoretical investigations have shown that proteins are good-disordered hopping conductors (their conductivity is in the order of well conducting amorphous glasses). Their conductivity is substantially influenced by binding of chemicals or by effects or radiations causing conformational changes and/or destroying bonds in them which can lead to their inactivation as regulation enzymes. One can easily visualize also how such changes become hereditary. It seems that if we look at the cell as a complicated self-regulatory system, primary changes both at their DNA or regulatory protein molecules caused by external agents can disturb its self-regulation and transform it in this way into another stationary, possibly precancerous state.

Drug Treatment of Cancer Cell Lines: A Way to Select for Cancer Stem Cells?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiodi, Ilaria; Belgiovine, Cristina; Donà, Francesca; Scovassi, A. Ivana; Mondello, Chiara

2011-01-01

Tumors are generally composed of different cell types. In recent years, it has been shown that in many types of cancers a subset of cells show peculiar characteristics, such as the ability to induce tumors when engrafted into host animals, self-renew and being immortal, and give rise to a differentiated progeny. These cells have been defined as cancer stem cells (CSCs) or tumor initiating cells. CSCs can be isolated both from tumor specimens and established cancer cell lines on the basis of their ability to exclude fluorescent dyes, express specific cell surface markers or grow in particular culture conditions. A key feature of CSCs is their resistance to chemotherapeutic agents, which could contribute to the remaining of residual cancer cells after therapeutic treatments. It has been shown that CSC-like cells can be isolated after drug treatment of cancer cell lines; in this review, we will describe the strategies so far applied to identify and isolate CSCs. Furthermore, we will discuss the possible use of these selected populations to investigate CSC biology and develop new anticancer drugs

Cancer Stem Cells and Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT)-Phenotypic Cells: Are They Cousins or Twins?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kong, Dejuan; Li, Yiwei; Wang, Zhiwei; Sarkar, Fazlul H.

2011-01-01

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are cells within a tumor that possess the capacity to self-renew and maintain tumor-initiating capacity through differentiation into the heterogeneous lineages of cancer cells that comprise the whole tumor. These tumor-initiating cells could provide a resource for cells that cause tumor recurrence after therapy. Although the cell origin of CSCs remains to be fully elucidated, mounting evidence has demonstrated that Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT), induced by different factors, is associated with tumor aggressiveness and metastasis and these cells share molecular characteristics with CSCs, and thus are often called cancer stem-like cells or tumor-initiating cells. The acquisition of an EMT phenotype is a critical process for switching early stage carcinomas into invasive malignancies, which is often associated with the loss of epithelial differentiation and gain of mesenchymal phenotype. Recent studies have demonstrated that EMT plays a critical role not only in tumor metastasis but also in tumor recurrence and that it is tightly linked with the biology of cancer stem-like cells or cancer-initiating cells. Here we will succinctly summarize the state-of-our-knowledge regarding the molecular similarities between cancer stem-like cells or CSCs and EMT-phenotypic cells that are associated with tumor aggressiveness focusing on solid tumors

Cancer Stem Cells and Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT-Phenotypic Cells: Are They Cousins or Twins?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fazlul H. Sarkar

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Cancer stem cells (CSCs are cells within a tumor that possess the capacity to self-renew and maintain tumor-initiating capacity through differentiation into the heterogeneous lineages of cancer cells that comprise the whole tumor. These tumor-initiating cells could provide a resource for cells that cause tumor recurrence after therapy. Although the cell origin of CSCs remains to be fully elucidated, mounting evidence has demonstrated that Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT, induced by different factors, is associated with tumor aggressiveness and metastasis and these cells share molecular characteristics with CSCs, and thus are often called cancer stem-like cells or tumor-initiating cells. The acquisition of an EMT phenotype is a critical process for switching early stage carcinomas into invasive malignancies, which is often associated with the loss of epithelial differentiation and gain of mesenchymal phenotype. Recent studies have demonstrated that EMT plays a critical role not only in tumor metastasis but also in tumor recurrence and that it is tightly linked with the biology of cancer stem-like cells or cancer-initiating cells. Here we will succinctly summarize the state-of-our-knowledge regarding the molecular similarities between cancer stem-like cells or CSCs and EMT-phenotypic cells that are associated with tumor aggressiveness focusing on solid tumors.

Identification of Human Cutaneous Basal Cell Carcinoma Cancer Stem Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan, Huw; Olivero, Carlotta; Patel, Girish K

2018-04-20

The cancer stem cell model states that a subset of tumor cells, called "cancer stem cells," can initiate and propagate tumor growth through self-renewal, high proliferative capacity, and their ability to recreate tumor heterogeneity. In basal cell carcinoma (BCC), we have shown that tumor cells that express the cell surface protein CD200 fulfill the cancer stem cell hypothesis. CD200+ CD45- BCC cells represent 0.05-3.96% of all BCC cells and reside in small clusters at the tumor periphery. Using a novel, reproducible in vivo xenograft growth assay, we determined that tumor-initiating cell (TIC) frequencies are approximately 1 per 1.5 million unsorted BCC cells. The CD200+ CD45- BCC subpopulation recreated BCC tumor growth in vivo with typical histological architecture and expression of sonic hedgehog-regulated genes. Reproducible in vivo BCC growth was achieved with as few as 10,000 CD200+ CD45- cells, representing ~1500-fold enrichment. The methods used to identify and purify CD200+ CD45- BCC cells, as well as characterize gene expression, are described herein.

A Targetable EGFR-Dependent Tumor-Initiating Program in Breast Cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Savage

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Summary: Therapies targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR have variable and unpredictable responses in breast cancer. Screening triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC patient-derived xenografts (PDXs, we identify a subset responsive to EGFR inhibition by gefitinib, which displays heterogeneous expression of wild-type EGFR. Deep single-cell RNA sequencing of 3,500 cells from an exceptional responder identified subpopulations displaying distinct biological features, where elevated EGFR expression was significantly enriched in a mesenchymal/stem-like cellular cluster. Sorted EGFRhi subpopulations exhibited enhanced stem-like features, including ALDH activity, sphere-forming efficiency, and tumorigenic and metastatic potential. EGFRhi cells gave rise to EGFRhi and EGFRlo cells in primary and metastatic tumors, demonstrating an EGFR-dependent expansion and hierarchical state transition. Similar tumorigenic EGFRhi subpopulations were identified in independent PDXs, where heterogeneous EGFR expression correlated with gefitinib sensitivity. This provides new understanding for an EGFR-dependent hierarchy in TNBC and for patient stratification for therapeutic intervention. : Savage et al. demonstrate that sensitivity to EGFR inhibitor, gefitinib, in triple-negative breast cancer is paradoxically associated with EGFR heterogeneity. Using single-cell RNA sequencing in conjunction with functional assays, they identify TNBC tumors in which EGFR expression identifies cells with tumor-initiating capacity whose proliferative expansion is sensitive to EGFR inhibition. Keywords: breast cancer, tumor heterogeneity, patient-derived xenograft, single-cell RNA sequencing, EGFR inhibition, therapeutic response, tumor-initiating cell, cell hierarchy, BRCA1 mutation

Hypoxia-inducing factors as master regulators of stemness properties and altered metabolism of cancer- and metastasis-initiating cells

Science.gov (United States)

Mimeault, Murielle; Batra, Surinder K

2013-01-01

Accumulating lines of experimental evidence have revealed that hypoxia-inducible factors, HIF-1α and HIF-2α, are key regulators of the adaptation of cancer- and metastasis-initiating cells and their differentiated progenies to oxygen and nutrient deprivation during cancer progression under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Particularly, the sustained stimulation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R), stem cell factor (SCF) receptor KIT, transforming growth factor-β receptors (TGF-βRs) and Notch and their downstream signalling elements such as phosphatidylinositol 3′-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/molecular target of rapamycin (mTOR) may lead to an enhanced activity of HIFs. Moreover, the up-regulation of HIFs in cancer cells may also occur in the hypoxic intratumoral regions formed within primary and secondary neoplasms as well as in leukaemic cells and metastatic prostate and breast cancer cells homing in the hypoxic endosteal niche of bone marrow. The activated HIFs may induce the expression of numerous gene products such as induced pluripotency-associated transcription factors (Oct-3/4, Nanog and Sox-2), glycolysis- and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) programme-associated molecules, including CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4), snail and twist, microRNAs and angiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). These gene products in turn can play critical roles for high self-renewal ability, survival, altered energy metabolism, invasion and metastases of cancer cells, angiogenic switch and treatment resistance. Consequently, the targeting of HIF signalling network and altered metabolic pathways represents new promising strategies to eradicate the total mass of cancer cells and improve the efficacy of current therapies against aggressive and metastatic cancers and prevent disease relapse. PMID:23301832

Are Mast Cells MASTers in Cancer?

Science.gov (United States)

Varricchi, Gilda; Galdiero, Maria Rosaria; Loffredo, Stefania; Marone, Giancarlo; Iannone, Raffaella; Marone, Gianni; Granata, Francescopaolo

2017-01-01

Prolonged low-grade inflammation or smoldering inflammation is a hallmark of cancer. Mast cells form a heterogeneous population of immune cells with differences in their ultra-structure, morphology, mediator content, and surface receptors. Mast cells are widely distributed throughout all tissues and are stromal components of the inflammatory microenvironment that modulates tumor initiation and development. Although canonically associated with allergic disorders, mast cells are a major source of pro-tumorigenic (e.g., angiogenic and lymphangiogenic factors) and antitumorigenic molecules (e.g., TNF-α and IL-9), depending on the milieu. In certain neoplasias (e.g., gastric, thyroid and Hodgkin's lymphoma) mast cells play a pro-tumorigenic role, in others (e.g., breast cancer) a protective role, whereas in yet others they are apparently innocent bystanders. These seemingly conflicting results suggest that the role of mast cells and their mediators could be cancer specific. The microlocalization (e.g., peritumoral vs intratumoral) of mast cells is another important aspect in the initiation/progression of solid and hematologic tumors. Increasing evidence in certain experimental models indicates that targeting mast cells and/or their mediators represent a potential therapeutic target in cancer. Thus, mast cells deserve focused consideration also as therapeutic targets in different types of tumors. There are many unanswered questions that should be addressed before we understand whether mast cells are an ally, adversary, or innocent bystanders in human cancers.

Is sphere assay useful for the identification of cancer initiating cells of the ovary?

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Serrano, María José; Caballero-Baños, Miguel; Vilella, Ramon; Vidal, Laura; Pahisa, Jaume; Martínez-Roman, Sergio

2015-01-01

Current evidence suggests that the presence of tumor-initiating cells (TICs) in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) has a role in chemoresistance and relapse. Surface markers such as CD44(+)/CD24(-), CD117(+), and CD133(+) expression have been reported as potential markers for TICs related to ovarian cancer and tumorigenic cell lines. In this study, we have investigated if spheroid forms are TIC specific or whether they can also be produced by somatic stem cells from healthy tissue in vitro. In addition, we also investigated the specificity of surface markers to identify TICs from papillary serous EOC patients. Cells were obtained from fresh tumors from 10 chemotherapy-naive patients with EOC, and cells from ovarian and tubal epithelium were obtained from 5 healthy menopausal women undergoing surgery for benign pathology and cultured in standard and in selective medium. Cells forming nonadherent spheroids were considered TICs, and the adherent cells were considered as non-TIC-like. Percentages of CD24(+), CD44(+), CD117(+), CD133(+), and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGF-R)(+) cell surface markers were analyzed by flow cytometry. Four of 10 EOC cell tissues were excluded from the study. Tumor cells cultured in selective medium developed spheroid forms after 1 to 7 weeks in 5 of 6 EOC patients. No spheroid forms were observed in cultures of cells from healthy women. Unlike previously published data, low levels of CD24(+), CD44(+), CD117(+), and VEGF-R(+) expression were observed in spheroid cells, whereas expression of CD133(+) was moderate but higher in adherent cells from papillary serous EOC cells in comparison with adherent cells from controls. Papillary serous EOC contains TICs that form spheroids with low expression of CD44(+), CD24(+), CD117(+) and VEGF-R(+). Further research is required to find specific surface markers to identify papillary serous TICs.

Lung cancer tumorigenicity and drug resistance are maintained through ALDH(hi)CD44(hi) tumor initiating cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jing; Xiao, Zhijie; Wong, Sunny Kit-Man; Tin, Vicky Pui-Chi; Ho, Ka-Yan; Wang, Junwen; Sham, Mai-Har; Wong, Maria Pik

2013-10-01

Limited improvement in long term survival of lung cancer patients has been achieved by conventional chemotherapy or targeted therapy. To explore the potentials of tumor initiating cells (TIC)-directed therapy, it is essential to identify the cell targets and understand their maintenance mechanisms. We have analyzed the performance of ALDH/CD44 co-expression as TIC markers and treatment targets of lung cancer using well-validated in vitro and in vivo analyses in multiple established and patient-derived lung cancer cells. The ALDH(hi)CD44(hi) subset showed the highest enhancement of stem cell phenotypic properties compared to ALDH(hi)CD44(lo), ALDH(lo)CD44(hi), ALDH(lo)CD44(lo) cells and unsorted controls. They showed higher invasion capacities, pluripotency genes and epithelial-mesenchymal transition transcription factors expression, lower intercellular adhesion protein expression and higher G2/M phase cell cycle fraction. In immunosuppressed mice, the ALDH(hi)CD44(hi)xenografts showed the highest tumor induction frequency, serial transplantability, shortest latency, largest volume and highest growth rates. Inhibition of sonic Hedgehog and Notch developmental pathways reduced ALDH+CD44+ compartment. Chemotherapy and targeted therapy resulted in higher AALDH(hi)CD44(hi) subset viability and ALDH(lo)CD44(lo) subset apoptosis fraction. ALDH inhibition and CD44 knockdown led to reduced stemness gene expression and sensitization to drug treatment. In accordance, clinical lung cancers containing a higher abundance of ALDH and CD44-coexpressing cells was associated with lower recurrence-free survival. Together, results suggested theALDH(hi)CD44(hi)compartment was the cellular mediator of tumorigenicity and drug resistance. Further investigation of the regulatory mechanisms underlying ALDH(hi)CD44(hi)TIC maintenance would be beneficial for the development of long term lung cancer control.

Adipocyte activation of cancer stem cell signaling in breast cancer

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Benjamin; Wolfson; Gabriel; Eades; Qun; Zhou

2015-01-01

Signaling within the tumor microenvironment has a critical role in cancer initiation and progression. Adipocytes, one of the major components of the breast microenvironment,have been shown to provide pro-tumorigenic signals that promote cancer cell proliferation and invasiveness in vitro and tumorigenicity in vivo. Adipocyte secreted factors such as leptin and interleukin-6(IL-6) have a paracrine effect on breast cancer cells. In adipocyte-adjacent breast cancer cells, the leptin and IL-6 signaling pathways activate janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activatorof transcription 5, promoting the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and upregulating stemness regulators such as Notch, Wnt and the Sex determining region Y-box 2/octamer binding transcription factor 4/Nanog signaling axis. In this review we will summarize the major signaling pathways that regulate cancer stem cells in breast cancer and describe the effects that adipocyte secreted IL-6 and leptin have on breast cancer stem cell signaling. Finally we will introduce a new potential treatment paradigm of inhibiting the adipocyte-breast cancer cell signaling via targeting the IL-6 or leptin pathways.

Tight junctions: a barrier to the initiation and progression of breast cancer?

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Brennan, Kieran

2010-01-01

Breast cancer is a complex and heterogeneous disease that arises from epithelial cells lining the breast ducts and lobules. Correct adhesion between adjacent epithelial cells is important in determining the normal structure and function of epithelial tissues, and there is accumulating evidence that dysregulated cell-cell adhesion is associated with many cancers. This review will focus on one cell-cell adhesion complex, the tight junction (TJ), and summarize recent evidence that TJs may participate in breast cancer development or progression. We will first outline the protein composition of TJs and discuss the functions of the TJ complex. Secondly we will examine how alterations in these functions might facilitate breast cancer initiation or progression; by focussing on the regulatory influence of TJs on cell polarity, cell fate and cell migration. Finally we will outline how pharmacological targeting of TJ proteins may be useful in limiting breast cancer progression. Overall we hope to illustrate that the relationship between TJ alterations and breast cancer is a complex one; but that this area offers promise in uncovering fundamental mechanisms linked to breast cancer progression.

Targeting the eIF4F translation initiation complex: a critical nexus for cancer development.

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Pelletier, Jerry; Graff, Jeremy; Ruggero, Davide; Sonenberg, Nahum

2015-01-15

Elevated protein synthesis is an important feature of many cancer cells and often arises as a consequence of increased signaling flux channeled to eukaryotic initiation factor 4F (eIF4F), the key regulator of the mRNA-ribosome recruitment phase of translation initiation. In many cellular and preclinical models of cancer, eIF4F deregulation results in changes in translational efficiency of specific mRNA classes. Importantly, many of these mRNAs code for proteins that potently regulate critical cellular processes, such as cell growth and proliferation, enhanced cell survival and cell migration that ultimately impinge on several hallmarks of cancer, including increased angiogenesis, deregulated growth control, enhanced cellular survival, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, invasion, and metastasis. By being positioned as the molecular nexus downstream of key oncogenic signaling pathways (e.g., Ras, PI3K/AKT/TOR, and MYC), eIF4F serves as a direct link between important steps in cancer development and translation initiation. Identification of mRNAs particularly responsive to elevated eIF4F activity that typifies tumorigenesis underscores the critical role of eIF4F in cancer and raises the exciting possibility of developing new-in-class small molecules targeting translation initiation as antineoplastic agents. ©2014 American Association for Cancer Research.

Incidence and timing of cancer in HIV-infected individuals following initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy.

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Yanik, Elizabeth L; Napravnik, Sonia; Cole, Stephen R; Achenbach, Chad J; Gopal, Satish; Olshan, Andrew; Dittmer, Dirk P; Kitahata, Mari M; Mugavero, Michael J; Saag, Michael; Moore, Richard D; Mayer, Kenneth; Mathews, W Christopher; Hunt, Peter W; Rodriguez, Benigno; Eron, Joseph J

2013-09-01

Cancer is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), but patterns of cancer incidence after combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation remain poorly characterized. We evaluated the incidence and timing of cancer diagnoses among patients initiating ART between 1996 and 2011 in a collaboration of 8 US clinical HIV cohorts. Poisson regression was used to estimate incidence rates. Cox regression was used to identify demographic and clinical characteristics associated with cancer incidence after ART initiation. At initiation of first combination ART among 11 485 patients, median year was 2004 (interquartile range [IQR], 2000-2007) and median CD4 count was 202 cells/mm(3) (IQR, 61-338). Incidence rates for Kaposi sarcoma (KS) and lymphomas were highest in the first 6 months after ART initiation (P cancers combined increased from 416 to 615 cases per 100 000 person-years from 1 to 10 years after ART initiation (average 7% increase per year; 95% confidence interval, 2%-13%). Lower CD4 count at ART initiation was associated with greater risk of KS, lymphoma, and human papillomavirus-related cancer. Calendar year of ART initiation was not associated with cancer incidence. KS and lymphoma rates were highest immediately following ART initiation, particularly among patients with low CD4 cell counts, whereas other cancers increased with time on ART, likely reflecting increased cancer risk with aging. Our results underscore recommendations for earlier HIV diagnosis followed by prompt ART initiation along with ongoing aggressive cancer screening and prevention efforts throughout the course of HIV care.

[Sea urchin embryo, DNA-damaged cell cycle checkpoint and the mechanisms initiating cancer development].

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Bellé, Robert; Le Bouffant, Ronan; Morales, Julia; Cosson, Bertrand; Cormier, Patrick; Mulner-Lorillon, Odile

2007-01-01

Cell division is an essential process for heredity, maintenance and evolution of the whole living kingdom. Sea urchin early development represents an excellent experimental model for the analysis of cell cycle checkpoint mechanisms since embryonic cells contain a functional DNA-damage checkpoint and since the whole sea urchin genome is sequenced. The DNA-damaged checkpoint is responsible for an arrest in the cell cycle when DNA is damaged or incorrectly replicated, for activation of the DNA repair mechanism, and for commitment to cell death by apoptosis in the case of failure to repair. New insights in cancer biology lead to two fundamental concepts about the very first origin of cancerogenesis. Cancers result from dysfunction of DNA-damaged checkpoints and cancers appear as a result of normal stem cell (NCS) transformation into a cancer stem cell (CSC). The second aspect suggests a new definition of "cancer", since CSC can be detected well before any clinical evidence. Since early development starts from the zygote, which is a primary stem cell, sea urchin early development allows analysis of the early steps of the cancerization process. Although sea urchins do not develop cancers, the model is alternative and complementary to stem cells which are not easy to isolate, do not divide in a short time and do not divide synchronously. In the field of toxicology and incidence on human health, the sea urchin experimental model allows assessment of cancer risk from single or combined molecules long before any epidemiologic evidence is available. Sea urchin embryos were used to test the worldwide used pesticide Roundup that contains glyphosate as the active herbicide agent; it was shown to activate the DNA-damage checkpoint of the first cell cycle of development. The model therefore allows considerable increase in risk evaluation of new products in the field of cancer and offers a tool for the discovery of molecular markers for early diagnostic in cancer biology

Bone marrow-derived fibrocytes promote stem cell-like properties of lung cancer cells.

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Saijo, Atsuro; Goto, Hisatsugu; Nakano, Mayuri; Mitsuhashi, Atsushi; Aono, Yoshinori; Hanibuchi, Masaki; Ogawa, Hirohisa; Uehara, Hisanori; Kondo, Kazuya; Nishioka, Yasuhiko

2018-05-01

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) represent a minor population that have clonal tumor initiation and self-renewal capacity and are responsible for tumor initiation, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance. CSCs reside in niches, which are composed of diverse types of stromal cells and extracellular matrix components. These stromal cells regulate CSC-like properties by providing secreted factors or by physical contact. Fibrocytes are differentiated from bone marrow-derived CD14 + monocytes and have features of both macrophages and fibroblasts. Accumulating evidence has suggested that stromal fibrocytes might promote cancer progression. However, the role of fibrocytes in the CSC niches has not been revealed. We herein report that human fibrocytes enhanced the CSC-like properties of lung cancer cells through secreted factors, including osteopontin, CC-chemokine ligand 18, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. The PIK3K/AKT pathway was critical for fibrocytes to mediate the CSC-like functions of lung cancer cells. In human lung cancer specimens, the number of tumor-infiltrated fibrocytes was correlated with high expression of CSC-associated protein in cancer cells. These results suggest that fibrocytes may be a novel cell population that regulates the CSC-like properties of lung cancer cells in the CSC niches. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Ionizing radiation induces stemness in cancer cells.

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Laura Ghisolfi

Full Text Available The cancer stem cell (CSC model posits the presence of a small number of CSCs in the heterogeneous cancer cell population that are ultimately responsible for tumor initiation, as well as cancer recurrence and metastasis. CSCs have been isolated from a variety of human cancers and are able to generate a hierarchical and heterogeneous cancer cell population. CSCs are also resistant to conventional chemo- and radio-therapies. Here we report that ionizing radiation can induce stem cell-like properties in heterogeneous cancer cells. Exposure of non-stem cancer cells to ionizing radiation enhanced spherogenesis, and this was accompanied by upregulation of the pluripotency genes Sox2 and Oct3/4. Knockdown of Sox2 or Oct3/4 inhibited radiation-induced spherogenesis and increased cellular sensitivity to radiation. These data demonstrate that ionizing radiation can activate stemness pathways in heterogeneous cancer cells, resulting in the enrichment of a CSC subpopulation with higher resistance to radiotherapy.

Colorectal cancer: genetic abnormalities, tumor progression, tumor heterogeneity, clonal evolution and tumor-initiating cells.

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Testa, Ugo; Pelosi, Elvira; Castelli, Germana

2018-04-13

Colon cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide. Most colorectal cancer occurrences are sporadic, not related to genetic predisposition or family history; however, 20-30% of patients with colorectal cancer have a family history of colorectal cancer and 5% of these tumors arise in the setting of a Mendelian inheritance syndrome. In many patients, the development of a colorectal cancer is preceded by a benign neoplastic lesion: either an adenomatous polyp or a serrated polyp. Studies carried out in the last years have characterized the main molecular alterations occurring in colorectal cancers, showing that the tumor of each patient displays from two to eight driver mutations. The ensemble of molecular studies, including gene expression studies, has led to two proposed classifications of colorectal cancers, with the identification of four/five non-overlapping groups. The homeostasis of the rapidly renewing intestinal epithelium is ensured by few stem cells present at the level of the base of intestinal crypts. Various experimental evidence suggests that colorectal cancers may derive from the malignant transformation of intestinal stem cells or of intestinal cells that acquire stem cell properties following malignant transformation. Colon cancer stem cells seem to be involved in tumor chemoresistance, radioresistance and relapse.

Glioblastoma-Initiating Cells: Relationship with Neural Stem Cells and the Micro-Environment

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Goffart, Nicolas [Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, GIGA-Neurosciences Research Center, University of Liège, Liège 4000 (Belgium); Kroonen, Jérôme [Human Genetics, CHU and University of Liège, Liège 4000 (Belgium); The T& P Bohnenn Laboratory for Neuro-Oncology, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht 3556 (Netherlands); Rogister, Bernard, E-mail: Bernard.Register@ulg.ac.be [Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, GIGA-Neurosciences Research Center, University of Liège, Liège 4000 (Belgium); Department of Neurology, CHU and University of Liège, Liège 4000 (Belgium); GIGA-Development, Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, University of Liège, Liège 4000 (Belgium)

2013-08-14

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM, WHO grade IV) is the most common and lethal subtype of primary brain tumor with a median overall survival of 15 months from the time of diagnosis. The presence in GBM of a cancer population displaying neural stem cell (NSC) properties as well as tumor-initiating abilities and resistance to current therapies suggests that these glioblastoma-initiating cells (GICs) play a central role in tumor development and are closely related to NSCs. However, it is nowadays still unclear whether GICs derive from NSCs, neural progenitor cells or differentiated cells such as astrocytes or oligodendrocytes. On the other hand, NSCs are located in specific regions of the adult brain called neurogenic niches that have been shown to control critical stem cell properties, to nourish NSCs and to support their self-renewal. This “seed-and-soil” relationship has also been adapted to cancer stem cell research as GICs also require a specific micro-environment to maintain their “stem cell” properties. In this review, we will discuss the controversies surrounding the origin and the identification of GBM stem cells and highlight the micro-environment impact on their biology.

Glioblastoma-Initiating Cells: Relationship with Neural Stem Cells and the Micro-Environment

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Goffart, Nicolas; Kroonen, Jérôme; Rogister, Bernard

2013-01-01

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM, WHO grade IV) is the most common and lethal subtype of primary brain tumor with a median overall survival of 15 months from the time of diagnosis. The presence in GBM of a cancer population displaying neural stem cell (NSC) properties as well as tumor-initiating abilities and resistance to current therapies suggests that these glioblastoma-initiating cells (GICs) play a central role in tumor development and are closely related to NSCs. However, it is nowadays still unclear whether GICs derive from NSCs, neural progenitor cells or differentiated cells such as astrocytes or oligodendrocytes. On the other hand, NSCs are located in specific regions of the adult brain called neurogenic niches that have been shown to control critical stem cell properties, to nourish NSCs and to support their self-renewal. This “seed-and-soil” relationship has also been adapted to cancer stem cell research as GICs also require a specific micro-environment to maintain their “stem cell” properties. In this review, we will discuss the controversies surrounding the origin and the identification of GBM stem cells and highlight the micro-environment impact on their biology

Glioblastoma-Initiating Cells: Relationship with Neural Stem Cells and the Micro-Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicolas Goffart

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM, WHO grade IV is the most common and lethal subtype of primary brain tumor with a median overall survival of 15 months from the time of diagnosis. The presence in GBM of a cancer population displaying neural stem cell (NSC properties as well as tumor-initiating abilities and resistance to current therapies suggests that these glioblastoma-initiating cells (GICs play a central role in tumor development and are closely related to NSCs. However, it is nowadays still unclear whether GICs derive from NSCs, neural progenitor cells or differentiated cells such as astrocytes or oligodendrocytes. On the other hand, NSCs are located in specific regions of the adult brain called neurogenic niches that have been shown to control critical stem cell properties, to nourish NSCs and to support their self-renewal. This “seed-and-soil” relationship has also been adapted to cancer stem cell research as GICs also require a specific micro-environment to maintain their “stem cell” properties. In this review, we will discuss the controversies surrounding the origin and the identification of GBM stem cells and highlight the micro-environment impact on their biology.

Cancer stem cells in solid tumors: elusive or illusive?

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Lehrach Hans R

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract During the past years in vivo transplantation experiments and in vitro colony-forming assays indicated that tumors arise only from rare cells. These cells were shown to bear self-renewal capacities and the ability to recapitulate all cell types within an individual tumor. Due to their phenotypic resemblance to normal stem cells, the term "cancer stem cells" is used. However, some pieces of the puzzle are missing: (a a stringent definition of cancer stem cells in solid tumors (b specific markers that only target cells that meet the criteria for a cancer stem cell in a certain type of tumor. These missing parts started an ongoing debate about which is the best method to identify and characterize cancer stem cells, or even if their mere existence is just an artifact caused by the experimental procedures. Recent findings query the cancer stem cell hypothesis for solid tumors itself since it was shown in xenograft transplantation experiments that under appropriate conditions tumor-initiating cells are not rare. In this review we critically discuss the challenges and prospects of the currently used major methods to identify cancer stem cells. Further on, we reflect the present discussion about the existence of cancer stem cells in solid tumors as well as the amount and characteristics of tumor-initiating cells and finally provide new perspectives like the correlation of cancer stem cells and induced pluripotent cells.

Tumor-initiating CD49f cells are a hallmark of chemoresistant triple negative breast cancer.

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Gomez-Miragaya, Jorge; González-Suárez, Eva

2017-01-01

Taxanes are mainstay treatment of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients but resistance often develops. Using TNBC patient-derived orthoxenografts (PDX) we have recently discovered that a CD49f+ chemoresistant population with tumor-initiating ability is present in sensitive tumors and expands in tumors that have acquired resistance. Importantly, sensitivity to taxanes is recovered after long-term drug interruption. The characterization of this chemoresistant CD49f+ cells provides a unique opportunity to identify novel targets for the treatment of chemoresistant TNBC.

Glioblastoma-Initiating Cells: Relationship with Neural Stem Cells and the Micro-Environment

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Goffart, Nicolas; KROONEN, Jérôme

2013-01-01

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM, WHO grade IV) is the most common and lethal subtype of primary brain tumor with a median overall survival of 15 months from the time of diagnosis. The presence in GBM of a cancer population displaying neural stem cell (NSC) properties as well as tumor-initiating abilities and resistance to current therapies suggests that these glioblastoma-initiating cells (GICs) play a central role in tumor development and are closely related to NSCs. However, it is nowadays sti...

How cancer cells dictate their microenvironment: present roles of extracellular vesicles.

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Naito, Yutaka; Yoshioka, Yusuke; Yamamoto, Yusuke; Ochiya, Takahiro

2017-02-01

Intercellular communication plays an important role in cancer initiation and progression through secretory molecules, including growth factors and cytokines. Recent advances have revealed that small membrane vesicles, termed extracellular vesicles (EVs), served as a regulatory agent in the intercellular communication of cancer. EVs enable the transfer of functional molecules, including proteins, mRNA and microRNAs (miRNAs), into recipient cells. Cancer cells utilize EVs to dictate the unique phenotype of surrounding cells, thereby promoting cancer progression. Against such "education" by cancer cells, non-tumoral cells suppress cancer initiation and progression via EVs. Therefore, researchers consider EVs to be important cues to clarify the molecular mechanisms of cancer biology. Understanding the functions of EVs in cancer progression is an important aspect of cancer biology that has not been previously elucidated. In this review, we summarize experimental data that indicate the pivotal roles of EVs in cancer progression.

Cancer stem cells in colorectal cancer: a review.

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Munro, Matthew J; Wickremesekera, Susrutha K; Peng, Lifeng; Tan, Swee T; Itinteang, Tinte

2018-02-01

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cancer in women and the third most common in men. Adenocarcinoma accounts for 90% of CRC cases. There has been accumulating evidence in support of the cancer stem cell (CSC) concept of cancer which proposes that CSCs are central in the initiation of cancer. CSCs have been the focus of study in a range of cancers, including CRC. This has led to the identification and understanding of genes involved in the induction and maintenance of pluripotency of stem cells, and markers for CSCs, including those investigated specifically in CRC. Knowledge of the expression pattern of CSCs in CRC has been increasing in recent years, revealing a heterogeneous population of cells within CRC ranging from pluripotent to differentiated cells, with overlapping and sometimes unique combinations of markers. This review summarises current literature on the understanding of CSCs in CRC, including evidence of the presence of CSC subpopulations, and the stem cell markers currently used to identify and localise these CSC subpopulations. Future research into this field may lead to improved methods for early detection of CRC, novel therapy and monitoring of treatment for CRC and other cancer types. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

High expression of CD109 antigen regulates the phenotype of cancer stem-like cells/cancer-initiating cells in the novel epithelioid sarcoma cell line ESX and is related to poor prognosis of soft tissue sarcoma.

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Makoto Emori

Full Text Available Epithelioid sarcoma (ES is a relatively rare, highly malignant soft tissue sarcoma. The mainstay of treatment is resection or amputation. Currently other therapeutic options available for this disease are limited. Therefore, a novel therapeutic option needs to be developed. In the present study, we established a new human ES cell line (ESX and analyzed the characteristics of its cancer stem-like cells/cancer-initiating cells (CSCs/CICs based on ALDH1 activity. We demonstrated that a subpopulation of ESX cells with high ALDH1 activity (ALDH(high cells correlated with enhanced clonogenic ability, sphere-formation ability, and invasiveness in vitro and showed higher tumorigenicity in vivo. Next, using gene expression profiling, we identified CD109, a GPI-anchored protein upregulated in the ALDH(high cells. CD109 mRNA was highly expressed in various sarcoma cell lines, but weakly expressed in normal adult tissues. CD109-positive cells in ESX predominantly formed spheres in culture, whereas siCD109 reduced ALDH1 expression and inhibited the cell proliferation in vitro. Subsequently, we evaluated the expression of CD109 protein in 80 clinical specimens of soft tissue sarcoma. We found a strong correlation between CD109 protein expression and the prognosis (P = 0.009. In conclusion, CD109 might be a CSC/CIC marker in epithelioid sarcoma. Moreover, CD109 is a promising prognostic biomarker and a molecular target of cancer therapy for sarcomas including ES.

Establishment and Analysis of Cancer Stem-Like and Non-Cancer Stem-Like Clone Cells from the Human Colon Cancer Cell Line SW480.

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Akari Takaya

Full Text Available Human cancer stem-like cells (CSCs/cancer-initiating cells (CICs can be isolated as side population (SP cells, aldehyde dehydrogenase high (ALDHhigh cells or cell surface marker-positive cells including CD44+ cells and CD133+ cells. CSCs/CICs and non-CSCs/CICs are unstable in in vitro culture, and CSCs/CICs can differentiate into non-CSCs/CICs and some non-CSCs/CICs can dedifferentiate into CSCs/CICs. Therefore, experiments using a large amount of CSCs/CICs are technically very difficult. In this study, we isolated single cell clones from SP cells and main population (MP cells derived from the human colon cancer cell line SW480. SP analysis revealed that SP clone cells had relatively high percentages of SP cells, whereas MP clone cells showed very few SP cells, and the phenotypes were sustainable for more than 2 months of in vitro culture. Xenograft transplantation revealed that SP clone cells have higher tumor-initiating ability than that of MP clone cells and SP clone cell showed higher chemo-resistance compared with MP clone cells. These results indicate that SP clone cells derived from SW480 cells are enriched with CSCs/CICs, whereas MP clone cells are pure non-CSCs/CICs. SP clone cells and MP clone cells are a very stable in vitro CSC/CIC-enriched and non-CSC/CIC model for further analysis.

Establishment and Analysis of Cancer Stem-Like and Non-Cancer Stem-Like Clone Cells from the Human Colon Cancer Cell Line SW480.

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Takaya, Akari; Hirohashi, Yoshihiko; Murai, Aiko; Morita, Rena; Saijo, Hiroshi; Yamamoto, Eri; Kubo, Terufumi; Nakatsugawa, Munehide; Kanaseki, Takayuki; Tsukahara, Tomohide; Tamura, Yasuaki; Takemasa, Ichiro; Kondo, Toru; Sato, Noriyuki; Torigoe, Toshihiko

2016-01-01

Human cancer stem-like cells (CSCs)/cancer-initiating cells (CICs) can be isolated as side population (SP) cells, aldehyde dehydrogenase high (ALDHhigh) cells or cell surface marker-positive cells including CD44+ cells and CD133+ cells. CSCs/CICs and non-CSCs/CICs are unstable in in vitro culture, and CSCs/CICs can differentiate into non-CSCs/CICs and some non-CSCs/CICs can dedifferentiate into CSCs/CICs. Therefore, experiments using a large amount of CSCs/CICs are technically very difficult. In this study, we isolated single cell clones from SP cells and main population (MP) cells derived from the human colon cancer cell line SW480. SP analysis revealed that SP clone cells had relatively high percentages of SP cells, whereas MP clone cells showed very few SP cells, and the phenotypes were sustainable for more than 2 months of in vitro culture. Xenograft transplantation revealed that SP clone cells have higher tumor-initiating ability than that of MP clone cells and SP clone cell showed higher chemo-resistance compared with MP clone cells. These results indicate that SP clone cells derived from SW480 cells are enriched with CSCs/CICs, whereas MP clone cells are pure non-CSCs/CICs. SP clone cells and MP clone cells are a very stable in vitro CSC/CIC-enriched and non-CSC/CIC model for further analysis.

Neuroblastoma cell lines contain pluripotent tumor initiating cells that are susceptible to a targeted oncolytic virus.

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Yonatan Y Mahller

Full Text Available Although disease remission can frequently be achieved for patients with neuroblastoma, relapse is common. The cancer stem cell theory suggests that rare tumorigenic cells, resistant to conventional therapy, are responsible for relapse. If true for neuroblastoma, improved cure rates may only be achieved via identification and therapeutic targeting of the neuroblastoma tumor initiating cell. Based on cues from normal stem cells, evidence for tumor populating progenitor cells has been found in a variety of cancers.Four of eight human neuroblastoma cell lines formed tumorspheres in neural stem cell media, and all contained some cells that expressed neurogenic stem cell markers including CD133, ABCG2, and nestin. Three lines tested could be induced into multi-lineage differentiation. LA-N-5 spheres were further studied and showed a verapamil-sensitive side population, relative resistance to doxorubicin, and CD133+ cells showed increased sphere formation and tumorigenicity. Oncolytic viruses, engineered to be clinically safe by genetic mutation, are emerging as next generation anticancer therapeutics. Because oncolytic viruses circumvent typical drug-resistance mechanisms, they may represent an effective therapy for chemotherapy-resistant tumor initiating cells. A Nestin-targeted oncolytic herpes simplex virus efficiently replicated within and killed neuroblastoma tumor initiating cells preventing their ability to form tumors in athymic nude mice.These results suggest that human neuroblastoma contains tumor initiating cells that may be effectively targeted by an oncolytic virus.

Gene expression profiling supports the hypothesis that human ovarian surface epithelia are multipotent and capable of serving as ovarian cancer initiating cells

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Matyunina Lilya V

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Accumulating evidence suggests that somatic stem cells undergo mutagenic transformation into cancer initiating cells. The serous subtype of ovarian adenocarcinoma in humans has been hypothesized to arise from at least two possible classes of progenitor cells: the ovarian surface epithelia (OSE and/or an as yet undefined class of progenitor cells residing in the distal end of the fallopian tube. Methods Comparative gene expression profiling analyses were carried out on OSE removed from the surface of normal human ovaries and ovarian cancer epithelial cells (CEPI isolated by laser capture micro-dissection (LCM from human serous papillary ovarian adenocarcinomas. The results of the gene expression analyses were randomly confirmed in paraffin embedded tissues from ovarian adenocarcinoma of serous subtype and non-neoplastic ovarian tissues using immunohistochemistry. Differentially expressed genes were analyzed using gene ontology, molecular pathway, and gene set enrichment analysis algorithms. Results Consistent with multipotent capacity, genes in pathways previously associated with adult stem cell maintenance are highly expressed in ovarian surface epithelia and are not expressed or expressed at very low levels in serous ovarian adenocarcinoma. Among the over 2000 genes that are significantly differentially expressed, a number of pathways and novel pathway interactions are identified that may contribute to ovarian adenocarcinoma development. Conclusions Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that human ovarian surface epithelia are multipotent and capable of serving as the origin of ovarian adenocarcinoma. While our findings do not rule out the possibility that ovarian cancers may also arise from other sources, they are inconsistent with claims that ovarian surface epithelia cannot serve as the origin of ovarian cancer initiating cells.

An immunosurveillance mechanism controls cancer cell ploidy.

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Senovilla, Laura; Vitale, Ilio; Martins, Isabelle; Tailler, Maximilien; Pailleret, Claire; Michaud, Mickaël; Galluzzi, Lorenzo; Adjemian, Sandy; Kepp, Oliver; Niso-Santano, Mireia; Shen, Shensi; Mariño, Guillermo; Criollo, Alfredo; Boilève, Alice; Job, Bastien; Ladoire, Sylvain; Ghiringhelli, François; Sistigu, Antonella; Yamazaki, Takahiro; Rello-Varona, Santiago; Locher, Clara; Poirier-Colame, Vichnou; Talbot, Monique; Valent, Alexander; Berardinelli, Francesco; Antoccia, Antonio; Ciccosanti, Fabiola; Fimia, Gian Maria; Piacentini, Mauro; Fueyo, Antonio; Messina, Nicole L; Li, Ming; Chan, Christopher J; Sigl, Verena; Pourcher, Guillaume; Ruckenstuhl, Christoph; Carmona-Gutierrez, Didac; Lazar, Vladimir; Penninger, Josef M; Madeo, Frank; López-Otín, Carlos; Smyth, Mark J; Zitvogel, Laurence; Castedo, Maria; Kroemer, Guido

2012-09-28

Cancer cells accommodate multiple genetic and epigenetic alterations that initially activate intrinsic (cell-autonomous) and extrinsic (immune-mediated) oncosuppressive mechanisms. Only once these barriers to oncogenesis have been overcome can malignant growth proceed unrestrained. Tetraploidization can contribute to oncogenesis because hyperploid cells are genomically unstable. We report that hyperploid cancer cells become immunogenic because of a constitutive endoplasmic reticulum stress response resulting in the aberrant cell surface exposure of calreticulin. Hyperploid, calreticulin-exposing cancer cells readily proliferated in immunodeficient mice and conserved their increased DNA content. In contrast, hyperploid cells injected into immunocompetent mice generated tumors only after a delay, and such tumors exhibited reduced DNA content, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and calreticulin exposure. Our results unveil an immunosurveillance system that imposes immunoselection against hyperploidy in carcinogen- and oncogene-induced cancers.

CD73 Regulates Stemness and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Ovarian Cancer-Initiating Cells.

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Lupia, Michela; Angiolini, Francesca; Bertalot, Giovanni; Freddi, Stefano; Sachsenmeier, Kris F; Chisci, Elisa; Kutryb-Zajac, Barbara; Confalonieri, Stefano; Smolenski, Ryszard T; Giovannoni, Roberto; Colombo, Nicoletta; Bianchi, Fabrizio; Cavallaro, Ugo

2018-04-10

Cancer-initiating cells (CICs) have been implicated in tumor development and aggressiveness. In ovarian carcinoma (OC), CICs drive tumor formation, dissemination, and recurrence, as well as drug resistance, thus accounting for the high death-to-incidence ratio of this neoplasm. However, the molecular mechanisms that underlie such a pathogenic role of ovarian CICs (OCICs) remain elusive. Here, we have capitalized on primary cells either from OC or from its tissues of origin to obtain the transcriptomic profile associated with OCICs. Among the genes differentially expressed in OCICs, we focused on CD73, which encodes the membrane-associated 5'-ectonucleotidase. The genetic inactivation of CD73 in OC cells revealed that this molecule is causally involved in sphere formation and tumor initiation, thus emerging as a driver of OCIC function. Furthermore, functional inhibition of CD73 via either a chemical compound or a neutralizing antibody reduced sphere formation and tumorigenesis, highlighting the druggability of CD73 in the context of OCIC-directed therapies. The biological function of CD73 in OCICs required its enzymatic activity and involved adenosine signaling. Mechanistically, CD73 promotes the expression of stemness and epithelial-mesenchymal transition-associated genes, implying a regulation of OCIC function at the transcriptional level. CD73, therefore, is involved in OCIC biology and may represent a therapeutic target for innovative treatments aimed at OC eradication. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The many ways to make a luminal cell and a prostate cancer cell.

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Strand, Douglas W; Goldstein, Andrew S

2015-12-01

Research in the area of stem/progenitor cells has led to the identification of multiple stem-like cell populations implicated in prostate homeostasis and cancer initiation. Given that there are multiple cells that can regenerate prostatic tissue and give rise to prostate cancer, our focus should shift to defining the signaling mechanisms that drive differentiation and progenitor self-renewal. In this article, we will review the literature, present the evidence and raise important unanswered questions that will help guide the field forward in dissecting critical mechanisms regulating stem-cell differentiation and tumor initiation. © 2015 Society for Endocrinology.

Mechanisms of Cancer Cell Dormancy--Another Hallmark of Cancer?

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Yeh, Albert C; Ramaswamy, Sridhar

2015-12-01

Disease relapse in cancer patients many years after clinical remission, often referred to as cancer dormancy, is well documented but remains an incompletely understood phenomenon on the biologic level. Recent reviews have summarized potential models that can explain this phenomenon, including angiogenic, immunologic, and cellular dormancy. We focus on mechanisms of cellular dormancy as newer biologic insights have enabled better understanding of this process. We provide a historical context, synthesize current advances in the field, and propose a mechanistic framework that treats cancer cell dormancy as a dynamic cell state conferring a fitness advantage to an evolving malignancy under stress. Cellular dormancy appears to be an active process that can be toggled through a variety of signaling mechanisms that ultimately downregulate the RAS/MAPK and PI(3)K/AKT pathways, an ability that is preserved even in cancers that constitutively depend on these pathways for their growth and survival. Just as unbridled proliferation is a key hallmark of cancer, the ability of cancer cells to become quiescent may be critical to evolving malignancies, with implications for understanding cancer initiation, progression, and treatment resistance. ©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.

Stem cells and cancer of the stomach and intestine.

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Vries, Robert G J; Huch, Meritxell; Clevers, Hans

2010-10-01

Cancer in the 21st century has become the number one cause of death in developed countries. Although much progress has been made in improving patient survival, tumour relapse is one of the important causes of cancer treatment failure. An early observation in the study of cancer was the heterogeneity of tumours. Traditionally, this was explained by a combination of genomic instability of tumours and micro environmental factors leading to diverse phenotypical characteristics. It was assumed that cells in a tumour have an equal capacity to propagate the cancer. This model is currently known as the stochastic model. Recently, the Cancer stem cell model has been proposed to explain the heterogeneity of a tumour and its progression. According to this model, the heterogeneity of tumours is the result of aberrant differentiation of tumour cells into the cells of the tissue the tumour originated from. Tumours were suggested to contain stem cell-like cells, the cancer stem cells or tumour-initiating cells, which are uniquely capable of propagating a tumour much like normal stem cells fuel proliferation and differentiation in normal tissue. In this review we discuss the normal stem cell biology of the stomach and intestine followed by both the stochastic and cancer stem cell models in light of recent findings in the gastric and intestinal systems. The molecular pathways underlying normal and tumourigenic growth have been well studied, and recently the stem cells of the stomach and intestine have been identified. Furthermore, intestinal stem cells were identified as the cells-of-origin of colon cancer upon loss of the tumour suppressor APC. Lastly, several studies have proposed the positive identification of a cancer stem cell of human colon cancer. At the end we compare the cancer stem cell model and the stochastic model. We conclude that clonal evolution of tumour cells resulting from genetic mutations underlies tumour initiation and progression in both cancer models. This

Mitochondrial calcium uniporter silencing potentiates caspase-independent cell death in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells

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Curry, Merril C.; Peters, Amelia A. [School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072 (Australia); Kenny, Paraic A. [Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461 (United States); Roberts-Thomson, Sarah J. [School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072 (Australia); Monteith, Gregory R., E-mail: gregm@uq.edu.au [School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072 (Australia)

2013-05-10

Highlights: •Some clinical breast cancers are associated with MCU overexpression. •MCU silencing did not alter cell death initiated with the Bcl-2 inhibitor ABT-263. •MCU silencing potentiated caspase-independent cell death initiated by ionomycin. •MCU silencing promoted ionomycin-mediated cell death without changes in bulk Ca{sup 2+}. -- Abstract: The mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) transports free ionic Ca{sup 2+} into the mitochondrial matrix. We assessed MCU expression in clinical breast cancer samples using microarray analysis and the consequences of MCU silencing in a breast cancer cell line. Our results indicate that estrogen receptor negative and basal-like breast cancers are characterized by elevated levels of MCU. Silencing of MCU expression in the basal-like MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line produced no change in proliferation or cell viability. However, distinct consequences of MCU silencing were seen on cell death pathways. Caspase-dependent cell death initiated by the Bcl-2 inhibitor ABT-263 was not altered by MCU silencing; whereas caspase-independent cell death induced by the calcium ionophore ionomycin was potentiated by MCU silencing. Measurement of cytosolic Ca{sup 2+} levels showed that the promotion of ionomycin-induced cell death by MCU silencing occurs independently of changes in bulk cytosolic Ca{sup 2+} levels. This study demonstrates that MCU overexpression is a feature of some breast cancers and that MCU overexpression may offer a survival advantage against some cell death pathways. MCU inhibitors may be a strategy to increase the effectiveness of therapies that act through the induction of caspase-independent cell death pathways in estrogen receptor negative and basal-like breast cancers.

Cancer stem cells in head and neck cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Trapasso S

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Eugenia Allegra, Serena TrapassoOtolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, ItalyAbstract: Cancer stem cells (CSCs, also called "cells that start the tumor," represent in themselves one of the most topical and controversial issues in the field of cancer research. Tumor stem cells are able to self-propagate in vitro (self-renewal, giving rise both to other tumor stem cells and most advanced cells in the line of differentiation (asymmetric division. A final characteristic is tumorigenicity, a fundamental property, which outlines the tumor stem cell as the only cell able to initiate the formation of a tumor when implanted in immune-deficient mice. The hypothesis of a hierarchical organization of tumor cells dates back more than 40 years, but only in 1997, thanks to the work of John Dick and Dominique Bonnet, was there the formal proof of such an organization in acute myeloid leukemia. Following this, many other research groups were able to isolate CSCs, by appropriate selection markers, in various malignancies, such as breast, brain, colon, pancreas, and liver cancers and in melanoma. To date, however, it is not possible to isolate stem cells from all types of neoplasia, particularly in solid tumors. From a therapeutic point of view, the concept of tumor stem cells implies a complete revision of conventional antineoplastic treatment. Conventional cytotoxic agents are designed to target actively proliferating cells. In the majority of cases, this is not sufficient to eliminate the CSCs, which thanks to their reduced proliferative activity and/or the presence of proteins capable of extruding chemotherapeutics from the cell are not targeted. Therefore, the theory of cancer stem cells can pose new paradigms in terms of cancer treatment. Potential approaches, even in the very early experimental stages, relate to the selective inhibition of pathways connected with self-renewal, or more specifically based on

Tumor initiating cells and chemoresistance: which is the best strategy to target colon cancer stem cells?

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Paldino, Emanuela; Tesori, Valentina; Casalbore, Patrizia; Gasbarrini, Antonio; Puglisi, Maria Ausiliatrice

2014-01-01

There is an emerging body of evidence that chemoresistance and minimal residual disease result from selective resistance of a cell subpopulation from the original tumor that is molecularly and phenotypically distinct. These cells are called "cancer stem cells" (CSCs). In this review, we analyze the potential targeting strategies for eradicating CSCs specifically in order to develop more effective therapeutic strategies for metastatic colon cancer. These include induction of terminal epithelial differentiation of CSCs or targeting some genes expressed only in CSCs and involved in self-renewal and chemoresistance. Ideal targets could be cell regulators that simultaneously control the stemness and the resistance of CSCs. Another important aspect of cancer biology, which can also be harnessed to create novel broad-spectrum anticancer agents, is the Warburg effect, also known as aerobic glycolysis. Actually, little is yet known with regard to the metabolism of CSCs population, leaving an exciting unstudied avenue in the dawn of the emerging field of metabolomics.

Targeted Radiation Therapy for Cancer Initiative

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2017-11-01

AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-08-2-0174 TITLE: Targeted Radiation Therapy for Cancer Initiative PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dusten Macdonald, MD...for Cancer Initiative 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) Dusten Macdonald, MD 5d. PROJECT NUMBER...Cancer Initiative Final Report INTRODUCTION: The full potential of radiation therapy has not been realized due to the inability to locate and

STAT3 signaling pathway is necessary for cell survival and tumorsphere forming capacity in ALDH+/CD133+ stem cell-like human colon cancer cells

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Lin, Li; Fuchs, James; Li, Chenglong; Olson, Veronica; Bekaii-Saab, Tanios; Lin, Jiayuh

2011-01-01

Highlights: ► The phosphorylated or activated form of STAT3 was expressed in colon cancer stem-like cells. ► STAT3 inhibitor, FLLL32 inhibits P-STAT3 and STAT3 target genes in colon cancer stem-like cells. ► Inhibition of STAT3 resulted in decreased cell viability and reduced numbers of tumorspheres. ► STAT3 is required for survival and tumorsphere forming capacity in colon cancer stem-like cells. ► Targeting STAT3 in cancer stem-like cells may offer a novel treatment approach for colon cancer. -- Abstract: Persistent activation of Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription 3 (STAT3) is frequently detected in colon cancer. Increasing evidence suggests the existence of a small population of colon cancer stem or cancer-initiating cells may be responsible for tumor initiation, metastasis, and resistance to chemotherapy and radiation. Whether STAT3 plays a role in colon cancer-initiating cells and the effect of STAT3 inhibition is still unknown. Flow cytometry was used to isolate colon cancer stem-like cells from three independent human colon cancer cell lines characterized by both aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH)-positive and CD133-positive subpopulation (ALDH + /CD133 + ). The effects of STAT3 inhibition in colon cancer stem-like cells were examined. The phosphorylated or activated form of STAT3 was expressed in colon cancer stem-like cells and was reduced by a STAT3-selective small molecular inhibitor, FLLL32. FLLL32 also inhibited the expression of potential STAT3 downstream target genes in colon cancer stem-like cells including survivin, Bcl-XL, as well as Notch-1, -3, and -4, which may be involved in stem cell function. Furthermore, FLLL32 inhibited cell viability and tumorsphere formation as well as induced cleaved caspase-3 in colon cancer stem-like cells. FLLL32 is more potent than curcumin as evidenced with lower IC50 in colon cancer stem-like cells. In summary, our results indicate that STAT3 is a novel therapeutic target in colon cancer stem

Epirubicin-adsorbed nanodiamonds kill chemoresistant hepatic cancer stem cells.

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Wang, Xin; Low, Xinyi Casuarine; Hou, Weixin; Abdullah, Lissa Nurrul; Toh, Tan Boon; Mohd Abdul Rashid, Masturah; Ho, Dean; Chow, Edward Kai-Hua

2014-12-23

Chemoresistance is a primary cause of treatment failure in cancer and a common property of tumor-initiating cancer stem cells. Overcoming mechanisms of chemoresistance, particularly in cancer stem cells, can markedly enhance cancer therapy and prevent recurrence and metastasis. This study demonstrates that the delivery of Epirubicin by nanodiamonds is a highly effective nanomedicine-based approach to overcoming chemoresistance in hepatic cancer stem cells. The potent physical adsorption of Epirubicin to nanodiamonds creates a rapidly synthesized and stable nanodiamond-drug complex that promotes endocytic uptake and enhanced tumor cell retention. These attributes mediate the effective killing of both cancer stem cells and noncancer stem cells in vitro and in vivo. Enhanced treatment of both tumor cell populations results in an improved impairment of secondary tumor formation in vivo compared with treatment by unmodified chemotherapeutics. On the basis of these results, nanodiamond-mediated drug delivery may serve as a powerful method for overcoming chemoresistance in cancer stem cells and markedly improving overall treatment against hepatic cancers.

Cell injury, retrodifferentiation and the cancer treatment paradox.

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Uriel, José

2015-09-01

This "opinion article" is an attempt to take an overview of some significant changes that have happened in our understanding of cancer status during the last half century and its evolution under the progressive influence of molecular biology. As an active worker in cancer research and developmental biology during most of this period, I would like to comment briefly on these changes and to give my critical appreciation of their outcome as it affects our knowledge of cancer development as well as the current treatment of the disease. A recall of my own contribution to the subject is also included. Two subjects are particularly developed: cell injury and cell-killing therapies. Cell injury, whatever its origin, has acquired the status of a pivotal event for the initiation of cancer emergence. It is postulated that cell injury, a potential case of cellular death, may also be the origin of a process of stepwise cell reversion (retrodifferentiation or retroprogrammation) leading, by division, mature or stem cells to progressive immaturity. The genetic instability and mutational changes that accompanies this process of cell injury and rejuvenation put normal cells in a status favourable to neoplastic transformation or may evolve cancer cells toward clones with higher malignant potentiality. Thus, cell injury suggests lifestyle as the major upstream initiator of cancer development although this not exclude randomness as an unavoidable contributor to the disease. Cell-killing agents (mainly cytotoxic drugs and radiotherapy) are currently used to treat cancer. At the same time, it is agreed that agents with high cell injury potential (ultraviolet light, ionising radiations, tobacco, environmental pollutants, etc.) contribute to the emergence of malignant tumours. This represents a real paradox. In spite of the progress accomplished in cancer survival, one is tempted to suggest that we have very few chances of really cure cancer as long as we continue to treat malignancies

High-dimensional single-cell cancer biology.

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Irish, Jonathan M; Doxie, Deon B

2014-01-01

Cancer cells are distinguished from each other and from healthy cells by features that drive clonal evolution and therapy resistance. New advances in high-dimensional flow cytometry make it possible to systematically measure mechanisms of tumor initiation, progression, and therapy resistance on millions of cells from human tumors. Here we describe flow cytometry techniques that enable a "single-cell " view of cancer. High-dimensional techniques like mass cytometry enable multiplexed single-cell analysis of cell identity, clinical biomarkers, signaling network phospho-proteins, transcription factors, and functional readouts of proliferation, cell cycle status, and apoptosis. This capability pairs well with a signaling profiles approach that dissects mechanism by systematically perturbing and measuring many nodes in a signaling network. Single-cell approaches enable study of cellular heterogeneity of primary tissues and turn cell subsets into experimental controls or opportunities for new discovery. Rare populations of stem cells or therapy-resistant cancer cells can be identified and compared to other types of cells within the same sample. In the long term, these techniques will enable tracking of minimal residual disease (MRD) and disease progression. By better understanding biological systems that control development and cell-cell interactions in healthy and diseased contexts, we can learn to program cells to become therapeutic agents or target malignant signaling events to specifically kill cancer cells. Single-cell approaches that provide deep insight into cell signaling and fate decisions will be critical to optimizing the next generation of cancer treatments combining targeted approaches and immunotherapy.

The role of lipolysis stimulated lipoprotein receptor in breast cancer and directing breast cancer cell behavior.

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Denise K Reaves

Full Text Available The claudin-low molecular subtype of breast cancer is of particular interest for clinically the majority of these tumors are poor prognosis, triple negative, invasive ductal carcinomas. Claudin-low tumors are characterized by cancer stem cell-like features and low expression of cell junction and adhesion proteins. Herein, we sought to define the role of lipolysis stimulated lipoprotein receptor (LSR in breast cancer and cancer cell behavior as LSR was recently correlated with tumor-initiating features. We show that LSR was expressed in epithelium, endothelium, and stromal cells within the healthy breast tissue, as well as in tumor epithelium. In primary breast tumor bioposies, LSR expression was significantly correlated with invasive ductal carcinomas compared to invasive lobular carcinomas, as well as ERα positive tumors and breast cancer cell lines. LSR levels were significantly reduced in claudin-low breast cancer cell lines and functional studies illustrated that re-introduction of LSR into a claudin-low cell line suppressed the EMT phenotype and reduced individual cell migration. However, our data suggest that LSR may promote collective cell migration. Re-introduction of LSR in claudin-low breast cancer cell lines reestablished tight junction protein expression and correlated with transepithelial electrical resistance, thereby reverting claudin-low lines to other intrinsic molecular subtypes. Moreover, overexpression of LSR altered gene expression of pathways involved in transformation and tumorigenesis as well as enhanced proliferation and survival in anchorage independent conditions, highlighting that reestablishment of LSR signaling promotes aggressive/tumor initiating cell behaviors. Collectively, these data highlight a direct role for LSR in driving aggressive breast cancer behavior.

Cancer Stem Cells: From Identification To Eradication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

KASSEM, N.M.

2008-01-01

A fundamental problem in cancer research is identification of the cells within a tumor that sustain the growth of the neoplastic clone. The concept that only a subpopulation of rare cancer stem cells (CSCs) is responsible for maintenance of the neoplasm emerged nearly 50 years ago: however, conclusive proof for the existence of a CSC was obtained only relatively recently. As definition, cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a sub-population of cancer cells (found within solid tumors or hematological malignancies) that possess characteristics normally associated with stem cells as high self-renewal potential. These cells are believed to be tumorige forming) in contrast to the bulk of cancer cells, which are thought to be non-tumorigenic. The first conclusive evidence for CSCs was published in 1997 in Nature Medicine by Bonnet and Dick who isolated a subpopulation of leukemic cells in AML that express a specific surface marker CD34 but lacks the CD38 marker. The authors established that the CD34+/CD38– subpopulation is capable of initiating leukemia in NOD/SCID mice that is histologically similar to the donor [1]. This subpopulation of cells is termed SCID Leukemia-initiating cells (SLIC). A theory suggests that such cells act as a reservoir for disease recurrence, are the origin of metastasis and exert resistance towards classical antitumor regimens. This resistance was attributed to a combination of several factors [2], suggesting that conventional antitumor regimens are targeting the bulk of the tumor not the dormant stubborn CSCs. Purpose Better understanding of the leukemogenic process and the biology of CSCS to define the most applicable procedures for their identification and isolation in order to design specific targeted therapies aiming at reducing disease burden to very low levels .. up to eradication of the tumor

CD44 and SSEA-4 positive cells in an oral cancer cell line HSC-4 possess cancer stem-like cell characteristics.

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Noto, Zenko; Yoshida, Toshiko; Okabe, Motonori; Koike, Chika; Fathy, Moustafa; Tsuno, Hiroaki; Tomihara, Kei; Arai, Naoya; Noguchi, Makoto; Nikaido, Toshio

2013-08-01

Cancer may be derived from cancer stem-like cells (CSCs), which are tumor-initiating cells that have properties similar to those of stem cells. Identification and isolation of CSCs needs to be improved further. CSCs markers were examined in human oral cancer cell lines by flow cytometry. The stem cell properties of subpopulations expressing different markers were assessed further by in vitro sphere formation assays, expression of stemness genes, drug resistance assays, and the ability to form tumors in nude mice. We demonstrated that CSCs could be isolated by the cell surface markers CD44 and stage-specific embryonic antigen-4 (SSEA-4). CD44+SSEA-4+ cells exhibited cancer stem-like properties, including extensive self-renewal into the bulk of cancer cells. In vivo xenograft experiments indicated that CD44+SSEA-4+ cells exhibit the highest tumorigenic capacity compared with the remaining subpopulations and parental cells. Double-positive cells for CD44 and SSEA-4 exhibited preferential expression of some stemness genes and were more resistant to the anticancer drugs, cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). In addition, cells expressing CD44 and SSEA-4 were detected in all tumor specimens analyzed, while coexpression of CD44 and SSEA-4 was not detectable in normal oral mucosa. Our findings suggest that CD44+SSEA-4+ cells exhibit the characteristics of CSCs in oral squamous cell carcinoma and provide a target for the development of more effective therapies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving the quality of lung cancer care in Ontario: the lung cancer disease pathway initiative.

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Evans, William K; Ung, Yee C; Assouad, Nathalie; Chyjek, Anna; Sawka, Carol

2013-07-01

for small-cell LC and non-small-cell LC were posted in November 2012. LC Diagnostic Assessment Units/Programs have been initiated in 14 regions, and educational materials on dyspnea management, including a patient video, are available on CCO's Web site. An audit has been undertaken to better understand the barriers to the uniform uptake of specific evidence-based practices across the province, and the results will be reported shortly. The proportion of LC patients, whose symptoms are assessed at least once a month, using a standardized symptom assessment instrument (Edmonton Symptom Assessment System), has improved through the DPM. Through CCO's LC DPM initiative, Regional Cancer Programs have become aware of their performance on a range of LC-specific performance and quality metrics and have been motivated to undertake quality-improvement initiatives. Standardized diagnostic and treatment pathways have been developed. Ongoing measurement of a broad range of metrics, including stage-specific survival, guideline concordance, and measures of the patient experience will help determine the benefit of this major initiative.

Brain tumor initiating cells adapt to restricted nutrition through preferential glucose uptake.

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Flavahan, William A; Wu, Qiulian; Hitomi, Masahiro; Rahim, Nasiha; Kim, Youngmi; Sloan, Andrew E; Weil, Robert J; Nakano, Ichiro; Sarkaria, Jann N; Stringer, Brett W; Day, Bryan W; Li, Meizhang; Lathia, Justin D; Rich, Jeremy N; Hjelmeland, Anita B

2013-10-01

Like all cancers, brain tumors require a continuous source of energy and molecular resources for new cell production. In normal brain, glucose is an essential neuronal fuel, but the blood-brain barrier limits its delivery. We now report that nutrient restriction contributes to tumor progression by enriching for brain tumor initiating cells (BTICs) owing to preferential BTIC survival and to adaptation of non-BTICs through acquisition of BTIC features. BTICs outcompete for glucose uptake by co-opting the high affinity neuronal glucose transporter, type 3 (Glut3, SLC2A3). BTICs preferentially express Glut3, and targeting Glut3 inhibits BTIC growth and tumorigenic potential. Glut3, but not Glut1, correlates with poor survival in brain tumors and other cancers; thus, tumor initiating cells may extract nutrients with high affinity. As altered metabolism represents a cancer hallmark, metabolic reprogramming may maintain the tumor hierarchy and portend poor prognosis.

Tumor Initiating Cells and Chemoresistance: Which Is the Best Strategy to Target Colon Cancer Stem Cells?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emanuela Paldino

2014-01-01

Full Text Available There is an emerging body of evidence that chemoresistance and minimal residual disease result from selective resistance of a cell subpopulation from the original tumor that is molecularly and phenotypically distinct. These cells are called “cancer stem cells” (CSCs. In this review, we analyze the potential targeting strategies for eradicating CSCs specifically in order to develop more effective therapeutic strategies for metastatic colon cancer. These include induction of terminal epithelial differentiation of CSCs or targeting some genes expressed only in CSCs and involved in self-renewal and chemoresistance. Ideal targets could be cell regulators that simultaneously control the stemness and the resistance of CSCs. Another important aspect of cancer biology, which can also be harnessed to create novel broad-spectrum anticancer agents, is the Warburg effect, also known as aerobic glycolysis. Actually, little is yet known with regard to the metabolism of CSCs population, leaving an exciting unstudied avenue in the dawn of the emerging field of metabolomics.

STAT3 signaling pathway is necessary for cell survival and tumorsphere forming capacity in ALDH{sup +}/CD133{sup +} stem cell-like human colon cancer cells

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Lin, Li, E-mail: lin.796@osu.edu [Center for Childhood Cancer, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children' s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43205 (United States); Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030 (China); Fuchs, James; Li, Chenglong [Division of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States); Olson, Veronica [Center for Childhood Cancer, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children' s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43205 (United States); Bekaii-Saab, Tanios [Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States); Lin, Jiayuh, E-mail: lin.674@osu.edu [Center for Childhood Cancer, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children' s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43205 (United States)

2011-12-16

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The phosphorylated or activated form of STAT3 was expressed in colon cancer stem-like cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer STAT3 inhibitor, FLLL32 inhibits P-STAT3 and STAT3 target genes in colon cancer stem-like cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Inhibition of STAT3 resulted in decreased cell viability and reduced numbers of tumorspheres. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer STAT3 is required for survival and tumorsphere forming capacity in colon cancer stem-like cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Targeting STAT3 in cancer stem-like cells may offer a novel treatment approach for colon cancer. -- Abstract: Persistent activation of Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription 3 (STAT3) is frequently detected in colon cancer. Increasing evidence suggests the existence of a small population of colon cancer stem or cancer-initiating cells may be responsible for tumor initiation, metastasis, and resistance to chemotherapy and radiation. Whether STAT3 plays a role in colon cancer-initiating cells and the effect of STAT3 inhibition is still unknown. Flow cytometry was used to isolate colon cancer stem-like cells from three independent human colon cancer cell lines characterized by both aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH)-positive and CD133-positive subpopulation (ALDH{sup +}/CD133{sup +}). The effects of STAT3 inhibition in colon cancer stem-like cells were examined. The phosphorylated or activated form of STAT3 was expressed in colon cancer stem-like cells and was reduced by a STAT3-selective small molecular inhibitor, FLLL32. FLLL32 also inhibited the expression of potential STAT3 downstream target genes in colon cancer stem-like cells including survivin, Bcl-XL, as well as Notch-1, -3, and -4, which may be involved in stem cell function. Furthermore, FLLL32 inhibited cell viability and tumorsphere formation as well as induced cleaved caspase-3 in colon cancer stem-like cells. FLLL32 is more potent than curcumin as evidenced with lower

Mechanisms of Cancer Cell Dormancy – Another Hallmark of Cancer?

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Yeh, Albert C.; Ramaswamy, Sridhar

2015-01-01

Disease relapse in cancer patients many years after clinical remission, often referred to as cancer dormancy, is well documented but remains an incompletely understood phenomenon on the biological level. Recent reviews have summarized potential models that can explain this phenomenon, including angiogenic, immunologic, and cellular dormancy. We focus on mechanisms of cellular dormancy as newer biological insights have enabled better understanding of this process. We provide a historical context, synthesize current advances in the field, and propose a mechanistic framework that treats cancer cell dormancy as a dynamic cell state conferring a fitness advantage to an evolving malignancy under stress. Cellular dormancy appears to be an active process that can be toggled through a variety of signaling mechanisms that ultimately down-regulate the Ras/MAPK and PI(3)K/AKT pathways, an ability that is preserved even in cancers that constitutively depend on these pathways for their growth and survival. Just as unbridled proliferation is a key hallmark of cancer, the ability of cancer cells to become quiescent may be critical to evolving malignancies, with implications for understanding cancer initiation, progression, and treatment resistance. PMID:26354021

Snail1 induces epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and tumor initiating stem cell characteristics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dang, Hien; Ding, Wei; Emerson, Dow; Rountree, C Bart

2011-01-01

Tumor initiating stem-like cells (TISCs) are a subset of neoplastic cells that possess distinct survival mechanisms and self-renewal characteristics crucial for tumor maintenance and propagation. The induction of epithelial-mesenchymal-transition (EMT) by TGFβ has been recently linked to the acquisition of TISC characteristics in breast cancer. In HCC, a TISC and EMT phenotype correlates with a worse prognosis. In this work, our aim is to elucidate the underlying mechanism by which cells acquire tumor initiating characteristics after EMT. Gene and protein expression assays and Nanog-promoter luciferase reporter were utilized in epithelial and mesenchymal phenotype liver cancer cell lines. EMT was analyzed with migration/invasion assays. TISC characteristics were analyzed with tumor-sphere self-renewal and chemotherapy resistance assays. In vivo tumor assay was performed to investigate the role of Snail1 in tumor initiation. TGFβ induced EMT in epithelial cells through the up-regulation of Snail1 in Smad-dependent signaling. Mesenchymal liver cancer post-EMT demonstrates TISC characteristics such as tumor-sphere formation but are not resistant to cytotoxic therapy. The inhibition of Snail1 in mesenchymal cells results in decreased Nanog promoter luciferase activity and loss of self-renewal characteristics in vitro. These changes confirm the direct role of Snail1 in some TISC traits. In vivo, the down-regulation of Snail1 reduced tumor growth but was not sufficient to eliminate tumor initiation. In summary, TGFβ induces EMT and TISC characteristics through Snail1 and Nanog up-regulation. In mesenchymal cells post-EMT, Snail1 directly regulates Nanog expression, and loss of Snail1 regulates tumor growth without affecting tumor initiation

Cancer stem cells: a metastasizing menace!

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bandhavkar, Saurabh

2016-01-01

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and is estimated to be a reason of death of more than 18 billion people in the coming 5 years. Progress has been made in diagnosis and treatment of cancer; however, a sound understanding of the underlying cell biology still remains an unsolved mystery. Current treatments include a combination of radiation, surgery, and/or chemotherapy. However, these treatments are not a complete cure, aimed simply at shrinking the tumor and in majority of cases, there is a relapse of tumor. Several evidences suggest the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) or tumor-initiating stem-like cells, a small population of cells present in the tumor, capable of self-renewal and generation of differentiated progeny. The presence of these CSCs can be attributed to the failure of cancer treatments as these cells are believed to exhibit therapy resistance. As a result, increasing attention has been given to CSC research to resolve the therapeutic problems related to cancer. Progress in this field of research has led to the development of novel strategies to treat several malignancies and has become a hot topic of discussion. In this review, we will briefly focus on the main characteristics, therapeutic implications, and perspectives of CSCs in cancer therapy

Cancer stem cells, cancer cell plasticity and radiation therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Vlashi, Erina; Pajonk, Frank

2015-04-01

Since the first prospective identification of cancer stem cells in solid cancers the cancer stem cell hypothesis has reemerged as a research topic of increasing interest. It postulates that solid cancers are organized hierarchically with a small number of cancer stem cells driving tumor growth, repopulation after injury and metastasis. They give rise to differentiated progeny, which lack these features. The model predicts that for any therapy to provide cure, all cancer stem cells have to be eliminated while the survival of differentiated progeny is less critical. In this review we discuss recent reports challenging the idea of a unidirectional differentiation of cancer cells. These reports provide evidence supporting the idea that non-stem cancer cells exhibit a remarkable degree of plasticity that allows them to re-acquire cancer stem cell traits, especially in the context of radiation therapy. We summarize conditions under which differentiation is reversed and discuss the current knowledge of the underlying mechanisms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

NFATc4 Regulates Sox9 Gene Expression in Acinar Cell Plasticity and Pancreatic Cancer Initiation

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Elisabeth Hessmann

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Acinar transdifferentiation toward a duct-like phenotype constitutes the defining response of acinar cells to external stress signals and is considered to be the initial step in pancreatic carcinogenesis. Despite the requirement for oncogenic Kras in pancreatic cancer (PDAC development, oncogenic Kras is not sufficient to drive pancreatic carcinogenesis beyond the level of premalignancy. Instead, secondary events, such as inflammation-induced signaling activation of the epidermal growth factor (EGFR or induction of Sox9 expression, are required for tumor formation. Herein, we aimed to dissect the mechanism that links EGFR signaling to Sox9 gene expression during acinar-to-ductal metaplasia in pancreatic tissue adaptation and PDAC initiation. We show that the inflammatory transcription factor NFATc4 is highly induced and localizes in the nucleus in response to inflammation-induced EGFR signaling. Moreover, we demonstrate that NFATc4 drives acinar-to-ductal conversion and PDAC initiation through direct transcriptional induction of Sox9. Therefore, strategies designed to disrupt NFATc4 induction might be beneficial in the prevention or therapy of PDAC.

Ovarian cancer stem cells are enriched in side population and aldehyde dehydrogenase bright overlapping population.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kazuyo Yasuda

Full Text Available Cancer stem-like cells (CSCs/cancer-initiaiting cells (CICs are defined as a small population of cancer cells that have self-renewal capacity, differentiation potential and high tumor-initiating ability. CSCs/CICs of ovarian cancer have been isolated by side population (SP analysis, ALDEFLUOR assay and using cell surface markers. However, these approaches are not definitive markers for CSCs/CICs, and it is necessary to refine recent methods for identifying more highly purified CSCs/CICs. In this study, we analyzed SP cells and aldehyde dehydrogenese bright (ALDH(Br cells from ovarian cancer cells. Both SP cells and ALDH(Br cells exhibited higher tumor-initiating ability and higher expression level of a stem cell marker, sex determining region Y-box 2 (SOX2, than those of main population (MP cells and ALDH(Low cells, respectively. We analyzed an SP and ALDH(Br overlapping population (SP/ALDH(Br, and the SP/ALDH(Br population exhibited higher tumor-initiating ability than that of SP cells or ALDH(Br cells, enabling initiation of tumor with as few as 10(2 cells. Furthermore, SP/ADLH(Br population showed higher sphere-forming ability, cisplatin resistance, adipocyte differentiation ability and expression of SOX2 than those of SP/ALDH(Low, MP/ALDH(Br and MP/ALDH(Low cells. Gene knockdown of SOX2 suppressed the tumor-initiation of ovarian cancer cells. An SP/ALDH(Br population was detected in several gynecological cancer cells with ratios of 0.1% for HEC-1 endometrioid adenocarcinoma cells to 1% for MCAS ovary mucinous adenocarcinoma cells. Taken together, use of the SP and ALDH(Br overlapping population is a promising approach to isolate highly purified CSCs/CICs and SOX2 might be a novel functional marker for ovarian CSCs/CICs.

Cancer stem cells: a metastasizing menace!

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Bandhavkar, Saurabh

2016-04-01

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and is estimated to be a reason of death of more than 18 billion people in the coming 5 years. Progress has been made in diagnosis and treatment of cancer; however, a sound understanding of the underlying cell biology still remains an unsolved mystery. Current treatments include a combination of radiation, surgery, and/or chemotherapy. However, these treatments are not a complete cure, aimed simply at shrinking the tumor and in majority of cases, there is a relapse of tumor. Several evidences suggest the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) or tumor-initiating stem-like cells, a small population of cells present in the tumor, capable of self-renewal and generation of differentiated progeny. The presence of these CSCs can be attributed to the failure of cancer treatments as these cells are believed to exhibit therapy resistance. As a result, increasing attention has been given to CSC research to resolve the therapeutic problems related to cancer. Progress in this field of research has led to the development of novel strategies to treat several malignancies and has become a hot topic of discussion. In this review, we will briefly focus on the main characteristics, therapeutic implications, and perspectives of CSCs in cancer therapy. © 2016 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Extinction models for cancer stem cell therapy

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Sehl, Mary; Zhou, Hua; Sinsheimer, Janet S.; Lange, Kenneth L.

2012-01-01

Cells with stem cell-like properties are now viewed as initiating and sustaining many cancers. This suggests that cancer can be cured by driving these cancer stem cells to extinction. The problem with this strategy is that ordinary stem cells are apt to be killed in the process. This paper sets bounds on the killing differential (difference between death rates of cancer stem cells and normal stem cells) that must exist for the survival of an adequate number of normal stem cells. Our main tools are birth–death Markov chains in continuous time. In this framework, we investigate the extinction times of cancer stem cells and normal stem cells. Application of extreme value theory from mathematical statistics yields an accurate asymptotic distribution and corresponding moments for both extinction times. We compare these distributions for the two cell populations as a function of the killing rates. Perhaps a more telling comparison involves the number of normal stem cells NH at the extinction time of the cancer stem cells. Conditioning on the asymptotic time to extinction of the cancer stem cells allows us to calculate the asymptotic mean and variance of NH. The full distribution of NH can be retrieved by the finite Fourier transform and, in some parameter regimes, by an eigenfunction expansion. Finally, we discuss the impact of quiescence (the resting state) on stem cell dynamics. Quiescence can act as a sanctuary for cancer stem cells and imperils the proposed therapy. We approach the complication of quiescence via multitype branching process models and stochastic simulation. Improvements to the τ-leaping method of stochastic simulation make it a versatile tool in this context. We conclude that the proposed therapy must target quiescent cancer stem cells as well as actively dividing cancer stem cells. The current cancer models demonstrate the virtue of attacking the same quantitative questions from a variety of modeling, mathematical, and computational perspectives

Residual tumor cells that drive disease relapse after chemotherapy do not have enhanced tumor initiating capacity.

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Ganapati V Hegde

Full Text Available Although chemotherapy is used to treat most advanced solid tumors, recurrent disease is still the major cause of cancer-related mortality. Cancer stem cells (CSCs have been the focus of intense research in recent years because they provide a possible explanation for disease relapse. However, the precise role of CSCs in recurrent disease remains poorly understood and surprisingly little attention has been focused on studying the cells responsible for re-initiating tumor growth within the original host after chemotherapy treatment. We utilized both xenograft and genetically engineered mouse models of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC to characterize the residual tumor cells that survive chemotherapy treatment and go on to cause tumor regrowth, which we refer to as tumor re-initiating cells (TRICs. We set out to determine whether TRICs display characteristics of CSCs, and whether assays used to define CSCs also provide an accurate readout of a cell's ability to cause tumor recurrence. We did not find consistent enrichment of CSC marker positive cells or enhanced tumor initiating potential in TRICs. However, TRICs from all models do appear to be in EMT, a state that has been linked to chemoresistance in numerous types of cancer. Thus, the standard CSC assays may not accurately reflect a cell's ability to drive disease recurrence.

The many ways to make a luminal cell and a prostate cancer cell

OpenAIRE

Strand, Douglas W; Goldstein, Andrew S

2015-01-01

Research in the area of stem/progenitor cells has led to the identification of multiple stem-like cell populations implicated in prostate homeostasis and cancer initiation. Given that there are multiple cells that can regenerate prostatic tissue and give rise to prostate cancer, our focus should shift to defining the signaling mechanisms that drive differentiation and progenitor self-renewal. In this article, we will review the literature, present the evidence and raise important unanswered q...

MicroRNA expression profiles of cancer stem cells in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

OpenAIRE

YATA, KAZUYA; BEDER, LEVENT BEKIR; TAMAGAWA, SHUNJI; HOTOMI, MUNEKI; HIROHASHI, YOSHIHIKO; GRENMAN, REIDAR; YAMANAKA, NOBORU

2015-01-01

Increasing evidence indicates that cancer stem cells have essential roles in tumor initiation, progression, metastasis and resistance to chemo-radiation. Recent research has pointed out biological importance of microRNAs in cancer stem cell dysregulation. Total number of mature microRNAs in human genome increased to more than 2,500 with the recent up-date of the database. However, currently no information is available regarding microRNA expression profiles of cancer stem cells in head and nec...

Non-lethal heat treatment of cells results in reduction of tumor initiation and metastatic potential

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Yoo-Shin; Lee, Tae Hoon; O'Neill, Brian E.

2015-01-01

Non-lethal hyperthermia is used clinically as adjuvant treatment to radiation, with mixed results. Denaturation of protein during hyperthermia treatment is expected to synergize with radiation damage to cause cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Alternatively, hyperthermia is known to cause tissue level changes in blood flow, increasing the oxygenation and radiosensitivity of often hypoxic tumors. In this study, we elucidate a third possibility, that hyperthermia alters cellular adhesion and mechanotransduction, with particular impact on the cancer stem cell population. We demonstrate that cell heating results in a robust but temporary loss of cancer cell aggressiveness and metastatic potential in mouse models. In vitro, this heating results in a temporary loss in cell mobility, adhesion, and proliferation. Our hypothesis is that the loss of cellular adhesion results in suppression of cancer stem cells and loss of tumor virulence and metastatic potential. Our study suggests that the metastatic potential of cancer is particularly reduced by the effects of heat on cellular adhesion and mechanotransduction. If true, this could help explain both the successes and failures of clinical hyperthermia, and suggest ways to target treatments to those who would most benefit. - Highlights: • Non-lethal hyperthermia treatment of cancer cells is shown to cause a reduction in rates of tumor initiation and metastasis. • Dynamic imaging of cells during heat treatment shows temporary changes in cell shape, cell migration, and cell proliferation. • Loss of adhesion may lead to the observed effect, which may disproportionately impact the tumor initiating cell fraction. • Loss or suppression of the tumor initiating cell fraction results in the observed loss of metastatic potential in vivo. • This result may lead to new approaches to synergizing hyperthermia with surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy

Non-lethal heat treatment of cells results in reduction of tumor initiation and metastatic potential

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Kim, Yoo-Shin; Lee, Tae Hoon; O' Neill, Brian E., E-mail: BEOneill@houstonmethodist.org

2015-08-14

Non-lethal hyperthermia is used clinically as adjuvant treatment to radiation, with mixed results. Denaturation of protein during hyperthermia treatment is expected to synergize with radiation damage to cause cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Alternatively, hyperthermia is known to cause tissue level changes in blood flow, increasing the oxygenation and radiosensitivity of often hypoxic tumors. In this study, we elucidate a third possibility, that hyperthermia alters cellular adhesion and mechanotransduction, with particular impact on the cancer stem cell population. We demonstrate that cell heating results in a robust but temporary loss of cancer cell aggressiveness and metastatic potential in mouse models. In vitro, this heating results in a temporary loss in cell mobility, adhesion, and proliferation. Our hypothesis is that the loss of cellular adhesion results in suppression of cancer stem cells and loss of tumor virulence and metastatic potential. Our study suggests that the metastatic potential of cancer is particularly reduced by the effects of heat on cellular adhesion and mechanotransduction. If true, this could help explain both the successes and failures of clinical hyperthermia, and suggest ways to target treatments to those who would most benefit. - Highlights: • Non-lethal hyperthermia treatment of cancer cells is shown to cause a reduction in rates of tumor initiation and metastasis. • Dynamic imaging of cells during heat treatment shows temporary changes in cell shape, cell migration, and cell proliferation. • Loss of adhesion may lead to the observed effect, which may disproportionately impact the tumor initiating cell fraction. • Loss or suppression of the tumor initiating cell fraction results in the observed loss of metastatic potential in vivo. • This result may lead to new approaches to synergizing hyperthermia with surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.

Controversial role of mast cells in skin cancers.

Science.gov (United States)

Varricchi, Gilda; Galdiero, Maria R; Marone, Giancarlo; Granata, Francescopaolo; Borriello, Francesco; Marone, Gianni

2017-01-01

Cancer development is a multistep process characterized by genetic and epigenetic alterations during tumor initiation and progression. The stromal microenvironment can promote tumor development. Mast cells, widely distributed throughout all tissues, are a stromal component of many solid and haematologic tumors. Mast cells can be found in human and mouse models of skin cancers such as melanoma, basal and squamous cell carcinomas, primary cutaneous lymphomas, haemangiomas and Merkel cell carcinoma. However, human and animal studies addressing potential functions of mast cells and their mediators in skin cancers have provided conflicting results. In several studies, mast cells play a pro-tumorigenic role, whereas in others, they play an anti-tumorigenic role. Other studies have failed to demonstrate a clear role for tumor-associated mast cells. Many unanswered questions need to be addressed before we understand whether tumor-associated mast cells are adversaries, allies or simply innocent bystanders in different types and subtypes of skin cancers. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Leukemia-Initiating Cells in T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

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Tan, Shi Hao; Bertulfo, Fatima Carla; Sanda, Takaomi

2017-01-01

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is a hematological malignancy characterized by the clonal proliferation of immature T-cell precursors. T-ALL has many similar pathophysiological features to acute myeloid leukemia, which has been extensively studied in the establishment of the cancer stem cell (CSC) theory, but the CSC concept in T-ALL is still debatable. Although leukemia-initiating cells (LICs), which can generate leukemia in a xenograft setting, have been found in both human T-ALL patients and animal models, the nature and origin of LICs are largely unknown. In this review, we discuss recent studies on LICs in T-ALL and the potential mechanisms of LIC emergence in this disease. We focus on the oncogenic transcription factors TAL1, LMO2 , and NOTCH1 and highlight the significance of the transcriptional regulatory programs in normal hematopoietic stem cells and T-ALL.

Leukemia-Initiating Cells in T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shi Hao Tan

2017-09-01

Full Text Available T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL is a hematological malignancy characterized by the clonal proliferation of immature T-cell precursors. T-ALL has many similar pathophysiological features to acute myeloid leukemia, which has been extensively studied in the establishment of the cancer stem cell (CSC theory, but the CSC concept in T-ALL is still debatable. Although leukemia-initiating cells (LICs, which can generate leukemia in a xenograft setting, have been found in both human T-ALL patients and animal models, the nature and origin of LICs are largely unknown. In this review, we discuss recent studies on LICs in T-ALL and the potential mechanisms of LIC emergence in this disease. We focus on the oncogenic transcription factors TAL1, LMO2, and NOTCH1 and highlight the significance of the transcriptional regulatory programs in normal hematopoietic stem cells and T-ALL.

Heterogeneity of breast cancer stem cells as evidenced with Notch-dependent and Notch-independent populations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wong, Nelson K Y; Fuller, Megan; Sung, Sandy; Wong, Fred; Karsan, Aly

2012-01-01

Studies have suggested the potential importance of Notch signaling to the cancer stem cell population in some tumors, but it is not known whether all cells in the cancer stem cell fraction require Notch activity. To address this issue, we blocked Notch activity in MCF-7 cells by expressing a dominant-negative MAML-GFP (dnMAML) construct, which inhibits signaling through all Notch receptors, and quantified the effect on tumor-initiating activity. Inhibition of Notch signaling reduced primary tumor sphere formation and side population. Functional quantification of tumor-initiating cell numbers in vivo showed a significant decrease, but not a complete abrogation, of these cells in dnMAML-expressing cells. Interestingly, when assessed in secondary assays in vitro or in vivo, there was no difference in tumor-initiating activity between the dnMAML-expressing cells and control cells. The fact that a subpopulation of dnMAML-expressing cells was capable of forming primary and secondary tumors indicates that there are Notch-independent tumor-initiating cells in the breast cancer cell line MCF-7. Our findings thus provide direct evidence for a heterogeneous cancer stem cell pool, which will require combination therapies against multiple oncogenic pathways to eliminate the tumor-initiating cell population

The Low Chamber Pancreatic Cancer Cells Had Stem-Like Characteristics in Modified Transwell System: Is It a Novel Method to Identify and Enrich Cancer Stem-Like Cells?

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Dongqing Wang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Cancer stem cells (CSCs or cancer-initiating cells (CICs play an important role in tumor initiation, progression, metastasis, chemoresistance, and recurrence. It is important to construct an effective method to identify and isolate CSCs for biotherapy of cancer. During the past years, many researchers had paid more attention to it; however, this method was still on seeking. Therefore, compared to the former methods that were used to isolate the cancer stem cell, in the present study, we tried to use modified transwell system to isolate and enrich CSCs from human pancreatic cancer cell lines (Panc-1. Our results clearly showed that the lower chamber cells in modified transwell system were easily forming spheres; furthermore, these spheres expressed high levels of stem cell markers (CD133/CD44/CD24/Oct-4/ESA and exhibited chemoresistance, underwent epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT, and possessed the properties of self-renewal in vitro and tumorigenicity in vivo. Therefore, we speculated that modified transwell assay system, as a rapid and effective method, can be used to isolate and enrich CSCs.

Dealing with initial chemotherapy doses: a new basis for treatment optimization in limited small-cell lung cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Chevalier, T.; Le Cesne, A.; Arriagada, R.

1995-01-01

Treatment of patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) remains disappointing despite high initial complete response rates. The dramatic initial chemosensitivity of tumor cells is frustrated by the early emergence of chemoresistant clonogenic cells, regardless of front line treatments. Although the dose relationship is fairly well established regarding the response rate, its effect on survival is inconclusive. From 1980 to 1988, 202 patients with limited SCLC were included in four consecutive protocols using an alternating schedule of thoracic radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Despite an increase of chemotherapy and/or total radiation doses, no significant difference was observed between the four protocols in terms of response rate, disease free and overall survival. However, a retrospective analysis performed on a total of 131 consecutive patients led us to propose the hypothesis that a moderate increase in the initial dose, ie first course, of cisplatin and cyclophosphamide could improve overall survival. From 1988 to 1991, 105 patients were subsequently included in a large randomized trial raising this question. The treatment difference only concerned the initial doses of cisplatin (80 vs 100 mg/m 2 ) and cyclophosphamide (900 vs 1200 mg/m 2 ). The trial was closed after inclusion of 105 patients, 32 months after the start of the study because at that time overall survival was significantly better in the higher-dose group (p = 0.001). The emergence of this debatable concept opens new directions in the therapeutic strategy of SCLC and the contribution of hematopoietic growth factors may be a great interest in the management of this disease. (authors). 27 refs., 1 tab

Cell plasticity and heterogeneity in cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Marjanovic, Nemanja D; Weinberg, Robert A; Chaffer, Christine L

2013-01-01

Heterogeneity within a given cancer arises from diverse cell types recruited to the tumor and from genetic and/or epigenetic differences amongst the cancer cells themselves. These factors conspire to create a disease with various phenotypes. There are 2 established models of cancer development and progression to metastatic disease. These are the clonal evolution and cancer stem cell models. The clonal evolution theory suggests that successive mutations accumulating in a given cell generate clonal outgrowths that thrive in response to microenvironmental selection pressures, dictating the phenotype of the tumor. The alternative cancer stem cell (CSC) model suggests that cancer cells with similar genetic backgrounds can be hierarchically organized according to their tumorigenic potential. Accordingly, CSCs reside at the apex of the hierarchy and are thought to possess the majority of a cancer's tumor-initiating and metastatic ability. A defining feature of this model is its apparent unidirectional nature, whereby CSCs undergo symmetric division to replenish the CSC pool and irreversible asymmetric division to generate daughter cells (non-CSCs) with low tumorigenic potential. However, evolving evidence supports a new model of tumorigenicity, in which considerable plasticity exists between the non-CSC and CSC compartments, such that non-CSCs can reacquire a CSC phenotype. These findings suggest that some tumors may adhere to a plastic CSC model, in which bidirectional conversions are common and essential components of tumorigenicity. Accumulating evidence surrounding the plasticity of cancer cells, in particular, suggests that aggressive CSCs can be created de novo within a tumor. Given the current focus on therapeutic targeting of CSCs, we discuss the implications of non-CSC-to-CSC conversions on the development of future therapies. © 2012 American Association for Clinical Chemistry

MCF-10A-NeoST: A New Cell System for Studying Cell-ECM and Cell-Cell Interactions in Breast Cancer

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Zantek, Nicole Dodge; Walker-Daniels, Jennifer; Stewart, Jane; Hansen, Rhonda K.; Robinson, Daniel; Miao, Hui; Wang, Bingcheng; Kung, Hsing-Jien; Bissell, Mina J.; Kinch, Michael S.

2001-08-22

There is a continuing need for genetically matched cell systems to model cellular behaviors that are frequently observed in aggressive breast cancers. We report here the isolation and initial characterization of a spontaneously arising variant of MCF-10A cells, NeoST, which provides a new model to study cell adhesion and signal transduction in breast cancer. NeoST cells recapitulate important biological and biochemical features of metastatic breast cancer, including anchorage-independent growth, invasiveness in threedimensional reconstituted membranes, loss of E-cadherin expression, and increased tyrosine kinase activity. A comprehensive analysis of tyrosine kinase expression revealed overexpression or functional activation of the Axl, FAK, and EphA2 tyrosine kinases in transformed MCF-10A cells. MCF-10A and these new derivatives provide a genetically matched model to study defects in cell adhesion and signaling that are relevant to cellular behaviors that often typify aggressive breast cancer cells.

Cancer Modeling: From Optimal Cell Renewal to Immunotherapy

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Alvarado Alvarado, Cesar Leonardo

Cancer is a disease caused by mutations in normal cells. According to the National Cancer Institute, in 2016, an estimated 1.6 million people were diagnosed and approximately 0.5 million people died from the disease in the United States. There are many factors that shape cancer at the cellular and organismal level, including genetic, immunological, and environmental components. In this thesis, we show how mathematical modeling can be used to provide insight into some of the key mechanisms underlying cancer dynamics. First, we use mathematical modeling to investigate optimal homeostatic cell renewal in tissues such as the small intestine with an emphasis on division patterns and tissue architecture. We find that the division patterns that delay the accumulation of mutations are strictly associated with the population sizes of the tissue. In particular, patterns with long chains of differentiation delay the time to observe a second-hit mutant, which is important given that for many cancers two mutations are enough to initiate a tumor. We also investigated homeostatic cell renewal under a selective pressure and find that hierarchically organized tissues act as suppressors of selection; we find that an architecture with a small number of stem cells and larger pools of transit amplifying cells and mature differentiated cells, together with long chains of differentiation, form a robust evolutionary strategy to delay the time to observe a second-hit mutant when mutations acquire a fitness advantage or disadvantage. We also formulate a model of the immune response to cancer in the presence of costimulatory and inhibitory signals. We demonstrate that the coordination of such signals is crucial to initiate an effective immune response, and while immunotherapy has become a promising cancer treatment over the past decade, these results offer some explanations for why it can fail.

Exosomes Promote Ovarian Cancer Cell Invasion through Transfer of CD44 to Peritoneal Mesothelial Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakamura, Koji; Sawada, Kenjiro; Kinose, Yasuto; Yoshimura, Akihiko; Toda, Aska; Nakatsuka, Erika; Hashimoto, Kae; Mabuchi, Seiji; Morishige, Ken-Ichirou; Kurachi, Hirohisa; Lengyel, Ernst; Kimura, Tadashi

2017-01-01

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) cells metastasize within the peritoneal cavity and directly encounter human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMC) as the initial step of metastasis. The contact between ovarian cancer cells and the single layer of mesothelial cells involves direct communications that modulate cancer progression but the mechanisms are unclear. One candidate mediating cell-cell communications is exosomes, 30-100 nm membrane vesicles of endocytic origin, through the cell-cell transfer of proteins, mRNAs, or microRNAs. Therefore, the goal was to mechanistically characterize how EOC-derived exosomes modulate metastasis. Exosomes from ovarian cancer cells were fluorescently labeled and cocultured with HPMCs which internalized the exosomes. Upon exosome uptake, HPMCs underwent a change in cellular morphology to a mesenchymal, spindle phenotype. CD44, a cell surface glycoprotein, was found to be enriched in the cancer cell-derived exosomes, transferred, and internalized to HPMCs, leading to high levels of CD44 in HPMCs. This increased CD44 expression in HPMCs promoted cancer invasion by inducing the HPMCs to secrete MMP9 and by cleaning the mesothelial barrier for improved cancer cell invasion. When CD44 expression was knocked down in cancer cells, exosomes had fewer effects on HPMCs. The inhibition of exosome release from cancer cells blocked CD44 internalization in HPMCs and suppressed ovarian cancer invasion. In ovarian cancer omental metastasis, positive CD44 expression was observed in those mesothelial cells that directly interacted with cancer cells, whereas CD44 expression was negative in the mesothelial cells remote from the invading edge. This study indicates that ovarian cancer-derived exosomes transfer CD44 to HPMCs, facilitating cancer invasion. Mechanistic insight from the current study suggests that therapeutic targeting of exosomes may be beneficial in treating ovarian cancer. Mol Cancer Res; 15(1); 78-92. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American

Cancer Progenitor Cells: The Result of an Epigenetic Event?

Science.gov (United States)

Lapinska, Karolina; Faria, Gabriela; McGonagle, Sandra; Macumber, Kate Morgan; Heerboth, Sarah; Sarkar, Sibaji

2018-01-01

The concept of cancer stem cells was proposed in the late 1990s. Although initially the idea seemed controversial, the existence of cancer stem cells is now well established. However, the process leading to the formation of cancer stem cells is still not clear and thus requires further research. This article discusses epigenetic events that possibly produce cancer progenitor cells from predisposed cells by the influence of their environment. Every somatic cell possesses an epigenetic signature in terms of histone modifications and DNA methylation, which are obtained during lineage-specific differentiation of pluripotent stem cells, which is specific to that particular tissue. We call this signature an epigenetic switch. The epigenetic switch is not fixed. Our epigenome alters with aging. However, depending on the predisposition of the cells of a particular tissue and their microenvironment, the balance of the switch (histone modifications and the DNA methylation) may be tilted to immortality in a few cells, which generates cancer progenitor cells. Copyright© 2018, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

Epigenetic modulation of cancer-germline antigen gene expression in tumorigenic human mesenchymal stem cells: implications for cancer therapy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gjerstorff, Morten; Burns, Jorge S; Nielsen, Ole

2009-01-01

Cancer-germline antigens are promising targets for cancer immunotherapy, but whether such therapies will also eliminate the primary tumor stem cell population remains undetermined. We previously showed that long-term cultures of telomerized adult human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells can...... spontaneously evolve into tumor-initiating, mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC-TERT20), which have characteristics of clinical sarcoma cells. In this study, we used the hMSC-TERT20 tumor stem cell model to investigate the potential of cancer-germline antigens to serve as tumor stem cell targets. We found...... of cancer-germline antigens in hMSC-TERT20 cells, while their expression levels in primary human mesenchymal stem cells remained unaffected. The expression pattern of cancer-germline antigens in tumorigenic mesenchymal stem cells and sarcomas, plus their susceptibility to enhancement by epigenetic...

c-Myc-Dependent Cell Competition in Human Cancer Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Manish S; Shah, Heta S; Shrivastava, Neeta

2017-07-01

Cell Competition is an interaction between cells for existence in heterogeneous cell populations of multicellular organisms. This phenomenon is involved in initiation and progression of cancer where heterogeneous cell populations compete directly or indirectly for the survival of the fittest based on differential gene expression. In Drosophila, cells having lower dMyc expression are eliminated by cell competition through apoptosis when present in the milieu of cells having higher dMyc expression. Thus, we designed a study to develop c-Myc (human homolog) dependent in vitro cell competition model of human cancer cells. Cells with higher c-Myc were transfected with c-myc shRNA to prepare cells with lower c-Myc and then co-cultured with the same type of cells having a higher c-Myc in equal ratio. Cells with lower c-Myc showed a significant decrease in numbers when compared with higher c-Myc cells, suggesting "loser" and "winner" status of cells, respectively. During microscopy, engulfment of loser cells by winner cells was observed with higher expression of JNK in loser cells. Furthermore, elimination of loser cells was prevented significantly, when co-cultured cells were treated with the JNK (apoptosis) inhibitor. Above results indicate elimination of loser cells in the presence of winner cells by c-Myc-dependent mechanisms of cell competition in human cancer cells. This could be an important mechanism in human tumors where normal cells are eliminated by c-Myc-overexpressed tumor cells. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 1782-1791, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Human Cancer Models Initiative | Office of Cancer Genomics

Science.gov (United States)

The Human Cancer Models Initiative (HCMI) is an international consortium that is generating novel human tumor-derived culture models, which are annotated with genomic and clinical data. In an effort to advance cancer research and more fully understand how in vitro findings are related to clinical biology, HCMI-developed models and related data will be available as a community resource for cancer research.

Mesenchymal stem cells cancel azoxymethane-induced tumor initiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Nasuno, Masanao; Arimura, Yoshiaki; Nagaishi, Kanna; Isshiki, Hiroyuki; Onodera, Kei; Nakagaki, Suguru; Watanabe, Shuhei; Idogawa, Masashi; Yamashita, Kentaro; Naishiro, Yasuyoshi; Adachi, Yasushi; Suzuki, Hiromu; Fujimiya, Mineko; Imai, Kohzoh; Shinomura, Yasuhisa

2014-04-01

The role of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in tumorigenesis remains controversial. Therefore, our goal was to determine whether exogenous MSCs possess intrinsic antineoplastic or proneoplastic properties in azoxymethane (AOM)-induced carcinogenesis. Three in vivo models were studied: an AOM/dextran sulfate sodium colitis-associated carcinoma model, an aberrant crypt foci model, and a model to assess the acute apoptotic response of a genotoxic carcinogen (AARGC). We also performed in vitro coculture experiments. As a result, we found that MSCs partially canceled AOM-induced tumor initiation but not tumor promotion. Moreover, MSCs inhibited the AARGC in colonic epithelial cells because of the removal of O(6)-methylguanine (O(6) MeG) adducts through O(6) MeG-DNA methyltransferase activation. Furthermore, MSCs broadly affected the cell-cycle machinery, potentially leading to G1 arrest in vivo. Coculture of IEC-6 rat intestinal cells with MSCs not only arrested the cell cycle at the G1 phase, but also induced apoptosis. The anti-carcinogenetic properties of MSCs in vitro required transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signaling because such properties were completely abrogated by absorption of TGF-β under indirect coculture conditions. MSCs inhibited AOM-induced tumor initiation by preventing the initiating cells from sustaining DNA insults and subsequently inducing G1 arrest in the initiated cells that escaped from the AARGC. Furthermore, tumor initiation perturbed by MSCs might potentially dysregulate WNT and TGF-β-Smad signaling pathways in subsequent tumorigenesis. Obtaining a better understanding of MSC functions in colon carcinogenesis is essential before commencing the broader clinical application of promising MSC-based therapies for cancer-prone patients with inflammatory bowel disease. © AlphaMed Press.

Cancer Stem Cells in Primary Liver Cancers: Pathological Concepts and Imaging Findings

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Joo, Ijin [Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul 110-744 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Haeryoung [Department of Pathology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam 463-707 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Jeong Min [Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul 110-744 (Korea, Republic of)

2015-11-01

There is accumulating evidence that cancer stem cells (CSCs) play an integral role in the initiation of hepatocarcinogenesis and the maintaining of tumor growth. Liver CSCs derived from hepatic stem/progenitor cells have the potential to differentiate into either hepatocytes or cholangiocytes. Primary liver cancers originating from CSCs constitute a heterogeneous histopathologic spectrum, including hepatocellular carcinoma, combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma, and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with various radiologic manifestations. In this article, we reviewed the recent concepts of CSCs in the development of primary liver cancers, focusing on their pathological and radiological findings. Awareness of the pathological concepts and imaging findings of primary liver cancers with features of CSCs is critical for accurate diagnosis, prediction of outcome, and appropriate treatment options for patients.

Cancer Stem Cells in Primary Liver Cancers: Pathological Concepts and Imaging Findings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joo, Ijin; Kim, Haeryoung; Lee, Jeong Min

2015-01-01

There is accumulating evidence that cancer stem cells (CSCs) play an integral role in the initiation of hepatocarcinogenesis and the maintaining of tumor growth. Liver CSCs derived from hepatic stem/progenitor cells have the potential to differentiate into either hepatocytes or cholangiocytes. Primary liver cancers originating from CSCs constitute a heterogeneous histopathologic spectrum, including hepatocellular carcinoma, combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma, and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with various radiologic manifestations. In this article, we reviewed the recent concepts of CSCs in the development of primary liver cancers, focusing on their pathological and radiological findings. Awareness of the pathological concepts and imaging findings of primary liver cancers with features of CSCs is critical for accurate diagnosis, prediction of outcome, and appropriate treatment options for patients

Targeting Cancer Stem Cells and Their Niche: Current Therapeutic Implications and Challenges in Pancreatic Cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiangang Zhao

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Cancer stem cells (CSCs have been identified as a subpopulation of stem-like cancer cells with the ability of self-renewal and differentiation in hematological malignancies and solid tumors. Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal cancers worldwide. CSCs are thought to be responsible for cancer initiation, progression, metastasis, chemoresistance, and recurrence in pancreatic cancer. In this review, we summarize the characteristics of pancreatic CSCs and discuss the mechanisms involved in resistance to chemotherapy, the interactions with the niche, and the potential role in cancer immunoediting. We propose that immunotherapy targeting pancreatic CSCs, in combination with targeting the niche components, may provide a novel treatment strategy to eradicate pancreatic CSCs and hence improve outcomes in pancreatic cancer.

FOXP3 inhibits cancer stem cell self-renewal via transcriptional repression of COX2 in colorectal cancer cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Shuo; Zhang, Cun; Zhang, Kuo; Gao, Yuan; Wang, Zhaowei; Li, Xiaoju; Cheng, Guang; Wang, Shuning; Xue, Xiaochang; Li, Weina; Zhang, Wei; Zhang, Yingqi; Xing, Xianghui; Li, Meng; Hao, Qiang

2017-07-04

Colon cancer stem cell (cCSC) is considered as the seed cell of colon cancer initiation and metastasis. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2), a downstream target of NFκB, is found to be essential in promoting cancer stem cell renewal. However, how COX2 is dysregulated in cCSCs is largely unknown. In this study, we found that the expression of transcription factor FOXP3 was much lower in the spheroids than that in the parental tumor cells. Overexpression of FOXP3 significantly decreased the numbers of spheres, reduced the side population. Accordingly, FOXP3 expression decreased the tumor size and weight in the xenograft model. The tumor inhibitory effects of FOXP3 were rarely seen when COX2 was additionally knocked down. Mechanically, FOXP3 transcriptionally repressed COX2 expression via interacting with and thus inhibiting p65 activity on the putative NFκB response elements in COX2 promoter. Taken together, we here revealed possible involvement of FOXP3 in regulating cCSC self-renewal via tuning COX2 expression, and thus providing a new target for the eradication of colon cancer stem cells.

Mitochondrially targeted vitamin E succinate efficiently kills breast tumour-initiating cells in a complex II-dependent manner

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan, Bing; Stantic, Marina; Zobalova, Renata; Bezawork-Geleta, Ayenachew; Stapelberg, Michael; Stursa, Jan; Prokopova, Katerina; Dong, Lanfeng; Neuzil, Jiri

2015-01-01

Accumulating evidence suggests that breast cancer involves tumour-initiating cells (TICs), which play a role in initiation, metastasis, therapeutic resistance and relapse of the disease. Emerging drugs that target TICs are becoming a focus of contemporary research. Mitocans, a group of compounds that induce apoptosis of cancer cells by destabilising their mitochondria, are showing their potential in killing TICs. In this project, we investigated mitochondrially targeted vitamin E succinate (MitoVES), a recently developed mitocan, for its in vitro and in vivo efficacy against TICs. The mammosphere model of breast TICs was established by culturing murine NeuTL and human MCF7 cells as spheres. This model was verified by stem cell marker expression, tumour initiation capacity and chemotherapeutic resistance. Cell susceptibility to MitoVES was assessed and the cell death pathway investigated. In vivo efficacy was studied by grafting NeuTL TICs to form syngeneic tumours. Mammospheres derived from NeuTL and MCF7 breast cancer cells were enriched in the level of stemness, and the sphere cells featured altered mitochondrial function. Sphere cultures were resistant to several established anti-cancer agents while they were susceptible to MitoVES. Killing of mammospheres was suppressed when the mitochondrial complex II, the molecular target of MitoVES, was knocked down. Importantly, MitoVES inhibited progression of syngeneic HER2 high tumours derived from breast TICs by inducing apoptosis in tumour cells. These results demonstrate that using mammospheres, a plausible model for studying TICs, drugs that target mitochondria efficiently kill breast tumour-initiating cells. The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-015-1394-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

CD200-expressing human basal cell carcinoma cells initiate tumor growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Colmont, Chantal S; Benketah, Antisar; Reed, Simon H; Hawk, Nga V; Telford, William G; Ohyama, Manabu; Udey, Mark C; Yee, Carole L; Vogel, Jonathan C; Patel, Girish K

2013-01-22

Smoothened antagonists directly target the genetic basis of human basal cell carcinoma (BCC), the most common of all cancers. These drugs inhibit BCC growth, but they are not curative. Although BCC cells are monomorphic, immunofluorescence microscopy reveals a complex hierarchical pattern of growth with inward differentiation along hair follicle lineages. Most BCC cells express the transcription factor KLF4 and are committed to terminal differentiation. A small CD200(+) CD45(-) BCC subpopulation that represents 1.63 ± 1.11% of all BCC cells resides in small clusters at the tumor periphery. By using reproducible in vivo xenograft growth assays, we determined that tumor initiating cell frequencies approximate one per 1.5 million unsorted BCC cells. The CD200(+) CD45(-) BCC subpopulation recreated BCC tumor growth in vivo with typical histological architecture and expression of sonic hedgehog-regulated genes. Reproducible in vivo BCC growth was achieved with as few as 10,000 CD200(+) CD45(-) cells, representing ~1,500-fold enrichment. CD200(-) CD45(-) BCC cells were unable to form tumors. These findings establish a platform to study the effects of Smoothened antagonists on BCC tumor initiating cell and also suggest that currently available anti-CD200 therapy be considered, either as monotherapy or an adjunct to Smoothened antagonists, in the treatment of inoperable BCC.

Investigation of cancer cell behavior on nanofibrous scaffolds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Szot, Christopher S.; Buchanan, Cara F. [School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061 (United States); Gatenholm, Paul [School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061 (United States); Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Goeteborg (Sweden); Rylander, Marissa Nichole [School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061 (United States); Freeman, Joseph W., E-mail: jwfreeman@vt.edu [School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061 (United States)

2011-01-01

Tissue engineering and the use of nanofibrous biomaterial scaffolds offer a unique perspective for studying cancer development in vitro. Current in vitro models of tumorigenesis are limited by the use of static, two-dimensional (2D) cell culture monolayers that lack the structural architecture necessary for cell-cell interaction and three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds that are too simplistic for studying basic pathological mechanisms. In this study, two nanofibrous biomaterials that mimic the structure of the extracellular matrix, bacterial cellulose and electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL)/collagen I, were investigated as potential 3D scaffolds for an in vitro cancer model. Multiple cancer cell lines were cultured on each scaffold material and monitored for cell viability, proliferation, adhesion, infiltration, and morphology. Both bacterial cellulose and electrospun PCL/collagen I, which have nano-scale structures on the order of 100-500 nm, have been used in many diverse tissue engineering applications. Cancer cell adhesion and growth were limited on bacterial cellulose, while all cellular processes were enhanced on the electrospun scaffolds. This initial analysis has demonstrated the potential of electrospun PCL/collagen I scaffolds toward the development of an improved 3D in vitro cancer model.

The Role of nAChR and Calcium Signaling in Pancreatic Cancer Initiation and Progression

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schaal, Courtney [Department of Tumor Biology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, 12902 Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL 33612 (United States); Padmanabhan, Jaya [Department of Molecular Medicine and USF Health Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute, University of South Florida, 4001 E. Fletcher Ave., Tampa, FL 33612 (United States); Chellappan, Srikumar, E-mail: Srikumar.Chellappan@moffitt.org [Department of Tumor Biology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, 12902 Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL 33612 (United States)

2015-07-31

Pancreatic cancer shows a strong correlation with smoking and the current therapeutic strategies have been relatively ineffective in improving the survival of patients. Efforts have been made over the past many years to understand the molecular events that drive the initiation and progression of pancreatic cancer, especially in the context of smoking. It has become clear that components of tobacco smoke not only initiate these cancers, especially pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs) through their mutagenic properties, but can also promote the growth and metastasis of these tumors by stimulating cell proliferation, angiogenesis, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Studies in cell culture systems, animal models and human samples have shown that nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) activation enhances these tumor-promoting events by channeling signaling through multiple pathways. In this context, signaling through calcium channels appear to facilitate pancreatic cancer growth by itself or downstream of nAChRs. This review article highlights the role of nAChR downstream signaling events and calcium signaling in the growth, metastasis as well as drug resistance of pancreatic cancer.

The Role of nAChR and Calcium Signaling in Pancreatic Cancer Initiation and Progression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schaal, Courtney; Padmanabhan, Jaya; Chellappan, Srikumar

2015-01-01

Pancreatic cancer shows a strong correlation with smoking and the current therapeutic strategies have been relatively ineffective in improving the survival of patients. Efforts have been made over the past many years to understand the molecular events that drive the initiation and progression of pancreatic cancer, especially in the context of smoking. It has become clear that components of tobacco smoke not only initiate these cancers, especially pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs) through their mutagenic properties, but can also promote the growth and metastasis of these tumors by stimulating cell proliferation, angiogenesis, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Studies in cell culture systems, animal models and human samples have shown that nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) activation enhances these tumor-promoting events by channeling signaling through multiple pathways. In this context, signaling through calcium channels appear to facilitate pancreatic cancer growth by itself or downstream of nAChRs. This review article highlights the role of nAChR downstream signaling events and calcium signaling in the growth, metastasis as well as drug resistance of pancreatic cancer

Human Nanog pseudogene8 promotes the proliferation of gastrointestinal cancer cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uchino, Keita; Hirano, Gen; Hirahashi, Minako; Isobe, Taichi; Shirakawa, Tsuyoshi; Kusaba, Hitoshi; Baba, Eishi; Tsuneyoshi, Masazumi; Akashi, Koichi

2012-01-01

There is emerging evidence that human solid tumor cells originate from cancer stem cells (CSCs). In cancer cell lines, tumor-initiating CSCs are mainly found in the side population (SP) that has the capacity to extrude dyes such as Hoechst 33342. We found that Nanog is expressed specifically in SP cells of human gastrointestinal (GI) cancer cells. Nucleotide sequencing revealed that NanogP8 but not Nanog was expressed in GI cancer cells. Transfection of NanogP8 into GI cancer cell lines promoted cell proliferation, while its inhibition by anti-Nanog siRNA suppressed the proliferation. Immunohistochemical staining of primary GI cancer tissues revealed NanogP8 protein to be strongly expressed in 3 out of 60 cases. In these cases, NanogP8 was found especially in an infiltrative part of the tumor, in proliferating cells with Ki67 expression. These data suggest that NanogP8 is involved in GI cancer development in a fraction of patients, in whom it presumably acts by supporting CSC proliferation. -- Highlights: ► Nanog maintains pluripotency by regulating embryonic stem cells differentiation. ► Nanog is expressed in cancer stem cells of human gastrointestinal cancer cells. ► Nucleotide sequencing revealed that Nanog pseudogene8 but not Nanog was expressed. ► Nanog pseudogene8 promotes cancer stem cells proliferation. ► Nanog pseudogene8 is involved in gastrointestinal cancer development.

Polymer–lipid hybrid anti-HER2 nanoparticles for targeted salinomycin delivery to HER2-positive breast cancer stem cells and cancer cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li J

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Jun Li,1,* Wenqing Xu,2,* Xiaoli Yuan,3,* Huaiwen Chen,3 Hao Song,1,4 Bingquan Wang,5 Jun Han5 1College of Pharmacy, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong, 2Railway Police College, Zhengzhou, 3Department of Cadre Health Care, Nanjing General Hospital of Nanjing Military Command, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 4Centre for Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine, Liaocheng People’s Hospital, 5Institute of Biopharmaceutical Research, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong, China *These authors contributed equally to this work Purpose: Breast cancer stem cells (CSCs are responsible for the initiation, recurrence, and metastasis of breast cancer. Sufficient evidence has established that breast cancer cells can spontaneously turn into breast CSCs. Thus, it is essential to simultaneously target breast CSCs and cancer cells to maximize the efficacy of breast cancer therapy. HER2 has been found to be overexpressed in both breast CSCs and cancer cells. We developed salinomycin-loaded polymer–lipid hybrid anti-HER2 nanoparticles (Sali-NP-HER2 to target both HER2-positive breast CSCs and cancer cells.Methods: The antitumor activity of Sali-NP-HER2 constructed by conjugating anti-HER2 antibodies to polymer–lipid salinomycin nanoparticles was evaluated in vitro and in vivo.Results: Sali-NP-HER2 efficiently bound to HER2-positive breast CSCs and cancer cells, resulting in enhanced cytotoxic effects compared with non-targeted nanoparticles or salinomycin. In mice bearing breast cancer xenografts, administration of Sali-NP-HER2 exhibited superior efficacy in inhibiting tumor growth. Sali-NP-HER2 reduced the breast tumorsphere formation rate and the proportion of breast CSCs more effectively than non-targeted nanoparticles or salinomycin alone.Conclusion: Sali-NP-HER2 represents a promising approach in treating HER2-positive breast cancer by targeting both breast CSCs and cancer cells. Keywords: nanoparticles, breast cancer, cancer stem cells, salinomycin, HER2

Cancer stem cells in hepatocellular carcinoma: Therapeutic implications based on stem cell biology.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiba, Tetsuhiro; Iwama, Atsushi; Yokosuka, Osamu

2016-01-01

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer and the third most frequent cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Despite advances in its diagnosis and treatment, the prognosis of patients with advanced HCC remains unfavorable. Recent advances in stem cell biology and associated technologies have enabled the identification of minor components of tumorigenic cells, termed cancer stem cells (CSC) or tumor-initiating cells, in cancers such as HCC. Furthermore, because CSC play a central role in tumor development, metastasis and recurrence, they are considered to be a therapeutic target in cancer treatment. Hepatic CSC have been successfully identified using functional and cell surface markers. The analysis of purified hepatic CSC has revealed the molecular machinery and signaling pathways involved in their maintenance. In addition, epigenetic transcriptional regulation has been shown to be important in the development and maintenance of CSC. Although inhibitors of CSC show promise as CSC-targeting drugs, novel therapeutic approaches for the eradication of CSC are yet to be established. In this review, we describe recent progress in hepatic CSC research and provide a perspective on the available therapeutic approaches based on stem cell biology. © 2015 The Japan Society of Hepatology.

Engineered Breast Cancer Cell Spheroids Reproduce Biologic Properties of Solid Tumors.

Science.gov (United States)

Ham, Stephanie L; Joshi, Ramila; Luker, Gary D; Tavana, Hossein

2016-11-01

Solid tumors develop as 3D tissue constructs. As tumors grow larger, spatial gradients of nutrients and oxygen and inadequate diffusive supply to cells distant from vasculature develops. Hypoxia initiates signaling and transcriptional alterations to promote survival of cancer cells and generation of cancer stem cells (CSCs) that have self-renewal and tumor-initiation capabilities. Both hypoxia and CSCs are associated with resistance to therapies and tumor relapse. This study demonstrates that 3D cancer cell models, known as tumor spheroids, generated with a polymeric aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) technology capture these important biological processes. Similar to solid tumors, spheroids of triple negative breast cancer cells deposit major extracellular matrix proteins. The molecular analysis establishes presence of hypoxic cells in the core region and expression of CSC gene and protein markers including CD24, CD133, and Nanog. Importantly, these spheroids resist treatment with chemotherapy drugs. A combination treatment approach using a hypoxia-activated prodrug, TH-302, and a chemotherapy drug, doxorubicin, successfully targets drug resistant spheroids. This study demonstrates that ATPS spheroids recapitulate important biological and functional properties of solid tumors and provide a unique model for studies in cancer research. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Metformin kills and radiosensitizes cancer cells and preferentially kills cancer stem cells

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Chang W.; Lee, Hyemi; Dings, Ruud P. M.; Williams, Brent; Powers, John; Santos, Troy Dos; Choi, Bo-Hwa; Park, Heon Joo

2012-01-01

The anti-cancer effects of metformin, the most widely used drug for type 2 diabetes, alone or in combination with ionizing radiation were studied with MCF-7 human breast cancer cells and FSaII mouse fibrosarcoma cells. Clinically achievable concentrations of metformin caused significant clonogenic death in cancer cells. Importantly, metformin was preferentially cytotoxic to cancer stem cells relative to non-cancer stem cells. Metformin increased the radiosensitivity of cancer cells in vitro, and significantly enhanced the radiation-induced growth delay of FSaII tumors (s.c.) in the legs of C3H mice. Both metformin and ionizing radiation activated AMPK leading to inactivation of mTOR and suppression of its downstream effectors such as S6K1 and 4EBP1, a crucial signaling pathway for proliferation and survival of cancer cells, in vitro as well as in the in vivo tumors. Conclusion: Metformin kills and radiosensitizes cancer cells and eradicates radioresistant cancer stem cells by activating AMPK and suppressing mTOR. PMID:22500211

Role of phosphoproteins involved in chemoresistance of colorectal cancer stem cells and immuno phenotypic comparative analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stassi, G.; Canzonieri, V.

2009-01-01

Recent studies demonstrated that colon cancers contain a cellular subpopulation, with stem cell-like proprieties, able to initiate and sustain tumour growth. These cells, so-called Cancer Initiating Cells (CICs), express the transmembrane antigen CD133. CD133 positive cells show slow proliferation rate, high expression of ABC (ATP-binding cassette) transporters and anti-apoptotic factors making them resistant to conventional therapies

A mechanically-induced colon cancer cell population shows increased metastatic potential

KAUST Repository

Tang, Xin; Kuhlenschmidt, Theresa B; Li, Qian; Ali, Shahjahan; Lezmi, Stephane; Chen, Hong; Pires-Alves, Melissa; Laegreid, William W; Saif, Taher A; Kuhlenschmidt, Mark S

2014-01-01

Background: Metastasis accounts for the majority of deaths from cancer. Although tumor microenvironment has been shown to have a significant impact on the initiation and/or promotion of metastasis, the mechanism remains elusive. We previously reported that HCT-8 colon cancer cells underwent a phenotypic transition from an adhesive epithelial type (E-cell) to a rounded dissociated type (R-cell) via soft substrate culture, which resembled the initiation of metastasis. The objective of current study was to investigate the molecular and metabolic mechanisms of the E-R transition.Methods: Global gene expressions of HCT-8 E and R cells were measured by RNA Sequencing (RNA-seq); and the results were further confirmed by real-time PCR. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), anoikis resistance, enzyme activity of aldehyde dehydrogenase 3 family, member A1 (ALDH3A1), and in vitro invasion assay were tested on both E and R cells. The deformability of HCT-8 E and R cells was measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM). To study the in vivo invasiveness of two cell types, athymic nude mice were intra-splenically injected with HCT-8 E or R cells and sacrificed after 9 weeks. Incidences of tumor development and metastasis were histologically evaluated and analyzed with Fisher's exact test.Results: Besides HCT-8, E-R transition on soft substrates was also seen in three other cancer cell lines (HCT116, SW480 colon and DU145 prostate cancer). The expression of some genes, such as ALDH3A1, TNS4, CLDN2, and AKR1B10, which are known to play important roles in cancer cell migration, invasion, proliferation and apoptosis, were increased in HCT-8 R cells. R cells also showed higher ALDH3A1 enzyme activity, higher ROS, higher anoikis resistance, and higher softness than E cells. More importantly, in vitro assay and in vivo animal models revealed that HCT-8 R cells were more invasive than E cells.Conclusions: Our comprehensive comparison of HCT-8 E and R cells revealed differences of molecular

A mechanically-induced colon cancer cell population shows increased metastatic potential

KAUST Repository

Tang, Xin

2014-05-29

Background: Metastasis accounts for the majority of deaths from cancer. Although tumor microenvironment has been shown to have a significant impact on the initiation and/or promotion of metastasis, the mechanism remains elusive. We previously reported that HCT-8 colon cancer cells underwent a phenotypic transition from an adhesive epithelial type (E-cell) to a rounded dissociated type (R-cell) via soft substrate culture, which resembled the initiation of metastasis. The objective of current study was to investigate the molecular and metabolic mechanisms of the E-R transition.Methods: Global gene expressions of HCT-8 E and R cells were measured by RNA Sequencing (RNA-seq); and the results were further confirmed by real-time PCR. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), anoikis resistance, enzyme activity of aldehyde dehydrogenase 3 family, member A1 (ALDH3A1), and in vitro invasion assay were tested on both E and R cells. The deformability of HCT-8 E and R cells was measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM). To study the in vivo invasiveness of two cell types, athymic nude mice were intra-splenically injected with HCT-8 E or R cells and sacrificed after 9 weeks. Incidences of tumor development and metastasis were histologically evaluated and analyzed with Fisher\\'s exact test.Results: Besides HCT-8, E-R transition on soft substrates was also seen in three other cancer cell lines (HCT116, SW480 colon and DU145 prostate cancer). The expression of some genes, such as ALDH3A1, TNS4, CLDN2, and AKR1B10, which are known to play important roles in cancer cell migration, invasion, proliferation and apoptosis, were increased in HCT-8 R cells. R cells also showed higher ALDH3A1 enzyme activity, higher ROS, higher anoikis resistance, and higher softness than E cells. More importantly, in vitro assay and in vivo animal models revealed that HCT-8 R cells were more invasive than E cells.Conclusions: Our comprehensive comparison of HCT-8 E and R cells revealed differences of molecular

Cancer Stem-Like Cells Accumulated in Nickel-Induced Malignant Transformation

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lei; Fan, Jia; Hitron, John Andrew; Son, Young-Ok; Wise, James T.F.; Roy, Ram Vinod; Kim, Donghern; Dai, Jin; Pratheeshkumar, Poyil; Zhang, Zhuo; Shi, Xianglin

2016-01-01

Nickel compounds are known as human carcinogens. Chronic environmental exposure to nickel is a worldwide health concern. Although the mechanisms of nickel-induced carcinogenesis are not well understood, recent studies suggest that stem cells/cancer stem cells are likely important targets. This study examines the role of cancer stem cells in nickel-induced cell transformation. The nontransformed human bronchial epithelial cell line (Beas-2B) was chronically exposed to nickel chloride for 12 months to induce cell transformation. Nickel induced Beas-2B cell transformation, and cancer stem-like cells were enriched in nickel-transformed cell (BNiT) population. The BNiT cancer stem-like cells demonstrated enhanced self-renewal and distinctive differentiation properties. In vivo tumorigenesis studies show that BNiT cancer stem-like cells possess a high tumor-initiating capability. It was also demonstrated that superoxide dismutase 1 was involved in the accumulation of cancer stem-like cells; the regulation of superoxide dismutase 1 expression was different in transformed stem-like cells and nontransformed. Overall, the accumulation of stem-like cells and their enhanced stemness functions contribute to nickel-induced tumorigenesis. Our study provides additional insight into the mechanisms by which metals or other chemicals can induce carcinogenesis. PMID:26962057

Histone deacetylase inhibitors for the treatment of cancer stem cells

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Dvořáková, Marcela; Vaněk, Tomáš

2016-01-01

Roč. 7, č. 12 (2016), s. 2217-2231 ISSN 2040-2503 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LD14128 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : acute myeloid-leukemia * epithelial-mesenchymal transition * acute myelogenous leukemia * tumor-initiating cells * human aml cells * breast-cancer * hdac inhibitors * sirtuin inhibitors * colorectal-cancer * anticancer agents Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry Impact factor: 2.608, year: 2016

DDX4 (DEAD box polypeptide 4) colocalizes with cancer stem cell marker CD133 in ovarian cancers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Ki Hyung; Kang, Yun-Jeong; Jo, Jin-Ok; Ock, Mee Sun; Moon, Soo Hyun; Suh, Dong Soo; Yoon, Man Soo; Park, Eun-Sil; Jeong, Namkung; Eo, Wan-Kyu; Kim, Heung Yeol; Cha, Hee-Jae

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Germ cell marker DDX4 was significantly increased in ovarian cancer. • Ovarian cancer stem cell marker CD133 was significantly increased in ovarian cancer. • DDX4 and CD133 were mostly colocalized in various types of ovarian cancer tissues. • CD133 positive ovarian cancer cells also express DDX4 whereas CD133-negative cells did not possess DDX4. • Germ cell marker DDX4 has the potential of ovarian cancer stem cell marker. - Abstract: DDX4 (DEAD box polypeptide 4), characterized by the conserved motif Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp (DEAD), is an RNA helicase which is implicated in various cellular processes involving the alteration of RNA secondary structure, such as translation initiation, nuclear and mitochondrial splicing, and ribosome and spliceosome assembly. DDX4 is known to be a germ cell-specific protein and is used as a sorting marker of germline stem cells for the production of oocytes. A recent report about DDX4 in ovarian cancer showed that DDX4 is overexpressed in epithelial ovarian cancer and disrupts a DNA damage-induced G2 checkpoint. We investigated the relationship between DDX4 and ovarian cancer stem cells by analyzing the expression patterns of DDX4 and the cancer stem cell marker CD133 in ovarian cancers via tissue microarray. Both DDX4 and CD133 were significantly increased in ovarian cancer compared to benign tumors, and showed similar patterns of expression. In addition, DDX4 and CD133 were mostly colocalized in various types of ovarian cancer tissues. Furthermore, almost all CD133 positive ovarian cancer cells also express DDX4 whereas CD133-negative cells did not possess DDX4, suggesting a strong possibility that DDX4 plays an important role in cancer stem cells, and/or can be used as an ovarian cancer stem cell marker

Human Papillomavirus Infections and Cancer Stem Cells of Tumors from the Uterine Cervix

Science.gov (United States)

López, Jacqueline; Ruíz, Graciela; Organista-Nava, Jorge; Gariglio, Patricio; García-Carrancá, Alejandro

2012-01-01

Different rate of development of productive infections (as low grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasias), or high grade lesions and cervical malignant tumors associated with infections of the Transformation zone (TZ) by High-Risk Human Papillomavirus (HR-HPV), could suggest that different epithelial host target cells could exist. If there is more than one target cell, their differential infection by HR-HPV may play a central role in the development of cervical cancer. Recently, the concept that cancer might arise from a rare population of cells with stem cell-like properties has received support in several solid tumors, including cervical cancer (CC). According to the cancer stem cell (CSC) hypothesis, CC can now be considered a disease in which stem cells of the TZ are converted to cervical cancer stem cells by the interplay between HR-HPV viral oncogenes and cellular alterations that are thought to be finally responsible for tumor initiation and maintenance. Current studies of CSC could provide novel insights regarding tumor initiation and progression, their relation with viral proteins and interplay with the tumor micro-environment. This review will focus on the biology of cervical cancer stem cells, which might contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms responsible for cervical tumor development. PMID:23341858

Stem cell biology in thyroid cancer: Insights for novel therapies

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Parisha; Bhatia; Koji; Tsumagari; Zakaria; Y; Abd; Elmageed; Paul; Friedlander; Joseph; F; Buell; Emad; Kandil

2014-01-01

Currently, thyroid cancer is one of the most common endocrine cancer in the United States. A recent involvement of sub-population of stem cells, cancer stem cells, has been proposed in different histological types of thyroid cancer. Because of their ability of self-renewal and differentiation into various specialized cells in the body, these putative cells drive tumor genesis, metastatic activity and are responsible to provide chemo- and radioresistant nature to the cancer cells in the thyroid gland. Our Review was conducted from previously published literature to provide latest apprises to investigate the role of embryonic, somatic and cancer stem cells, and discusses the hypothesis of epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Different methods for their identification and isolation through stemness markers using various in vivo and in vitro methods such as flow cytometry, thyrosphere formation assay, aldehyde dehydrogenase activity and ATP-binding cassette sub-family G member 2 efflux-pump mediated Hoechst 33342 dye exclusion have been discussed. The review also outlines various setbacks that still remain to target these tumor initiating cells. Future perspectives of therapeutic strategies and their potential to treat advanced stages of thyroid cancer are also disclosed in this review.

Cost trend analysis of initial cancer treatment in Taiwan.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tsai-Yun Li

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Despite the high cost of initial cancer care, that is, care in the first year after diagnosis, limited information is available for specific categories of cancer-related costs, especially costs for specific services. This study purposed to identify causes of change in cancer treatment costs over time and to perform trend analyses of the percentage of cancer patients who had received a specific treatment type and the mean cost of care for patients who had received that treatment. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The analysis of trends in initial treatment costs focused on cancer-related surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and treatments other than active treatments. For each cancer-specific trend, slopes were calculated for regression models with 95% confidence intervals. Analyses of patients diagnosed in 2007 showed that the National Health Insurance (NHI system paid, on average, $10,780 for initial care of a gastric cancer patient and $10,681 for initial care of a lung cancer patient, which were inflation-adjusted increases of $6,234 and $5,522, respectively, over the 1996 care costs. During the same interval, the mean NHI payment for initial care for the five specific cancers increased significantly (p<0.05. Hospitalization costs comprised the largest portion of payments for all cancers. During 1996-2007, the use of chemotherapy and radiation therapy significantly increased in all cancer types (p<0.05. In 2007, NHI payments for initial care for these five cancers exceeded $12 billion, and gastric and lung cancers accounted for the largest share. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: In addition to the growing number of NHI beneficiaries with cancer, treatment costs and the percentage of patients who undergo treatment are growing. Therefore, the NHI must accurately predict the economic burden of new chemotherapy agents and radiation therapies and may need to develop programs for stratifying patients according to their potential benefit

Ovarian tumor-initiating cells display a flexible metabolism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, Angela S.; Roberts, Paul C.; Frisard, Madlyn I.; Hulver, Matthew W.; Schmelz, Eva M.

2014-01-01

An altered metabolism during ovarian cancer progression allows for increased macromolecular synthesis and unrestrained growth. However, the metabolic phenotype of cancer stem or tumor-initiating cells, small tumor cell populations that are able to recapitulate the original tumor, has not been well characterized. In the present study, we compared the metabolic phenotype of the stem cell enriched cell variant, MOSE-L FFLv (TIC), derived from mouse ovarian surface epithelial (MOSE) cells, to their parental (MOSE-L) and benign precursor (MOSE-E) cells. TICs exhibit a decrease in glucose and fatty acid oxidation with a concomitant increase in lactate secretion. In contrast to MOSE-L cells, TICs can increase their rate of glycolysis to overcome the inhibition of ATP synthase by oligomycin and can increase their oxygen consumption rate to maintain proton motive force when uncoupled, similar to the benign MOSE-E cells. TICs have an increased survival rate under limiting conditions as well as an increased survival rate when treated with AICAR, but exhibit a higher sensitivity to metformin than MOSE-E and MOSE-L cells. Together, our data show that TICs have a distinct metabolic profile that may render them flexible to adapt to the specific conditions of their microenvironment. By better understanding their metabolic phenotype and external environmental conditions that support their survival, treatment interventions can be designed to extend current therapy regimens to eradicate TICs. - Highlights: • Ovarian cancer TICs exhibit a decreased glucose and fatty acid oxidation. • TICs are more glycolytic and have highly active mitochondria. • TICs are more resistant to AICAR but not metformin. • A flexible metabolism allows TICs to adapt to their microenvironment. • This flexibility requires development of specific drugs targeting TIC-specific changes to prevent recurrent TIC outgrowth

Ovarian tumor-initiating cells display a flexible metabolism

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anderson, Angela S. [Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA (United States); Roberts, Paul C. [Biomedical Science and Pathobiology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA (United States); Frisard, Madlyn I. [Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA (United States); Hulver, Matthew W., E-mail: hulvermw@vt.edu [Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA (United States); Schmelz, Eva M., E-mail: eschmelz@vt.edu [Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA (United States)

2014-10-15

An altered metabolism during ovarian cancer progression allows for increased macromolecular synthesis and unrestrained growth. However, the metabolic phenotype of cancer stem or tumor-initiating cells, small tumor cell populations that are able to recapitulate the original tumor, has not been well characterized. In the present study, we compared the metabolic phenotype of the stem cell enriched cell variant, MOSE-L{sub FFLv} (TIC), derived from mouse ovarian surface epithelial (MOSE) cells, to their parental (MOSE-L) and benign precursor (MOSE-E) cells. TICs exhibit a decrease in glucose and fatty acid oxidation with a concomitant increase in lactate secretion. In contrast to MOSE-L cells, TICs can increase their rate of glycolysis to overcome the inhibition of ATP synthase by oligomycin and can increase their oxygen consumption rate to maintain proton motive force when uncoupled, similar to the benign MOSE-E cells. TICs have an increased survival rate under limiting conditions as well as an increased survival rate when treated with AICAR, but exhibit a higher sensitivity to metformin than MOSE-E and MOSE-L cells. Together, our data show that TICs have a distinct metabolic profile that may render them flexible to adapt to the specific conditions of their microenvironment. By better understanding their metabolic phenotype and external environmental conditions that support their survival, treatment interventions can be designed to extend current therapy regimens to eradicate TICs. - Highlights: • Ovarian cancer TICs exhibit a decreased glucose and fatty acid oxidation. • TICs are more glycolytic and have highly active mitochondria. • TICs are more resistant to AICAR but not metformin. • A flexible metabolism allows TICs to adapt to their microenvironment. • This flexibility requires development of specific drugs targeting TIC-specific changes to prevent recurrent TIC outgrowth.

Human Nanog pseudogene8 promotes the proliferation of gastrointestinal cancer cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Uchino, Keita, E-mail: uchino13@intmed1.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp [Department of Medicine and Biosystemic Science, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582 (Japan); Hirano, Gen [Department of Medicine and Biosystemic Science, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582 (Japan); Hirahashi, Minako [Department of Anatomic Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka (Japan); Isobe, Taichi; Shirakawa, Tsuyoshi; Kusaba, Hitoshi; Baba, Eishi [Department of Medicine and Biosystemic Science, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582 (Japan); Tsuneyoshi, Masazumi [Department of Anatomic Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka (Japan); Akashi, Koichi [Department of Medicine and Biosystemic Science, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582 (Japan)

2012-09-10

There is emerging evidence that human solid tumor cells originate from cancer stem cells (CSCs). In cancer cell lines, tumor-initiating CSCs are mainly found in the side population (SP) that has the capacity to extrude dyes such as Hoechst 33342. We found that Nanog is expressed specifically in SP cells of human gastrointestinal (GI) cancer cells. Nucleotide sequencing revealed that NanogP8 but not Nanog was expressed in GI cancer cells. Transfection of NanogP8 into GI cancer cell lines promoted cell proliferation, while its inhibition by anti-Nanog siRNA suppressed the proliferation. Immunohistochemical staining of primary GI cancer tissues revealed NanogP8 protein to be strongly expressed in 3 out of 60 cases. In these cases, NanogP8 was found especially in an infiltrative part of the tumor, in proliferating cells with Ki67 expression. These data suggest that NanogP8 is involved in GI cancer development in a fraction of patients, in whom it presumably acts by supporting CSC proliferation. -- Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Nanog maintains pluripotency by regulating embryonic stem cells differentiation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Nanog is expressed in cancer stem cells of human gastrointestinal cancer cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Nucleotide sequencing revealed that Nanog pseudogene8 but not Nanog was expressed. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Nanog pseudogene8 promotes cancer stem cells proliferation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Nanog pseudogene8 is involved in gastrointestinal cancer development.

Role of nuclear receptors in breast cancer stem cells

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Alessio; Papi; Marina; Orlandi

2016-01-01

The recapitulation of primary tumour heterogenity and the existence of a minor sub-population of cancer cells,capable of initiating tumour growth in xenografts on serial passages, led to the hypothesis that cancer stem cells(CSCs) exist. CSCs are present in many tumours, among which is breast cancer. Breast CSCs(BCSCs) are likely to sustain the growth of the primary tumour mass, as wellas to be responsible for disease relapse and metastatic spreading. Consequently, BCSCs represent the most significant target for new drugs in breast cancer therapy. Both the hypoxic condition in BCSCs biology and proinflammatory cytokine network has gained increasing importance in the recent past. Breast stromal cells are crucial components of the tumours milieu and are a major source of inflammatory mediators. Recently, the antiinflammatory role of some nuclear receptors ligands has emerged in several diseases, including breast cancer. Therefore, the use of nuclear receptors ligands may be a valid strategy to inhibit BCSCs viability and consequently breast cancer growth and disease relapse.

Impact of initial tumor volume on radiotherapy outcome in patients with T2 glottic cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rutkowski, T.

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to quantify the impact of initial tumor volume (TV) on radiotherapy (RT) outcome in patients with T2 glottic cancer. Initial TV was calculated for 115 consecutive patients with T2 glottic cancer who had been treated with definitive RT alone at a single institution. The results showed strong correlations of TV with 3-year local tumor control (LTC) and disease-free survival (DFS). For TV ≤ 0.7 cm 3 , 3-year LTC was 83 %; for TV 0.7-3.6 cm 3 this was 70 % and for TV 3.6-17 cm 3 44 %. Analysis of total dose vs. initial TV showed that larger T2 glottic tumors with a TV of around 5 cm 3 (2-2.5 cm in diameter with 10 10 cancer cells) need an extra 6.5 Gy to achieve similar 3-year LTC rates as for small tumors with a TV of 0.5 cm 3 (∝1 cm in diameter with 10 9 cancer cells). Although classification of tumors according to TV cannot replace TNM staging in daily practice, it could represent a valuable numerical supplement for planning the optimal dose fractionation scheme for individual patients. (orig.)

From embryonic stem cells to testicular germ cell cancer-- should we be concerned?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Almstrup, Kristian; Sonne, Si Brask; Hoei-Hansen, Christina E

2006-01-01

that initial hypothesis but also indicating that CIS cells have a striking phenotypic similarity to embryonic stem cells (ESC). Many cancers have been proposed to originate from tissue-specific stem cells [so-called 'cancer stem cells' (CSC)] and we argue that CIS may be a very good example of a CSC......, but with exceptional features due to the retention of embryonic pluripotency. In addition, considering the fact that pre-invasive CIS cells are transformed from early fetal cells, possibly due to environmentally induced alterations of the niche, we discuss potential risks linked to the uncontrolled therapeutic use......Since the discovery of testicular carcinoma in situ (CIS) -- the precursor cell for the vast majority of germ cell tumours -- it has been proposed that CIS cells could be derived from transformed primordial germ cells or gonocytes. Here, we review recent discoveries not only substantiating...

Dysfunctional Natural Killer Cells in the Aftermath of Cancer Surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Angka, Leonard; Khan, Sarwat T; Kilgour, Marisa K; Xu, Rebecca; Kennedy, Michael A; Auer, Rebecca C

2017-08-17

The physiological changes that occur immediately following cancer surgeries initiate a chain of events that ultimately result in a short pro-, followed by a prolonged anti-, inflammatory period. Natural Killer (NK) cells are severely affected during this period in the recovering cancer patient. NK cells play a crucial role in anti-tumour immunity because of their innate ability to differentiate between malignant versus normal cells. Therefore, an opportunity arises in the aftermath of cancer surgery for residual cancer cells, including distant metastases, to gain a foothold in the absence of NK cell surveillance. Here, we describe the post-operative environment and how the release of sympathetic stress-related factors (e.g., cortisol, prostaglandins, catecholamines), anti-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-6, TGF-β), and myeloid derived suppressor cells, mediate NK cell dysfunction. A snapshot of current and recently completed clinical trials specifically addressing NK cell dysfunction post-surgery is also discussed. In collecting and summarizing results from these different aspects of the surgical stress response, a comprehensive view of the NK cell suppressive effects of surgery is presented. Peri-operative therapies to mitigate NK cell suppression in the post-operative period could improve curative outcomes following cancer surgery.

Apoptosis and cancer stem cells : Implications for apoptosis targeted therapy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kruyt, Frank A. E.; Schuringa, Jan Jacob

2010-01-01

Evidence is accumulating showing that cancer stem cells or tumor-initiating cells are key drivers of tumor formation and progression. Successful therapy must therefore eliminate these cells, which is hampered by their high resistance to commonly used treatment modalities. Thus far, only a limited

New Directions for Natural Killer T Cells in the Immunotherapy of Cancer

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Luc Teyton

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Natural killer T (NKT cells have been placed at the interface between innate and adaptive immunity by a long series of experiments that convincingly showed that beyond cytokine secretion and NK cell recruitment, NKT cells were coordinating dendritic cell and B cell maturation through direct membrane contacts and initiate productive responses. As such, NKT cells are the cellular adjuvant of many immune reactions and have functions that go much beyond what their name encapsulates. In addition, the initial discovery of the ligands of NKT cells is deeply linked to cancer biology and therapy. However, for a host of reasons, animal models in which agonists of NKT cells were used did not translate well to human cancers. A systematic reassessment of NKT cells role in tumorigenesis, especially spontaneous one, is now accessible using single cell analysis technologies both in mouse and man, and should be taken advantage of. Similarly, the migration, localization, phenotype of NKT cells following induced expansion after injection of an agonist can be examined at the single cell level. This technological revolution will help evaluate where and how NKT cells can be used in cancer.

High-mobility group box 1 released by autophagic cancer-associated fibroblasts maintains the stemness of luminal breast cancer cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Xi-Long; Lin, Yong; Jiang, Jun; Tang, Zhuo; Yang, Shuai; Lu, Lu; Liang, Yan; Liu, Xue; Tan, Jiao; Hu, Xu-Gang; Niu, Qin; Fu, Wen-Juan; Yan, Ze-Xuan; Guo, De-Yu; Ping, Yi-Fang; Wang, Ji Ming; Zhang, Xia; Kung, Hsiang-Fu; Bian, Xiu-Wu; Yao, Xiao-Hong

2017-11-01

Cancer stem cells/cancer-initiating cells (CICs) and their microenvironmental niche play a vital role in malignant tumour recurrence and metastasis. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are major components of the niche of breast cancer-initiating cells (BCICs), and their interactions may profoundly affect breast cancer progression. Autophagy has been considered to be a critical process for CIC maintenance, but whether it is involved in the cross-talk between CAFs and CICs to affect tumourigenesis and pathological significance has not been determined. In this study, we found that the presence of CAFs containing high levels of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3II), a marker of autophagosomes, was associated with more aggressive luminal human breast cancer. CAFs in human luminal breast cancer tissues with high autophagy activity enriched BCICs with increased tumourigenicity. Mechanistically, autophagic CAFs released high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), which activated its receptor, Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4, expressed by luminal breast cancer cells, to enhance their stemness and tumourigenicity. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry of 180 luminal breast cancers revealed that high LC3II/TLR4 levels predicted an increased relapse rate and a poorer prognosis. Our findings demonstrate that autophagic CAFs play a critical role in promoting the progression of luminal breast cancer through an HMGB1-TLR4 axis, and that both autophagy in CAFs and TLR4 on breast cancer cells constitute potential therapeutic targets. Copyright © 2017 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Cancers take their Toll--the function and regulation of Toll-like receptors in cancer cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chen, R; Alvero, A B; Silasi, D-A

2008-01-01

proliferation, would also be key factors in regulating and enhancing cancer progression. The TLR pathways, which play a critical role in tissue repair, are also key regulators in cancer progression as well as chemoresistance. TLRs serve as cell surface sensors that can initiate pathways leading to proliferation......Cancer could be deemed as an abnormal and uncontrolled tissue repair process. Therefore, it would not be surprising that factors that function in the tissue repair process, such as cytokines, chemokines, growth factors and Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands, as well as growth signals for compensatory...... and chemoresistance; as well as mediators that are able to regulate the infiltrating immune cells to provide further support for cancer progression....

At the Crossroads of Cancer Stem Cells, Radiation Biology, and Radiation Oncology.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerweck, Leo E; Wakimoto, Hiroaki

2016-03-01

Reports that a small subset of tumor cells initiate and sustain tumor growth, are resistant to radiation and drugs, and bear specific markers have led to an explosion of cancer stem cell research. These reports imply that the evaluation of therapeutic response by changes in tumor volume is misleading, as volume changes reflect the response of the sensitive rather than the resistant tumorigenic cell population. The reports further suggest that the marker-based selection of the tumor cell population will facilitate the development of radiation treatment schedules, sensitizers, and drugs that specifically target the resistant tumorigenic cells that give rise to treatment failure. This review presents evidence that contests the observations that cancer stem cell markers reliably identify the subset of tumor cells that sustain tumor growth and that the marker-identified population is radioresistant relative to the marker-negative cells. Experimental studies show that cells and tumors that survive large radiation doses are not more radioresistant than unirradiated cells and tumors, and also show that the intrinsic radiosensitivity of unsorted colony-forming tumor cells, in combination with the fraction of unsorted tumor cells that are tumor initiating, predicts tumor radiocurability. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

Patient-initiated breast cancer screening

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chilcote, W.

1990-01-01

This paper reviews the results of a breast cancer screening program sponsored by organizations at workplace or community locations. A comprehensive mobile breast cancer screening program, including education, breast physical examination, and mammography, was provided to 89 local organizations at $50.00 per examination over an 18-month period. The examination was patient initiated, following the ACS screening guidelines. Estimates of eligible women were provided by each organization. A total of 5,030 women at 89 organizations were screened for breast cancer. Approximately 25,727 women were eligible

On the cells of origin of radiogenic thyroid cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clifton, K.H.; Domann, F.E.; Groch, K.M.

1991-01-01

A major effort has been devoted to studies of the origins of radiogenic and hormonally-induced cancer at the cellular level in vivo. The studies has provided evidence that the functional thyroid follicules (follicular units, FU) which are formed in grafts of monodispersed rat thyroid cells, and hence the thyroid tumors which later develop in such grafts, are clonal in origin. Transplantation assays indicate that the clonogens comprise 1% of the cells in monodispersed suspensions of normal thyroid tissue. Carcinogenesis studies show that neoplastic initiation of thyroid clonogens by radiation is a commo event. Promotion-progression to cancer from radiation initiated clonogens has, however, been shown to be inversely related to the total grafted thyroid cell number. It is thus important to further define the physiology and population kinetics of the thyroid clonogens under different hormonal conditions both in situ and following transplantion. This report briefly summarizes recent data on (a) local cell-cell and remote hormonal feedback interactions during neoplastic promotion of initiated cells among the progeny of grafted clonogens in multicellular FU; (b) clonogenic cell population kinetics in situ during goitrogenesis and goiter involution; and (c) the reestablishment of the thyroid-hypothalamus-pituitary hormonal feedback system in thyroid cell-grafted thyroidectomized rats and its dependence on the formation of FU by the grafted clonogens. These results support the conclusion that the thyroid gland contains a small sub-population of clonogenic epithelial cells which posess many stem cell-like characteristics. (N.K.)

Lung cancer - small cell

Science.gov (United States)

Cancer - lung - small cell; Small cell lung cancer; SCLC ... About 15% of all lung cancer cases are SCLC. Small cell lung cancer is slightly more common in men than women. Almost all cases of SCLC are ...

Effects of nanostructurized silicon on proliferation of stem and cancer cell.

Science.gov (United States)

Osminkina, L A; Luckyanova, E N; Gongalsky, M B; Kudryavtsev, A A; Gaydarova, A Kh; Poltavtseva, R A; Kashkarov, P K; Timoshenko, V Yu; Sukhikh, G T

2011-05-01

In vitro experiments showed that stem and cancer cells retained their viability on the surface of porous silicon with 10-100 nm nanostructures, but their proliferation was inhibited. Silicon nanoparticles of 100 nm in size obtained by mechanical grinding of porous silicon films or crystal silicon plates in a concentration below 1 mg/ml in solution did not modify viability and proliferation of mouse fibroblast and human laryngeal cancer cells. Additional ultrasonic exposure of cancer cells in the presence of 1 mg/ml silicon nanoparticles added to nutrient medium led to complete destruction of cells or to the appearance of membrane defects blocking their proliferation and initiating their apoptotic death.

Nicotine promotes initiation and progression of KRAS-induced pancreatic cancer via Gata6-dependent dedifferentiation of acinar cells in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Hermann, Patrick C; Sancho, Patricia; Cañamero, Marta; Martinelli, Paola; Madriles, Francesc; Michl, Patrick; Gress, Thomas; de Pascual, Ricardo; Gandia, Luis; Guerra, Carmen; Barbacid, Mariano; Wagner, Martin; Vieira, Catarina R; Aicher, Alexandra; Real, Francisco X; Sainz, Bruno; Heeschen, Christopher

2014-11-01

Although smoking is a leading risk factor for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), little is known about the mechanisms by which smoking promotes initiation or progression of PDAC. We studied the effects of nicotine administration on pancreatic cancer development in Kras(+/LSLG12Vgeo);Elas-tTA/tetO-Cre (Ela-KRAS) mice, Kras(+/LSLG12D);Trp53+/LSLR172H;Pdx-1-Cre (KPC) mice (which express constitutively active forms of KRAS), and C57/B6 mice. Mice were given nicotine for up to 86 weeks to produce blood levels comparable with those of intermediate smokers. Pancreatic tissues were collected and analyzed by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction; cells were isolated and assayed for colony and sphere formation and gene expression. The effects of nicotine were also evaluated in primary pancreatic acinar cells isolated from wild-type, nAChR7a(-/-), Trp53(-/-), and Gata6(-/-);Trp53(-/-) mice. We also analyzed primary PDAC cells that overexpressed GATA6 from lentiviral expression vectors. Administration of nicotine accelerated transformation of pancreatic cells and tumor formation in Ela-KRAS and KPC mice. Nicotine induced dedifferentiation of acinar cells by activating AKT-ERK-MYC signaling; this led to inhibition of Gata6 promoter activity, loss of GATA6 protein, and subsequent loss of acinar differentiation and hyperactivation of oncogenic KRAS. Nicotine also promoted aggressiveness of established tumors as well as the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, increasing numbers of circulating cancer cells and their dissemination to the liver, compared with mice not exposed to nicotine. Nicotine induced pancreatic cells to acquire gene expression patterns and functional characteristics of cancer stem cells. These effects were markedly attenuated in K-Ras(+/LSL-G12D);Trp53(+/LSLR172H);Pdx-1-Cre mice given metformin. Metformin prevented nicotine-induced pancreatic carcinogenesis and tumor growth by up-regulating GATA6 and promoting

Targeting cancer stem cells: emerging role of Nanog transcription factor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang ML

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Mong-Lien Wang,1 Shih-Hwa Chiou,2,3 Cheng-Wen Wu1,4–61Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 2Institute of Pharmacology, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; 3Department of Medical Research and Education, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; 4Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, 5Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; 6Institute of Biomedical Science, Academia Sinica, Taipei, TaiwanAbstract: The involvement of stemness factors in cancer initiation and progression has drawn much attention recently, especially after the finding that introducing four stemness factors in somatic cells is able to reprogram the cells back to an embryonic stem cell-like state. Following accumulating data revealing abnormal elevated expression levels of key stemness factors, like Nanog, Oct4, and Sox2, in several types of cancer stem cells; the importance and therapeutic potential of targeting these stemness regulators in cancers has turned to research focus. Nanog determines cell fate in both embryonic and cancer stem cells; activating Nanog at an inappropriate time would result in cancer stem cells rather than normal pluripotent stem cells or differentiated somatic cells. Upregulated Nanog is correlated with poor survival outcome of patients with various types of cancer. The discoveries of downstream regulatory pathways directly or indirectly mediated by Nanog indicate that Nanog regulates several aspects of cancer development such as tumor cell proliferation, self-renewal, motility, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, immune evasion, and drug-resistance, which are all defined features for cancer stem cells. The current review paper illustrates the central role of Nanog in the regulatory networks of cancer malignant development and stemness acquirement, as well as in the communication between cancer cells and the surrounding stroma. Though a more defined model is needed to test the

Rapid selection and proliferation of CD133+ cells from cancer cell lines: chemotherapeutic implications.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah E Kelly

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Cancer stem cells (CSCs are considered a subset of the bulk tumor responsible for initiating and maintaining the disease. Several surface cellular markers have been recently used to identify CSCs. Among those is CD133, which is expressed by hematopoietic progenitor cells as well as embryonic stem cells and various cancers. We have recently isolated and cultured CD133 positive [CD133+] cells from various cancer cell lines using a NASA developed Hydrodynamic Focusing Bioreactor (HFB (Celdyne, Houston, TX. For comparison, another bioreactor, the rotary cell culture system (RCCS manufactured by Synthecon (Houston, TX was used. Both the HFB and the RCCS bioreactors simulate aspects of hypogravity. In our study, the HFB increased CD133+ cell growth from various cell lines compared to the RCCS vessel and to normal gravity control. We observed a +15-fold proliferation of the CD133+ cellular fraction with cancer cells that were cultured for 7-days at optimized conditions. The RCCS vessel instead yielded a (-4.8-fold decrease in the CD133+cellular fraction respect to the HFB after 7-days of culture. Interestingly, we also found that the hypogravity environment of the HFB greatly sensitized the CD133+ cancer cells, which are normally resistant to chemo treatment, to become susceptible to various chemotherapeutic agents, paving the way to less toxic and more effective chemotherapeutic treatment in patients. To be able to test the efficacy of cytotoxic agents in vitro prior to their use in clinical setting on cancer cells as well as on cancer stem cells may pave the way to more effective chemotherapeutic strategies in patients. This could be an important advancement in the therapeutic options of oncologic patients, allowing for more targeted and personalized chemotherapy regimens as well as for higher response rates.

Merkel Cell Polyomavirus Small T Antigen Initiates Merkel Cell Carcinoma-like Tumor Development in Mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Verhaegen, Monique E; Mangelberger, Doris; Harms, Paul W; Eberl, Markus; Wilbert, Dawn M; Meireles, Julia; Bichakjian, Christopher K; Saunders, Thomas L; Wong, Sunny Y; Dlugosz, Andrzej A

2017-06-15

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) tumor cells express several markers detected in normal Merkel cells, a nonproliferative population of neuroendocrine cells that arise from epidermis. MCCs frequently contain Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) DNA and express viral transforming antigens, sT and tLT, but the role of these putative oncogenes in MCC development, and this tumor's cell of origin, are unknown. Using a panel of preterm transgenic mice, we show that epidermis-targeted coexpression of sT and the cell fate-determinant atonal bHLH transcription factor 1 (ATOH1) leads to development of widespread cellular aggregates, with histology and marker expression mimicking that of human intraepidermal MCC. The MCC-like tumor phenotype was dependent on the FBXW7-binding domain of sT, but not the sT-PP2A binding domain. Coexpression of MCPyV tLT did not appreciably alter the phenotype driven by either sT or sT combined with ATOH1. MCPyV sT, when coexpressed with ATOH1, is thus sufficient to initiate development of epidermis-derived MCC-like tumors in mice. Cancer Res; 77(12); 3151-7. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

The Genomic and Proteomic Content of Cancer Cell-Derived Exosomes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henderson, Meredith C.; Azorsa, David O.

2012-01-01

Exosomes are secreted membrane vesicles that have been proposed as an effective means to detect a variety of disease states, including cancer. The properties of exosomes, including stability in biological fluids, allow for their efficient isolation and make them an ideal vehicle for studies on early disease detection and evaluation. Much data has been collected over recent years regarding the messenger RNA, microRNA, and protein contents of exosomes. In addition, many studies have described the functional role that exosomes play in disease initiation and progression. Tumor cells have been shown to secrete exosomes, often in increased amounts compared to normal cells, and these exosomes can carry the genomic and proteomic signatures characteristic of the tumor cells from which they were derived. While these unique signatures make exosomes ideal for cancer detection, exosomes derived from cancer cells have also been shown to play a functional role in cancer progression. Here, we review the unique genomic and proteomic contents of exosomes originating from cancer cells as well as their functional effects to promote tumor progression.

Gigantol Suppresses Cancer Stem Cell-Like Phenotypes in Lung Cancer Cells

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Narumol Bhummaphan

2015-01-01

Full Text Available As cancer stem cells (CSCs contribute to malignancy, metastasis, and relapse of cancers, potential of compound in inhibition of CSCs has garnered most attention in the cancer research as well as drug development fields recently. Herein, we have demonstrated for the first time that gigantol, a pure compound isolated from Dendrobium draconis, dramatically suppressed stem-like phenotypes of human lung cancer cells. Gigantol at nontoxic concentrations significantly reduced anchorage-independent growth and survival of the cancer cells. Importantly, gigantol significantly reduced the ability of the cancer cells to form tumor spheroids, a critical hallmark of CSCs. Concomitantly, the treatment of the compound was shown to reduce well-known lung CSCs markers, including CD133 and ALDH1A1. Moreover, we revealed that gigantol decreased stemness in the cancer cells by suppressing the activation of protein kinase B (Akt signal which in turn decreased the cellular levels of pluripotency and self-renewal factors Oct4 and Nanog. In conclusion, gigantol possesses CSCs suppressing activity which may facilitate the development of this compound for therapeutic approaches by targeting CSCs.

Exosomes released from breast cancer carcinomas stimulate cell movement.

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Dinari A Harris

Full Text Available For metastasis to occur cells must communicate with to their local environment to initiate growth and invasion. Exosomes have emerged as an important mediator of cell-to-cell signalling through the transfer of molecules such as mRNAs, microRNAs, and proteins between cells. Exosomes have been proposed to act as regulators of cancer progression. Here, we study the effect of exosomes on cell migration, an important step in metastasis. We performed cell migration assays, endocytosis assays, and exosome proteomic profiling on exosomes released from three breast cancer cell lines that model progressive stages of metastasis. Results from these experiments suggest: (1 exosomes promote cell migration and (2 the signal is stronger from exosomes isolated from cells with higher metastatic potentials; (3 exosomes are endocytosed at the same rate regardless of the cell type; (4 exosomes released from cells show differential enrichment of proteins with unique protein signatures of both identity and abundance. We conclude that breast cancer cells of increasing metastatic potential secrete exosomes with distinct protein signatures that proportionally increase cell movement and suggest that released exosomes could play an active role in metastasis.

Pancreatic stellate cells enhance stem cell-like phenotypes in pancreatic cancer cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamada, Shin; Masamune, Atsushi; Takikawa, Tetsuya; Suzuki, Noriaki; Kikuta, Kazuhiro; Hirota, Morihisa; Hamada, Hirofumi; Kobune, Masayoshi; Satoh, Kennichi; Shimosegawa, Tooru

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) promote the progression of pancreatic cancer. ► Pancreatic cancer cells co-cultured with PSCs showed enhanced spheroid formation. ► Expression of stem cell-related genes ABCG2, Nestin and LIN28 was increased. ► Co-injection of PSCs enhanced tumorigenicity of pancreatic cancer cells in vivo. ► This study suggested a novel role of PSCs as a part of the cancer stem cell niche. -- Abstract: The interaction between pancreatic cancer cells and pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs), a major profibrogenic cell type in the pancreas, is receiving increasing attention. There is accumulating evidence that PSCs promote the progression of pancreatic cancer by increasing cancer cell proliferation and invasion as well as by protecting them from radiation- and gemcitabine-induced apoptosis. Recent studies have identified that a portion of cancer cells, called “cancer stem cells”, within the entire cancer tissue harbor highly tumorigenic and chemo-resistant phenotypes, which lead to the recurrence after surgery or re-growth of the tumor. The mechanisms that maintain the “stemness” of these cells remain largely unknown. We hypothesized that PSCs might enhance the cancer stem cell-like phenotypes in pancreatic cancer cells. Indirect co-culture of pancreatic cancer cells with PSCs enhanced the spheroid-forming ability of cancer cells and induced the expression of cancer stem cell-related genes ABCG2, Nestin and LIN28. In addition, co-injection of PSCs enhanced tumorigenicity of pancreatic cancer cells in vivo. These results suggested a novel role of PSCs as a part of the cancer stem cell niche.

Are cancer cells really softer than normal cells?

Science.gov (United States)

Alibert, Charlotte; Goud, Bruno; Manneville, Jean-Baptiste

2017-05-01

Solid tumours are often first diagnosed by palpation, suggesting that the tumour is more rigid than its surrounding environment. Paradoxically, individual cancer cells appear to be softer than their healthy counterparts. In this review, we first list the physiological reasons indicating that cancer cells may be more deformable than normal cells. Next, we describe the biophysical tools that have been developed in recent years to characterise and model cancer cell mechanics. By reviewing the experimental studies that compared the mechanics of individual normal and cancer cells, we argue that cancer cells can indeed be considered as softer than normal cells. We then focus on the intracellular elements that could be responsible for the softening of cancer cells. Finally, we ask whether the mechanical differences between normal and cancer cells can be used as diagnostic or prognostic markers of cancer progression. © 2017 Société Française des Microscopies and Société de Biologie Cellulaire de France. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Metabolic enzymes: key modulators of functionality in cancer stem-like cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Bo-Wen; Qin, Guang-Ming; Luo, Yan; Mao, Jian-Shan

2017-02-21

Cancer Stem-like Cells (CSCs) are a subpopulation of cancer cells with self-renewal capacity and are important for the initiation, progression and recurrence of cancer diseases. The metabolic profile of CSCs is consistent with their stem-like properties. Studies have indicated that enzymes, the main regulators of cellular metabolism, dictate functionalities of CSCs in both catalysis-dependent and catalysis-independent manners. This paper reviews diverse studies of metabolic enzymes, and describes the effects of these enzymes on metabolic adaptation, gene transcription and signal transduction, in CSCs.

Targeting sarcoma tumor-initiating cells through differentiation therapy

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Dan Han

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Human leukocyte antigen class I (HLA-I down-regulation has been reported in many human cancers to be associated with poor clinical outcome. However, its connection to tumor-initiating cells (TICs remains unknown. In this study, we report that HLA-I is down-regulated in a subpopulation of cells that have high tumor initiating capacity in different types of human sarcomas. Detailed characterization revealed their distinct molecular profiles regarding proliferation, apoptosis and stemness programs. Notably, these TICs can be induced to differentiate along distinct mesenchymal lineages, including the osteogenic pathway. The retinoic acid receptor signaling pathway is overexpressed in HLA-1 negative TICs. All-trans retinoic acid treatment successfully induced osteogenic differentiation of this subpopulation, in vitro and in vivo, resulting in significantly decreased tumor formation. Thus, our findings indicate down-regulated HLA-I is a shared feature of TICs in a variety of human sarcomas, and differentiation therapy strategies may specifically target undifferentiated TICs and inhibit tumor formation.

PrPC from stem cells to cancer

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Séverine eMartin-Lannerée

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The cellular prion protein PrPC was initially discovered as the normal counterpart of the pathological scrapie prion protein PrPSc, the main component of the infectious agent of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies. While clues as to the physiological function of this ubiquitous protein were greatly anticipated from the development of knock-out animals, PrP-null mice turned out to be viable and to develop without major phenotypic abnormalities. Notwithstanding, the discovery that hematopoietic stem cells from PrP-null mice have impaired long-term repopulating potential has set the stage for investigating into the role of PrPC in stem cell biology. A wealth of data have now exemplified that PrPC is expressed in distinct types of stem cells and regulates their self-renewal as well as their differentiation potential. A role for PrPC in the fate restriction of embryonic stem cells has further been proposed. Paralleling these observations, an overexpression of PrPC has been documented in various types of tumours. In line with the contribution of PrPC to stemness and to the proliferation of cancer cells, PrPC was recently found to be enriched in subpopulations of tumour-initiating cells. In the present review, we summarize the current knowledge of the role played by PrPC in stem cell biology and discuss how the subversion of its function may contribute to cancer progression.

Spatiotemporal switching signals for cancer stem cell activation in pediatric origins of adulthood cancer: Towards a watch-and-wait lifetime strategy for cancer treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shengwen Calvin; Kabeer, Mustafa H

2018-02-26

Pediatric origin of cancer stem cell hypothesis holds great promise and potential in adult cancer treatment, however; the road to innovation is full of obstacles as there are plenty of questions left unanswered. First, the key question is to characterize the nature of such stem cells (concept). Second, the quantitative imaging of pediatric stem cells should be implemented (technology). Conceptually, pediatric stem cell origins of adult cancer are based on the notion that plasticity in early life developmental programming evolves local environments to cancer. Technologically, such imaging in children is lacking as all imaging is designed for adult patients. We postulate that the need for quantitative imaging to measure space-time changes of plasticity in early life developmental programming in children may trigger research and development of the imaging technology. Such quantitative imaging of pediatric origin of adulthood cancer will help develop a spatiotemporal monitoring system to determine cancer initiation and progression. Clinical validation of such speculative hypothesis-that cancer originates in a pediatric environment-will help implement a wait-and-watch strategy for cancer treatment.

How Can We Treat Cancer Disease Not Cancer Cells?

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Kyu-Won; Lee, Su-Jae; Kim, Woo-Young; Seo, Ji Hae; Lee, Ho-Young

2017-01-01

Since molecular biology studies began, researches in biological science have centered on proteins and genes at molecular level of a single cell. Cancer research has also focused on various functions of proteins and genes that distinguish cancer cells from normal cells. Accordingly, most contemporary anticancer drugs have been developed to target abnormal characteristics of cancer cells. Despite the great advances in the development of anticancer drugs, vast majority of patients with advanced cancer have shown grim prognosis and high rate of relapse. To resolve this problem, we must reevaluate our focuses in current cancer research. Cancer should be considered as a systemic disease because cancer cells undergo a complex interaction with various surrounding cells in cancer tissue and spread to whole body through metastasis under the control of the systemic modulation. Human body relies on the cooperative interaction between various tissues and organs, and each organ performs its specialized function through tissue-specific cell networks. Therefore, investigation of the tumor-specific cell networks can provide novel strategy to overcome the limitation of current cancer research. This review presents the limitations of the current cancer research, emphasizing the necessity of studying tissue-specific cell network which could be a new perspective on treating cancer disease, not cancer cells.

Taraxacum officinale dandelion extract efficiently inhibited the breast cancer stem cell proliferation

OpenAIRE

Ngu Van Trinh; Nghi Doan-Phuong Dang; Diem Hong Tran; Phuc Van Pham

2016-01-01

Background: Breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) play an important role in breast cancer initiation, metastasis, recurrence, and drug resistance. Therefore, targeting BCSCs is an essential strategy to suppress cancer growth. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dandelion Taraxacum officinale extracts on BCSC proliferation in vitro in 2D and 3D cell culture platforms. Materials and Methods: The BCSCs were maintained under standard conditions, verified for expression of CD44 and CD24 surface...

Combining Cell Type-Restricted Adenoviral Targeting with Immunostaining and Flow Cytometry to Identify Cells-of-Origin of Lung Cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Best, Sarah A; Kersbergen, Ariena; Asselin-Labat, Marie-Liesse; Sutherland, Kate D

2018-01-01

Lung cancers display considerable intertumoral heterogeneity, leading to the classification of distinct tumor subtypes. Our understanding of the genetic aberrations that underlie tumor subtypes has been greatly enhanced by recent genomic sequencing studies and state-of-the-art gene targeting technologies, highlighting evidence that distinct lung cancer subtypes may be derived from different "cells-of-origin". Here, we describe the intra-tracheal delivery of cell type-restricted Ad5-Cre viruses into the lungs of adult mice, combined with immunohistochemical and flow cytometry strategies for the detection of lung cancer-initiating cells in vivo.

Tumour-initiating cells vs. cancer "stem" cells and CD133: What's in the name?

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Neužil, Jiří; Stantic, M.; Zobalová, Renata; Chladová, Jaromíra; Wang, X. F.; Procházka, L.; Dong, L.; Anděra, Ladislav; Ralph, S.J.

2007-01-01

Roč. 255, č. 4 (2007), s. 855-859 ISSN 0006-291X Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50520514; CEZ:AV0Z50520701 Keywords : tumour-initiating cells * CD133 * resistance to treatment Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 2.749, year: 2007

Toward a theory of the initiation of cancer by alpha, beta, and x radiation: the twin doublet model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marshall, J.H.; Pagnamenta, A.

1979-01-01

Information concerning the basic mechanics of interaction of radiation with matter at both the cellular and the molecular levels may now be sufficient to allow an extension of the cellular model of cancer induction to the level of individual particle tracks, ionizations, and particular bonds in the DNA molecule. The Doublet model appears promising as a candidate for the initial damage to DNA involved in cell killing, mutation, and a single cancer initiation

Squamous cell cancer (image)

Science.gov (United States)

Squamous cell cancer involves cancerous changes to the cells of the middle portion of the epidermal skin layer. It is ... malignant tumor, and is more aggressive than basal cell cancer, but still may be relatively slow-growing. It ...

Induction of cancer stem cell properties in colon cancer cells by defined factors.

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Nobu Oshima

Full Text Available Cancer stem cells (CSCs are considered to be responsible for the dismal prognosis of cancer patients. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying the acquisition and maintenance of CSC properties in cancer cells because of their rarity in clinical samples. We herein induced CSC properties in cancer cells using defined factors. We retrovirally introduced a set of defined factors (OCT3/4, SOX2 and KLF4 into human colon cancer cells, followed by culture with conventional serum-containing medium, not human embryonic stem cell medium. We then evaluated the CSC properties in the cells. The colon cancer cells transduced with the three factors showed significantly enhanced CSC properties in terms of the marker gene expression, sphere formation, chemoresistance and tumorigenicity. We designated the cells with CSC properties induced by the factors, a subset of the transduced cells, as induced CSCs (iCSCs. Moreover, we established a novel technology to isolate and collect the iCSCs based on the differences in the degree of the dye-effluxing activity enhancement. The xenografts derived from our iCSCs were not teratomas. Notably, in contrast to the tumors from the parental cancer cells, the iCSC-based tumors mimicked actual human colon cancer tissues in terms of their immunohistological findings, which showed colonic lineage differentiation. In addition, we confirmed that the phenotypes of our iCSCs were reproducible in serial transplantation experiments. By introducing defined factors, we generated iCSCs with lineage specificity directly from cancer cells, not via an induced pluripotent stem cell state. The novel method enables us to obtain abundant materials of CSCs that not only have enhanced tumorigenicity, but also the ability to differentiate to recapitulate a specific type of cancer tissues. Our method can be of great value to fully understand CSCs and develop new therapies targeting CSCs.

Cell phones and cancer

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Cancer and cell phones; Do cell phones cause cancer? ... Several major studies show no link between cell phones and cancer at this time. However, since the information available is based on short-term studies, the impact of many years of ...

New use of an old drug: Inhibition of breast cancer stem cells by benztropine mesylate

OpenAIRE

Cui, Jihong; Hollmén, Maija; Li, Lina; Chen, Yong; Proulx, Steven T.; Reker, Daniel; Schneider, Gisbert; Detmar, Michael

2017-01-01

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) play major roles in cancer initiation, metastasis, recurrence and therapeutic resistance. Targeting CSCs represents a promising strategy for cancer treatment. The purpose of this study was to identify selective inhibitors of breast CSCs (BCSCs). We carried out a cell-based phenotypic screening with cell viability as a primary endpoint, using a collection of 2,546 FDA-approved drugs and drug-like molecules in spheres formed by malignant human breast gland-derived cells...

Hedgehog pathway regulators influence cervical cancer cell proliferation, survival and migration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Samarzija, Ivana [Ecole Polytechnique Federale Lausanne (EPFL), Department of Life Sciences, Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), 1015 Lausanne (Switzerland); Beard, Peter, E-mail: peter.beard@epfl.ch [Ecole Polytechnique Federale Lausanne (EPFL), Department of Life Sciences, Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), 1015 Lausanne (Switzerland)

2012-08-17

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Unknown cellular mutations complement papillomavirus-induced carcinogenesis. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Hedgehog pathway components are expressed by cervical cancer cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Hedgehog pathway activators and inhibitors regulate cervical cancer cell biology. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Cell immortalization by papillomavirus and activation of Hedgehog are independent. -- Abstract: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is considered to be a primary hit that causes cervical cancer. However, infection with this agent, although needed, is not sufficient for a cancer to develop. Additional cellular changes are required to complement the action of HPV, but the precise nature of these changes is not clear. Here, we studied the function of the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway in cervical cancer. The Hh pathway can have a role in a number of cancers, including those of liver, lung and digestive tract. We found that components of the Hh pathway are expressed in several cervical cancer cell lines, indicating that there could exists an autocrine Hh signaling loop in these cells. Inhibition of Hh signaling reduces proliferation and survival of the cervical cancer cells and induces their apoptosis as seen by the up-regulation of the pro-apoptotic protein cleaved caspase 3. Our results indicate that Hh signaling is not induced directly by HPV-encoded proteins but rather that Hh-activating mutations are selected in cells initially immortalized by HPV. Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) ligand induces proliferation and promotes migration of the cervical cancer cells studied. Together, these results indicate pro-survival and protective roles of an activated Hh signaling pathway in cervical cancer-derived cells, and suggest that inhibition of this pathway may be a therapeutic option in fighting cervical cancer.

Hedgehog pathway regulators influence cervical cancer cell proliferation, survival and migration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samarzija, Ivana; Beard, Peter

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Unknown cellular mutations complement papillomavirus-induced carcinogenesis. ► Hedgehog pathway components are expressed by cervical cancer cells. ► Hedgehog pathway activators and inhibitors regulate cervical cancer cell biology. ► Cell immortalization by papillomavirus and activation of Hedgehog are independent. -- Abstract: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is considered to be a primary hit that causes cervical cancer. However, infection with this agent, although needed, is not sufficient for a cancer to develop. Additional cellular changes are required to complement the action of HPV, but the precise nature of these changes is not clear. Here, we studied the function of the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway in cervical cancer. The Hh pathway can have a role in a number of cancers, including those of liver, lung and digestive tract. We found that components of the Hh pathway are expressed in several cervical cancer cell lines, indicating that there could exists an autocrine Hh signaling loop in these cells. Inhibition of Hh signaling reduces proliferation and survival of the cervical cancer cells and induces their apoptosis as seen by the up-regulation of the pro-apoptotic protein cleaved caspase 3. Our results indicate that Hh signaling is not induced directly by HPV-encoded proteins but rather that Hh-activating mutations are selected in cells initially immortalized by HPV. Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) ligand induces proliferation and promotes migration of the cervical cancer cells studied. Together, these results indicate pro-survival and protective roles of an activated Hh signaling pathway in cervical cancer-derived cells, and suggest that inhibition of this pathway may be a therapeutic option in fighting cervical cancer.

Peptide-targeted, stimuli-responsive polymersomes for delivering a cancer stemness inhibitor to cancer stem cell microtumors.

Science.gov (United States)

Karandish, Fataneh; Froberg, James; Borowicz, Pawel; Wilkinson, John C; Choi, Yongki; Mallik, Sanku

2018-03-01

Often cancer relapses after an initial response to chemotherapy because of the tumor's heterogeneity and the presence of progenitor stem cells, which can renew. To overcome drug resistance, metastasis, and relapse in cancer, a promising approach is the inhibition of cancer stemness. In this study, the expression of the neuropilin-1 receptor in both pancreatic and prostate cancer stem cells was identified and targeted with a stimuli-responsive, polymeric nanocarrier to deliver a stemness inhibitor (napabucasin) to cancer stem cells. Reduction-sensitive amphiphilic block copolymers PEG 1900 -S-S-PLA 6000 and the N 3 -PEG 1900 -PLA 6000 were synthesized. The tumor penetrating iRGD peptide-hexynoic acid conjugate was linked to the N 3 -PEG 1900 -PLA 6000 polymer via a Cu 2+ catalyzed "Click" reaction. Subsequently, this peptide-polymer conjugate was incorporated into polymersomes for tumor targeting and tissue penetration. We prepared polymersomes containing 85% PEG 1900 -S-S-PLA 6000 , 10% iRGD-polymer conjugate, and 5% DPPE-lissamine rhodamine dye. The iRGD targeted polymersomes encapsulating the cancer stemness inhibitor napabucasin were internalized in both prostate and pancreatic cancer stem cells. The napabucasin encapsulated polymersomes significantly (p < .05) reduced the viability of both prostate and pancreatic cancer stem cells and decreased the stemness protein expression notch-1 and nanog compared to the control and vesicles without any drug. The napabucasin encapsulated polymersome formulations have the potential to lead to a new direction in prostate and pancreatic cancer therapy by penetrating deeply into the tumors, releasing the encapsulated stemness inhibitor, and killing cancer stem cells. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dasatinib and Doxorubicin Treatment of Sarcoma Initiating Cells: A Possible New Treatment Strategy

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Ninna Aggerholm-Pedersen

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background. One of the major challenges affecting sarcoma treatment outcome, particularly that of metastatic disease, is resistance to chemotherapy. Cancer-initiating cells are considered a major contributor to this resistance. Methods. An immortalised nontransformed human stromal (mesenchymal stem cell line hMSC-TERT4 and a transformed cell line hMSC-TERT20-CE8, known to form sarcoma-like tumours when implanted in immune-deficient mice, were used as models. Receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK activation was analysed by RTK arrays and cellular viability after tyrosine kinases inhibitor (TKI treatment with or without doxorubicin was assessed by MTS assay. Results. Initial results showed that the hMSC-TERT4 was more doxorubicin-sensitive while hMSC-TERT20-CE8 was less doxorubicin-sensitive evidenced by monitoring cell viability in the presence of doxorubicin at different doses. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR was activated in both cell lines. However hMSC-TERT20-CE8 exhibited significantly higher expression of the EGFR ligands. EGFR inhibitors such as erlotinib and afatinib alone or in combination with doxorubicin failed to further decrease cell viability of hMSC-TERT20-CE8. However, inhibition with the TKI dasatinib in combination with doxorubicin decreased cell viability of the hMSC-TERT20-CE8 cell line. Conclusion. Our results demonstrate that dasatinib, but not EGFR-directed treatment, can decrease cell viability of stromal cancer stem cells less sensitive to doxorubicin.

Dasatinib and Doxorubicin Treatment of Sarcoma Initiating Cells: A Possible New Treatment Strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Aggerholm-Pedersen, Ninna; Demuth, Christina; Safwat, Akmal; Meldgaard, Peter; Kassem, Moustapha; Sandahl Sorensen, Boe

2016-01-01

Background. One of the major challenges affecting sarcoma treatment outcome, particularly that of metastatic disease, is resistance to chemotherapy. Cancer-initiating cells are considered a major contributor to this resistance. Methods. An immortalised nontransformed human stromal (mesenchymal) stem cell line hMSC-TERT4 and a transformed cell line hMSC-TERT20-CE8, known to form sarcoma-like tumours when implanted in immune-deficient mice, were used as models. Receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) activation was analysed by RTK arrays and cellular viability after tyrosine kinases inhibitor (TKI) treatment with or without doxorubicin was assessed by MTS assay. Results. Initial results showed that the hMSC-TERT4 was more doxorubicin-sensitive while hMSC-TERT20-CE8 was less doxorubicin-sensitive evidenced by monitoring cell viability in the presence of doxorubicin at different doses. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was activated in both cell lines. However hMSC-TERT20-CE8 exhibited significantly higher expression of the EGFR ligands. EGFR inhibitors such as erlotinib and afatinib alone or in combination with doxorubicin failed to further decrease cell viability of hMSC-TERT20-CE8. However, inhibition with the TKI dasatinib in combination with doxorubicin decreased cell viability of the hMSC-TERT20-CE8 cell line. Conclusion. Our results demonstrate that dasatinib, but not EGFR-directed treatment, can decrease cell viability of stromal cancer stem cells less sensitive to doxorubicin.

TRPV2 mediates adrenomedullin stimulation of prostate and urothelial cancer cell adhesion, migration and invasion.

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Agathe Oulidi

Full Text Available Adrenomedullin (AM is a 52-amino acid peptide initially isolated from human pheochromocytoma. AM is expressed in a variety of malignant tissues and cancer cell lines and was shown to be a mitogenic factor capable of stimulating growth of several cancer cell types. In addition, AM is a survival factor for certain cancer cells. Some data suggest that AM might be involved in the progression cancer metastasis via angiogenesis and cell migration and invasion control. The Transient Receptor Potential channel TRPV2 is known to promote in prostate cancer cell migration and invasive phenotype and is correlated with the stage and grade of bladder cancer. In this work we show that AM induces prostate and urothelial cancer cell migration and invasion through TRPV2 translocation to plasma membrane and the subsequent increase in resting calcium level.

Influence of radiation on initial attachment of osteoblast-like cells on titanium plate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kakuta, Saburo; Hamazaki, Miki; Mitsumoto, Kazuyo; Itabashi, Yuto; Fujimori, Shinya; Miyazaki, Takashi; Nagumo, Masao

1996-01-01

Radiotherapy is a useful and convenient therapy for oral cancer. However, there are many side effects such as stomatitis and radionecrosis of jaws. Radionecrosis may cause loosing or infection of biomaterials used for reconstruction of jaws. In this experiment, in vitro investigation was performed to clarify the influence of radiation on initial attachment of osteoblast-like cells to the titanium plate. UMR-106 and MC3T3-E1 cells were used as osteoblast-like cells. Cell attachment was evaluated by alkaline phosphatase activity and staining attached cells with crystal violet. The results revealed that initial attachment of osteoblast-like cells to the titanium plate was dose-dependently decreased by radiation and that radiosensitivity of each cell was different respectively. Furthermore, the participation of active oxygen was suggested because of partial recovery of cell attachment by addition of superoxide dismutase and/or an antioxidant such as ascorbic acid. (author)

High mobility group A1 protein modulates autophagy in cancer cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Conte, Andrea; Paladino, Simona; Bianco, Gaia; Fasano, Dominga; Gerlini, Raffaele; Tornincasa, Mara; Renna, Maurizio; Fusco, Alfredo; Tramontano, Donatella; Pierantoni, Giovanna Maria

2017-11-01

High Mobility Group A1 (HMGA1) is an architectural chromatin protein whose overexpression is a feature of malignant neoplasias with a causal role in cancer initiation and progression. HMGA1 promotes tumor growth by several mechanisms, including increase of cell proliferation and survival, impairment of DNA repair and induction of chromosome instability. Autophagy is a self-degradative process that, by providing energy sources and removing damaged organelles and misfolded proteins, allows cell survival under stress conditions. On the other hand, hyper-activated autophagy can lead to non-apoptotic programmed cell death. Autophagy deregulation is a common feature of cancer cells in which has a complex role, showing either an oncogenic or tumor suppressor activity, depending on cellular context and tumor stage. Here, we report that depletion of HMGA1 perturbs autophagy by different mechanisms. HMGA1-knockdown increases autophagosome formation by constraining the activity of the mTOR pathway, a major regulator of autophagy, and transcriptionally upregulating the autophagy-initiating kinase Unc-51-like kinase 1 (ULK1). Consistently, functional experiments demonstrate that HMGA1 binds ULK1 promoter region and negatively regulates its transcription. On the other hand, the increase in autophagosomes is not associated to a proportionate increase in their maturation. Overall, the effects of HMGA1 depletion on autophagy are associated to a decrease in cell proliferation and ultimately impact on cancer cells viability. Importantly, silencing of ULK1 prevents the effects of HMGA1-knockdown on cellular proliferation, viability and autophagic activity, highlighting how these effects are, at least in part, mediated by ULK1. Interestingly, this phenomenon is not restricted to skin cancer cells, as similar results have been observed also in HeLa cells silenced for HMGA1. Taken together, these results clearly indicate HMGA1 as a key regulator of the autophagic pathway in cancer cells

Cancer stem cell markers in common cancers - therapeutic implications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Klonisch, Thomas; Wiechec, Emilia; Hombach-Klonisch, Sabine

2008-01-01

Rapid advance in the cancer stem cell field warrants optimism for the development of more reliable cancer therapies within the next 2-3 decades. Below, we characterize and compare the specific markers that are present on stem cells, cancer cells and cancer stem cells (CSC) in selected tissues...

Physical View on the Interactions Between Cancer Cells and the Endothelial Cell Lining During Cancer Cell Transmigration and Invasion

Science.gov (United States)

Mierke, Claudia T.

There exist many reviews on the biological and biochemical interactions of cancer cells and endothelial cells during the transmigration and tissue invasion of cancer cells. For the malignant progression of cancer, the ability to metastasize is a prerequisite. In particular, this means that certain cancer cells possess the property to migrate through the endothelial lining into blood or lymph vessels, and are possibly able to transmigrate through the endothelial lining into the connective tissue and follow up their invasion path in the targeted tissue. On the molecular and biochemical level the transmigration and invasion steps are well-defined, but these signal transduction pathways are not yet clear and less understood in regards to the biophysical aspects of these processes. To functionally characterize the malignant transformation of neoplasms and subsequently reveal the underlying pathway(s) and cellular properties, which help cancer cells to facilitate cancer progression, the biomechanical properties of cancer cells and their microenvironment come into focus in the physics-of-cancer driven view on the metastasis process of cancers. Hallmarks for cancer progression have been proposed, but they still lack the inclusion of specific biomechanical properties of cancer cells and interacting surrounding endothelial cells of blood or lymph vessels. As a cancer cell is embedded in a special environment, the mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix also cannot be neglected. Therefore, in this review it is proposed that a novel hallmark of cancer that is still elusive in classical tumor biological reviews should be included, dealing with the aspect of physics in cancer disease such as the natural selection of an aggressive (highly invasive) subtype of cancer cells displaying a certain adhesion or chemokine receptor on their cell surface. Today, the physical aspects can be analyzed by using state-of-the-art biophysical methods. Thus, this review will present

Discrepancy of biologic behavior influenced by bone marrow derived cells in lung cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jie; Niu, Xiao-Min; Liao, Mei-Lin; Liu, Yun; Sha, Hui-Fang; Zhao, Yi; Yu, Yong-Feng; Tan, Qiang; Xiang, Jia-Qing; Fang, Jing; Lv, Dan-Dan; Li, Xue-Bing; Lu, Shun; Chen, Hai-Quan

2010-11-01

Disseminated cancer cells may initially require local nutrients and growth factors to thrive and survive in bone marrow. However, data on the influence of bone marrow derived cells (BMDC, also called bone stromal cells in some publications) on lung cancer cells is largely unexplored. This study explored the mechanism of how bone stromal factors contribute to the bone tropism in lung cancer. The difference among lung cancer cell lines in their abilities to metastasize to bone was found using the SCID animal model. Supernatant of bone marrow aspiration (BM) and condition medium from human bone stromal cells (BSC) were used to study the activity of bone stromal factors. We found bone stromal factors significantly increased the proliferation, invasion, adhesion and expression of angiogenosis-related factors, and inhibited the apoptosis for high bone metastasis H460 lung cancer cells. These biologic effects were not seen in SPC-A1 or A549 cells, which are low bone metastasis lung cancer cells. Adhesion of H460 cells to surface coated with bone stromal cells can activate some signal transduction pathways, and alter the expression of adhesion associated factors, including integrin β 3 and ADAMTS-1, two potential targets related with bone metastasis. We concluded that bone marrow derived cells had a profound effect on biological behavior of lung cancers, therefore favoring the growth of lung cancer cells in bone.

Targeting cancer cells using 3-bromopyruvate for selective cancer treatment

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Hussam H Baghdadi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Cancer treatment deserves more research efforts despite intensive conventional treatment modalities for many types of malignancies. Metastasis and resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy receive a lot of global research efforts. The current advances in cancer biology may improve targeting the critical metabolic differences that distinguish cancer cells from normal cells. Cancer cells are highly glycolytic for energy production, exhibit the Warburg effect, establish aggressive acidic microenvironment, maintain cancer stem cells, exhibit resistance to chemotherapy, have low antioxidant systems but different ΔΨm (delta psi, mitochondrial transmembrane potential, express P-glycoprotein for multidrug resistance, upregulate glucose transporters and monocarboxylate transporters and are under high steady-state reactive oxygen species conditions. Normal cells differ in all these aspects. Lactate produced through the Warburg effect helps cancer metastasis. Targeting glycolysis reactions for energy production in cancer cells seems promising in decreasing the proliferation and metastasis of cancer cells. 3-bromopyruvate makes use of cancer biology in treating cancer cells, cancer stem cells and preventing metastasis in human cancer as discussed in this review. Updated advances are analyzed here, which include research analysis of background, experience, readings in the field of cancer biology, oncology and biochemistry.

Lung cancer - non-small cell

Science.gov (United States)

Cancer - lung - non-small cell; Non-small cell lung cancer; NSCLC; Adenocarcinoma - lung; Squamous cell carcinoma - lung ... Research shows that smoking marijuana may help cancer cells grow. But there is no direct link between ...

Indomethacin induces apoptosis via a MRPI-dependent mechanism in doxorubicin-resistant small-cell lung cancer cells overexpressing MRPI

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Groot, D. J. A.; van der Deen, M.; Le, T. K. P.; Regeling, A.; de Jong, S.; de Vries, E. G. E.

2007-01-01

Small-cell lung cancers (SCLCs) initially respond to chemotherapy, but are often resistant at recurrence. The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin is an inhibitor of multidrug resistance protein 1 (MRPI) function. The doxorubicin-resistant MRPI-overexpressing human SCLC cell line

Human cancer stem cells are a target for cancer prevention using (-)-epigallocatechin gallate.

Science.gov (United States)

Fujiki, Hirota; Sueoka, Eisaburo; Rawangkan, Anchalee; Suganuma, Masami

2017-12-01

Our previous experiments show that the main constituent of green-tea catechins, (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), completely prevents tumor promotion on mouse skin initiated with 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene followed by okadaic acid and that EGCG and green tea extract prevent cancer development in a wide range of target organs in rodents. Therefore, we focused our attention on human cancer stem cells (CSCs) as targets of cancer prevention and treatment with EGCG. The numerous reports concerning anticancer activity of EGCG against human CSCs enriched from cancer cell lines were gathered from a search of PubMed, and we hope our review of the literatures will provide a broad selection for the effects of EGCG on various human CSCs. Based on our theoretical study, we discuss the findings as follows: (1) Compared with the parental cells, human CSCs express increased levels of the stemness markers Nanog, Oct4, Sox2, CD44, CD133, as well as the EMT markers, Twist, Snail, vimentin, and also aldehyde dehydrogenase. They showed decreased levels of E-cadherin and cyclin D1. (2) EGCG inhibits the transcription and translation of genes encoding stemness markers, indicating that EGCG generally inhibits the self-renewal of CSCs. (3) EGCG inhibits the expression of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition phenotypes of human CSCs. (4) The inhibition of EGCG of the stemness of CSCs was weaker compared with parental cells. (5) The weak inhibitory activity of EGCG increased synergistically in combination with anticancer drugs. Green tea prevents human cancer, and the combination of EGCG and anticancer drugs confers cancer treatment with tissue-agnostic efficacy.

Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Regulate Tumor-Initiating Cell Plasticity in Hepatocellular Carcinoma through c-Met/FRA1/HEY1 Signaling

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Eunice Yuen Ting Lau

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Like normal stem cells, tumor-initiating cells (T-ICs are regulated extrinsically within the tumor microenvironment. Because HCC develops primarily in the context of cirrhosis, in which there is an enrichment of activated fibroblasts, we hypothesized that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs would regulate liver T-ICs. We found that the presence of α-SMA(+ CAFs correlates with poor clinical outcome. CAF-derived HGF regulates liver T-ICs via activation of FRA1 in an Erk1,2-dependent manner. Further functional analysis identifies HEY1 as a direct downstream effector of FRA1. Using the STAM NASH-HCC mouse model, we find that HGF-induced FRA1 activation is associated with the fibrosis-dependent development of HCC. Thus, targeting the CAF-derived, HGF-mediated c-Met/FRA1/HEY1 cascade may be a therapeutic strategy for the treatment of HCC.

Eavesdropping on altered cell-to-cell signaling in cancer by secretome profiling.

Science.gov (United States)

Klinke, David J

2016-01-01

In the past decade, cumulative clinical experiences with molecular targeted therapies and immunotherapies for cancer have promoted a shift in our conceptual understanding of cancer. This view shifted from viewing solid tumors as a homogeneous mass of malignant cells to viewing tumors as heterogeneous structures that are dynamically shaped by intercellular interactions among the variety of stromal, immune, and malignant cells present within the tumor microenvironment. As in any dynamic system, identifying how cells communicate to maintain homeostasis and how this communication is altered during oncogenesis are key hurdles for developing therapies to restore normal tissue homeostasis. Here, I discuss tissues as dynamic systems, using the mammary gland as an example, and the evolutionary concepts applied to oncogenesis. Drawing from these concepts, I present 2 competing hypotheses for how intercellular communication might be altered during oncogenesis. As an initial test of these competing hypotheses, a recent secretome comparison between normal human mammary and HER2+ breast cancer cell lines suggested that the particular proteins secreted by the malignant cells reflect a convergent evolutionary path associated with oncogenesis in a specific anatomical niche, despite arising in different individuals. Overall, this study illustrates the emerging power of secretome proteomics to probe, in an unbiased way, how intercellular communication changes during oncogenesis.

CD24 negative lung cancer cells, possessing partial cancer stem cell properties, cannot be considered as cancer stem cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Haineng; Mu, Jiasheng; Xiao, Jing; Wu, Xiangsong; Li, Maolan; Liu, Tianrun; Liu, Xinyuan

2016-01-01

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) play vital role in lung cancer progression, resistance, metastasis and relapse. Identifying lung CSCs makers for lung CSCs targeting researches are critical for lung cancer therapy. In this study, utilizing previous identified lung CSCs as model, we compared the expression of CD24, CD133 and CD44 between CSCs and non-stem cancer cells. Increased ratio of CD24- cells were found in CSCs. CD24- cells were then sorted by flow cytometry and their proliferative ability, chemo-resistance property and in vivo tumor formation abilities were detected. A549 CD24- cells formed smaller colonies, slower proliferated in comparison to A549 CD24+ cells. Besides, A549 CD24- exhibited stronger resistance to chemotherapy drug. However, A549 CD24- didn't exert any stronger tumor formation ability in vivo, which is the gold standard of CSCs. These results showed that CD24- A549 cells showed some properties of CSCs but not actually CSCs. This study provides evidence that CD24 cannot be considered as lung CSCs marker.

Stem Cell Plasticity and Niche Dynamics in Cancer Progression.

Science.gov (United States)

Picco, Noemi; Gatenby, Robert A; Anderson, Alexander R A

2017-03-01

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been hypothesized to initiate and drive tumor growth and recurrence due to their self-renewal ability. If correct, this hypothesis implies that successful therapy must focus primarily on eradication of this CSC fraction. However, recent evidence suggests stemness is niche dependent and may represent one of many phenotypic states that can be accessed by many cancer genotypes when presented with specific environmental cues. A better understanding of the relationship of stemness to niche-related phenotypic plasticity could lead to alternative treatment strategies. Here, we investigate the role of environmental context in the expression of stem-like cell properties through in-silico simulation of ductal carcinoma. We develop a two-dimensional hybrid discrete-continuum cellular automata model to describe the single-cell scale dynamics of multicellular tissue formation. Through a suite of simulations, we investigate interactions between a phenotypically heterogeneous cancer cell population and a dynamic environment. We generate homeostatic ductal structures that consist of a mixture of stem and differentiated cells governed by both intracellular and environmental dynamics. We demonstrate that a wide spectrum of tumor-like histologies can result from these structures by varying microenvironmental parameters. Niche driven phenotypic plasticity offers a simple first-principle explanation for the diverse ductal structures observed in histological sections from breast cancer. Conventional models of carcinogenesis largely focus on mutational events. We demonstrate that variations in the environmental niche can produce intraductal cancers independent of genetic changes in the resident cells. Therapies targeting the microenvironmental niche may offer an alternative cancer prevention strategy.

Mechanisms of therapeutic resistance in cancer (stem cells with emphasis on thyroid cancer cells.

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Sabine eHombach-Klonisch

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Tissue invasion, metastasis and therapeutic resistance to anti-cancer treatments are common and main causes of death in cancer patients. Tumor cells mount complex and still poorly understood molecular defense mechanisms to counteract and evade oxygen deprivation, nutritional restrictions as well as radio- and chemotherapeutic treatment regimens aimed at destabilizing their genomes and important cellular processes. In thyroid cancer, as in other tumors, such defense strategies include the reactivation in cancer cells of early developmental programs normally active exclusively in stem cells, the stimulation of cancer stem-like cells resident within the tumor tissue and the recruitment of bone marrow-derived progenitors into the tumor (Thomas et al., 2008;Klonisch et al., 2009;Derwahl, 2011. Metastasis and therapeutic resistance in cancer (stem cells involves the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition- (EMT- mediated enhancement in cellular plasticity, which includes coordinated dynamic biochemical and nuclear changes (Ahmed et al., 2010. The purpose of the present review is to provide an overview of the role of DNA repair mechanisms contributing to therapeutic resistance in thyroid cancer and highlight the emerging roles of autophagy and damage associated molecular pattern (DAMP responses in EMT and chemoresistance in tumor cells. Finally, we use the stem cell factor and nucleoprotein High Mobility Group A2 (HMGA2 as an example to demonstrate how factors intended to protect stem cells are wielded by cancer (stem cells to gain increased transformative cell plasticity which enhances metastasis, therapeutic resistance and cell survival. Wherever possible, we have included information on these cellular processes and associated factors as they relate to thyroid cancer cells.

Monitoring cancer stem cells: insights into clinical oncology

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Lin SC

2016-02-01

Full Text Available ShuChen Lin,1,* YingChun Xu,2,* ZhiHua Gan,1 Kun Han,1 HaiYan Hu,3 Yang Yao,3 MingZhu Huang,4 DaLiu Min1 1Department of Oncology, Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital East Campus, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 2Department of Oncology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 3Department of Oncology, The Sixth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 4Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Cancer stem cells (CSCs are a small, characteristically distinctive subset of tumor cells responsible for tumor initiation and progression. Several treatment modalities, such as surgery, glycolytic inhibition, driving CSC proliferation, immunotherapy, and hypofractionated radiotherapy, may have the potential to eradicate CSCs. We propose that monitoring CSCs is important in clinical oncology as CSC populations may reflect true treatment response and assist with managing treatment strategies, such as defining optimal chemotherapy cycles, permitting pretreatment cancer surveillance, conducting a comprehensive treatment plan, modifying radiation treatment, and deploying rechallenge chemotherapy. Then, we describe methods for monitoring CSCs. Keywords: cancer stem cells, glycolytic inhibition, watchful waiting, rechallenge, immunotherapy

Molecular markers for tumor cell dissemination in female cancers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Obermayr, E.

2009-01-01

In the fight against cancer many advances have been made in early detection and treatment of the disease during the last few decades. Nevertheless, many patients still die of cancer due to metastatic spreading of the disease. Tumor cell dissemination may occur very early and usually is not discovered at the time of initial diagnosis. In these cases, the mere excision of the primary tumor is an insufficient treatment. Microscopic tumor residues will remain in the blood, lymph nodes, or the bone marrow and will cause disease recurrence. To improve the patient's prognosis, a sensitive tool for the detection of single tumor cells supplementing conventional diagnostic procedures is required. As the blood is more easily accessible than the bone marrow or tissue biopsies, we intended to identify gene markers for the detection of circulating tumor cells in the blood of cancer patients. We focused on patients with breast, ovarian, endometrial or cervical cancer. Starting from a genome-wide gene expression analysis of tumor cells and blood cells, we found six genes higher expression levels in cancer patients compared to healthy women. These findings suggest that an increased expression of these genes in the blood indicates the presence of circulating tumor cells inducing future metastases and thus the need for adjuvant therapy assisting the primary treatment. Measuring the expression levels of these six genes in the blood may supplement conventional diagnostic tests and improve the patient's prognosis. (author) [de

Cell-State Transitions Regulated by SLUG Are Critical for Tissue Regeneration and Tumor Initiation

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Sarah Phillips

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Perturbations in stem cell activity and differentiation can lead to developmental defects and cancer. We use an approach involving a quantitative model of cell-state transitions in vitro to gain insights into how SLUG/SNAI2, a key developmental transcription factor, modulates mammary epithelial stem cell activity and differentiation in vivo. In the absence of SLUG, stem cells fail to transition into basal progenitor cells, while existing basal progenitor cells undergo luminal differentiation; together, these changes result in abnormal mammary architecture and defects in tissue function. Furthermore, we show that in the absence of SLUG, mammary stem cell activity necessary for tissue regeneration and cancer initiation is lost. Mechanistically, SLUG regulates differentiation and cellular plasticity by recruiting the chromatin modifier lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1 to promoters of lineage-specific genes to repress transcription. Together, these results demonstrate that SLUG plays a dual role in repressing luminal epithelial differentiation while unlocking stem cell transitions necessary for tumorigenesis.

Redox biology in normal cells and cancer: restoring function of the redox/Fyn/c-Cbl pathway in cancer cells offers new approaches to cancer treatment.

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Noble, Mark; Mayer-Pröschel, Margot; Li, Zaibo; Dong, Tiefei; Cui, Wanchang; Pröschel, Christoph; Ambeskovic, Ibro; Dietrich, Joerg; Han, Ruolan; Yang, Yin Miranda; Folts, Christopher; Stripay, Jennifer; Chen, Hsing-Yu; Stevens, Brett M

2015-02-01

This review discusses a unique discovery path starting with novel findings on redox regulation of precursor cell and signaling pathway function and identification of a new mechanism by which relatively small changes in redox status can control entire signaling networks that regulate self-renewal, differentiation, and survival. The pathway central to this work, the redox/Fyn/c-Cbl (RFC) pathway, converts small increases in oxidative status to pan-activation of the c-Cbl ubiquitin ligase, which controls multiple receptors and other proteins of central importance in precursor cell and cancer cell function. Integration of work on the RFC pathway with attempts to understand how treatment with systemic chemotherapy causes neurological problems led to the discovery that glioblastomas (GBMs) and basal-like breast cancers (BLBCs) inhibit c-Cbl function through altered utilization of the cytoskeletal regulators Cool-1/βpix and Cdc42, respectively. Inhibition of these proteins to restore normal c-Cbl function suppresses cancer cell division, increases sensitivity to chemotherapy, disrupts tumor-initiating cell (TIC) activity in GBMs and BLBCs, controls multiple critical TIC regulators, and also allows targeting of non-TICs. Moreover, these manipulations do not increase chemosensitivity or suppress division of nontransformed cells. Restoration of normal c-Cbl function also allows more effective harnessing of estrogen receptor-α (ERα)-independent activities of tamoxifen to activate the RFC pathway and target ERα-negative cancer cells. Our work thus provides a discovery strategy that reveals mechanisms and therapeutic targets that cannot be deduced by standard genetics analyses, which fail to reveal the metabolic information, isoform shifts, protein activation, protein complexes, and protein degradation critical to our discoveries. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Engineered Mesenchymal Stem Cells as an Anti-Cancer Trojan Horse

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Nowakowski, Adam; Drela, Katarzyna; Rozycka, Justyna; Janowski, Miroslaw

2016-01-01

Cell-based gene therapy holds a great promise for the treatment of human malignancy. Among different cells, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are emerging as valuable anti-cancer agents that have the potential to be used to treat a number of different cancer types. They have inherent migratory properties, which allow them to serve as vehicles for delivering effective therapy to isolated tumors and metastases. MSCs have been engineered to express anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic, and anti-angiogenic agents that specifically target different cancers. Another field of interest is to modify MSCs with the cytokines that activate pro-tumorigenic immunity or to use them as carriers for the traditional chemical compounds that possess the properties of anti-cancer drugs. Although there is still controversy about the exact function of MSCs in the tumor settings, the encouraging results from the preclinical studies of MSC-based gene therapy for a large number of tumors support the initiation of clinical trials. PMID:27460260

Attenuation of cancer-initiating cells stemness properties by abrogating S100A4 calcium binding ability in head and neck cancers.

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Cheng, Li-Hao; Hung, Kai-Feng; Huang, Tung-Fu; Hsieh, Hsin-Pei; Wang, Shu-Ying; Huang, Chih-Yang; Lo, Jeng-Fan

2016-11-29

S100A4 is a calcium-binding protein capable of promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Previously, we have demonstrated that S100A4 is required to sustain the head and neck cancer-initiating cells (HN-CICs) subpopulation. In this study, to further investigate the molecular mechanism, we established the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell lines stably expressing mutant S100A4 proteins with defective calcium-binding sites on either N-terminal (NM) or C-terminal (CM), or a deletion of the last 15 amino-acid residues (CD). We showed that the NM, CM and CD harboring sphere cells that were enriched with HN-CICs population exhibited impaired stemness and malignant properties in vitro, as well as reduced tumor growth ability in vivo. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that mutant S100A4 proteins decreased the promoter activity of Nanog, likely through inhibition of p53. Moreover, the biophysical analyses of purified recombinant mutant S100A4 proteins suggest that both NM and CM mutant S100A4 were very similar to the WT S100A4 with subtle difference on the secondary structure, and that the CD mutant protein displayed the unexpected monomeric form in the solution phase.Taken together, our results suggest that both the calcium-binding ability and the C-terminal region of S100A4 are important for HN-CICs to sustain its stemness property and malignancy, and that the mechanism could be mediated by repressing p53 and subsequently activating the Nanog expression.

Local advanced transitional cell cancer and squamous cell cancer of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Case report: A 51-year-old man presented with a locally advanced squamous cell cancer of the periurethral tissues as well as an underlying isolated transitional cell cancer of the urethra. Chemotherapy with Gemcitabin and Cisplatinum together with local radiation to the pelvis and the perineum was given. There was ...

CD133-expressing thyroid cancer cells are undifferentiated, radioresistant and survive radioiodide therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ke, Chien-Chih; Liu, Ren-Shyan; Yang, An-Hang; Liu, Ching-Sheng; Chi, Chin-Wen; Tseng, Ling-Ming; Tsai, Yi-Fan; Ho, Jennifer H.; Lee, Chen-Hsen; Lee, Oscar K.

2013-01-01

131 I therapy is regularly used following surgery as a part of thyroid cancer management. Despite an overall relatively good prognosis, recurrent or metastatic thyroid cancer is not rare. CD133-expressing cells have been shown to mark thyroid cancer stem cells that possess the characteristics of stem cells and have the ability to initiate tumours. However, no studies have addressed the influence of CD133-expressing cells on radioiodide therapy of the thyroid cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate whether CD133 + cells contribute to the radioresistance of thyroid cancer and thus potentiate future recurrence and metastasis. Thyroid cancer cell lines were analysed for CD133 expression, radiosensitivity and gene expression. The anaplastic thyroid cancer cell line ARO showed a higher percentage of CD133 + cells and higher radioresistance. After γ-irradiation of the cells, the CD133 + population was enriched due to the higher apoptotic rate of CD133 - cells. In vivo 131 I treatment of ARO tumour resulted in an elevated expression of CD133, Oct4, Nanog, Lin28 and Glut1 genes. After isolation, CD133 + cells exhibited higher radioresistance and higher expression of Oct4, Nanog, Sox2, Lin28 and Glut1 in the cell line or primarily cultured papillary thyroid cancer cells, and lower expression of various thyroid-specific genes, namely NIS, Tg, TPO, TSHR, TTF1 and Pax8. This study demonstrates the existence of CD133-expressing thyroid cancer cells which show a higher radioresistance and are in an undifferentiated status. These cells possess a greater potential to survive radiotherapy and may contribute to the recurrence of thyroid cancer. A future therapeutic approach for radioresistant thyroid cancer may focus on the selective eradication of CD133 + cells. (orig.)

Properties of internalization factors contributing to the uptake of extracellular DNA into tumor-initiating stem cells of mouse Krebs-2 cell line.

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Dolgova, Evgeniya V; Potter, Ekaterina A; Proskurina, Anastasiya S; Minkevich, Alexandra M; Chernych, Elena R; Ostanin, Alexandr A; Efremov, Yaroslav R; Bayborodin, Sergey I; Nikolin, Valeriy P; Popova, Nelly A; Kolchanov, Nikolay A; Bogachev, Sergey S

2016-05-25

Previously, we demonstrated that poorly differentiated cells of various origins, including tumor-initiating stem cells present in the ascites form of mouse cancer cell line Krebs-2, are capable of naturally internalizing both linear double-stranded DNA and circular plasmid DNA. The method of co-incubating Krebs-2 cells with extracellular plasmid DNA (pUC19) or TAMRA-5'-dUTP-labeled polymerase chain reaction (PCR) product was used. It was found that internalized plasmid DNA isolated from Krebs-2 can be transformed into competent Escherichia coli cells. Thus, the internalization processes taking place in the Krebs-2 cell subpopulation have been analyzed and compared, as assayed by E. coli colony formation assay (plasmid DNA) and cytofluorescence (TAMRA-DNA). We showed that extracellular DNA both in the form of plasmid DNA and a PCR product is internalized by the same subpopulation of Krebs-2 cells. We found that the saturation threshold for Krebs-2 ascites cells is 0.5 μg DNA/10(6) cells. Supercoiled plasmid DNA, human high-molecular weight DNA, and 500 bp PCR fragments are internalized into the Krebs-2 tumor-initiating stem cells via distinct, non-competing internalization pathways. Under our experimental conditions, each cell may harbor 340-2600 copies of intact plasmid material, or up to 3.097 ± 0.044×10(6) plasmid copies (intact or not), as detected by quantitative PCR. The internalization dynamics of extracellular DNA, copy number of the plasmids taken up by the cells, and competition between different types of double-stranded DNA upon internalization into tumor-initiating stem cells of mouse ascites Krebs-2 have been comprehensively analyzed. Investigation of the extracellular DNA internalization into tumor-initiating stem cells is an important part of understanding their properties and possible destruction mechanisms. For example, a TAMRA-labeled DNA probe may serve as an instrument to develop a target for the therapy of cancer, aiming at elimination of

Spontaneous chromosome aberrations in cancer cells. Evidence of existence of hidden genetic lesions in genetic structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poryadkova-Luchnik, N.A.; Kuz'mina, E.G.

1996-01-01

Chromosome aberrations spontaneously observed in cancer cells were quantitively studied under the effect of non-mutagenic (suboptimal temperature, low content of propilgallate and caffeine) and mutagenic (ionizing radiation) factors. Human larynx cancer cells during several years or gamma-irradiation were used to carry out experiments. The experiments linked with cloning of the initial population and investigation into chromosome aberrations in 22 clones demonstrated persuasively the occurrence of latent genetic lesions in cancer cells

MYC activation is a hallmark of cancer initiation and maintenance.

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Gabay, Meital; Li, Yulin; Felsher, Dean W

2014-06-02

The MYC proto-oncogene has been implicated in the pathogenesis of most types of human tumors. MYC activation alone in many normal cells is restrained from causing tumorigenesis through multiple genetic and epigenetically controlled checkpoint mechanisms, including proliferative arrest, apoptosis, and cellular senescence. When pathologically activated in a permissive epigenetic and/or genetic context, MYC bypasses these mechanisms, enforcing many of the "hallmark" features of cancer, including relentless tumor growth associated with DNA replication and transcription, cellular proliferation and growth, protein synthesis, and altered cellular metabolism. MYC mandates tumor cell fate, by inducing stemness and blocking cellular senescence and differentiation. Additionally, MYC orchestrates changes in the tumor microenvironment, including the activation of angiogenesis and suppression of the host immune response. Provocatively, brief or even partial suppression of MYC back to its physiological levels of activation can result in the restoration of intrinsic checkpoint mechanisms, resulting in acute and sustained tumor regression, associated with tumor cells undergoing proliferative arrest, differentiation, senescence, and apoptosis, as well as remodeling of the tumor microenvironment, recruitment of an immune response, and shutdown of angiogenesis. Hence, tumors appear to be "addicted" to MYC because of both tumor cell-intrinsic, cell-autonomous and host-dependent, immune cell-dependent mechanisms. Both the trajectory and persistence of many human cancers require sustained MYC activation. Multiscale mathematical modeling may be useful to predict when tumors will be addicted to MYC. MYC is a hallmark molecular feature of both the initiation and maintenance of tumorigenesis. Copyright © 2014 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; all rights reserved.

Cervical cancer stem cells and correlation with radiation response in locally advanced cervical cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chopra, Supriya; Goda, Jayant Sastri; Deodhar, Kedar

2016-01-01

While tumour-initiating cells (TIC) have been reported across solid tumours, there is dearth of data regarding TICs and radiation response in cervical cancer. From October, 2013- July, 2015 patients with locally advanced cervical cancer were included. Pretreatment biopsy was obtained. IHC was performed for SOX-2,OCT-4, Nanog (ESC), CD44 and Podoplanin (TIC). Semiquantitative scoring was used for IHC. All patients received uniform concurrent chemoradiation and brachytherapy. On follow up, local control and distant relapse was recorded

Myofibroblast androgen receptor expression determines cell survival in co-cultures of myofibroblasts and prostate cancer cells in vitro.

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Palethorpe, Helen M; Leach, Damien A; Need, Eleanor F; Drew, Paul A; Smith, Eric

2018-04-10

Fibroblasts express androgen receptor (AR) in the normal prostate and during prostate cancer development. We have reported that loss of AR expression in prostate cancer-associated fibroblasts is a poor prognostic indicator. Here we report outcomes of direct and indirect co-cultures of immortalised AR-positive (PShTert-AR) or AR-negative (PShTert) myofibroblasts with prostate cancer cells. In the initial co-cultures the AR-negative PC3 cell line was used so AR expression and signalling were restricted to the myofibroblasts. In both direct and indirect co-culture with PShTert-AR myofibroblasts, paracrine signalling to the PC3 cells slowed proliferation and induced apoptosis. In contrast, PC3 cells proliferated with PShTert myofibroblasts irrespective of the co-culture method. In direct co-culture PC3 cells induced apoptosis in and destroyed PShTerts by direct signalling. Similar results were seen in direct co-cultures with AR-negative DU145 and AR-positive LNCaP and C4-2B prostate cancer cell lines. The AR ligand 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) inhibited the proliferation of the PShTert-AR myofibroblasts, thereby reducing the extent of their inhibitory effect on cancer cell growth. These results suggest loss of stromal AR would favour prostate cancer cell growth in vivo , providing an explanation for the clinical observation that reduced stromal AR is associated with a poorer outcome.

Inflammatory Human Umbilical Cord-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Promote Stem Cell-Like Characteristics of Cancer Cells in an IL-1β-Dependent Manner

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Xiaohe Luo

2018-01-01

Full Text Available To ensure the safety of clinical applications of MSCs, thorough understanding of their impacts on tumor initiation and progression is essential. Here, to further explore the complex dialog between MSCs and tumor cells, umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs were employed to be cocultured with either breast or ovarian cancer cells. Though having no obvious influence on proliferation or apoptosis, UC-MSCs exerted intense stem cell-like properties promoting effects on both cancer models. Cocultured cancer cells showed enriched side population, enhanced sphere formation ability, and upregulated pluripotency-associated stem cell markers. Human cytokine array and real-time PCR revealed a panel of MSC-derived prostemness cytokines CCL2, CXCL1, IL-8, and IL-6 which were induced upon coculturing. We further revealed IL-1β, a well-characterized proinflammatory cytokine, to be the inducer of these prostemness cytokines, which was generated from inflammatory UC-MSCs in an autocrine manner. Additionally, with introduction of IL-1RA (an IL-1 receptor antagonist into the coculturing system, the stem cell-like characteristics promoting effects of inflammatory UC-MSCs were partially blocked. Taken together, these findings suggest that transduced inflammatory MSCs work as a major source of IL-1β in tumor microenvironment and initiate the formation of prostemness niche via regulating their secretome in an IL-1β-dependent manner.

Correlation between residual level of DNA double-strand breaks and the radiosensitivity of cancer cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Jianxiang; Sun Weijian; Sui Jianli; Zhou Pingkun

2008-01-01

Objective: To understand the variation of the DNA double-strand break rejoining capacity among different cultured cancer cell lines and the primary cancer cells from brain cancer patients, and to explore the predictor of radiotherapy responses of cancers. Methods: DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) were induced by 60 Co γ-irradiation. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis was used to analyze the initial production and rejoining of DNA DSBs. Radiosensitivity was determined by in vitro assay of clonogenic-forming capacity. Results: A wide variation of radiosensitivity, e.g. the survival parameter of Do varied from 0.65 to 2.15 Gy, was displayed among the eight cell lines derived from different type of cancers. Although differential level of initial DNA DSBs induced by 20 Gy γ-rays was observed among various cell lines, it was not correlated with the radiosensitivity. The deficiency of DNA DSB rejoining in radiosensitive cell lines was shown either in the early rapid-rejoining phase (SX-10 cells) or in the late slow-rejoining phase (A2780 cells). A significant relationship was observed between the residual level of DNA DSBs measured at 2 h post-20 Gy irradiation and the cellular radiosensitivity (D 0 or SF 2 ). The kinetic curves of rejoining DNA DSBs in the primary human brain tumor cells indicated a variation on DSB rejoining capacity among different individual tumor. The residual level of DNA DSBs after 2 h of rejoining post 20 Gy irradiation in primary human brain tumor cells is compatible to the results obtained in vitro culture cancer cell lines. Conclusions: The residual level of DNA DSBs is correlated with radioresistance of cancer cells, and the residual DNA damage is a useful parameter in predicting the response of tumor tissue to radiotherapy. (authors)

Colorectal cancer stem cells.

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Salama, Paul; Platell, Cameron

2009-10-01

Somatic stem cells reside at the base of the crypts throughout the colonic mucosa. These cells are essential for the normal regeneration of the colonic epithelium. The stem cells reside within a special 'niche' comprised of intestinal sub-epithelial myofibroblasts that tightly control their function. It has been postulated that mutations within these adult colonic stem cells may induce neoplastic changes. Such cells can then dissociate from the epithelium and travel into the mesenchyme and thus form invasive cancers. This theory is based on the observation that within a colon cancer, less than 1% of the neoplastic cells have the ability to regenerate the tumour. It is this group of cells that exhibits characteristics of colonic stem cells. Although anti-neoplastic agents can induce remissions by inhibiting cell division, the stem cells appear to be remarkably resistant to both standard chemotherapy and radiotherapy. These stem cells may therefore persist after treatment and form the nucleus for cancer recurrence. Hence, future treatment modalities should focus specifically on controlling the cancer stem cells. In this review, we discuss the biology of normal and malignant colonic stem cells.

Identification and characterization of cells with cancer stem cell properties in human primary lung cancer cell lines.

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Ping Wang

Full Text Available Lung cancer (LC with its different subtypes is generally known as a therapy resistant cancer with the highest morbidity rate worldwide. Therapy resistance of a tumor is thought to be related to cancer stem cells (CSCs within the tumors. There have been indications that the lung cancer is propagated and maintained by a small population of CSCs. To study this question we established a panel of 15 primary lung cancer cell lines (PLCCLs from 20 fresh primary tumors using a robust serum-free culture system. We subsequently focused on identification of lung CSCs by studying these cell lines derived from 4 representative lung cancer subtypes such as small cell lung cancer (SCLC, large cell carcinoma (LCC, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC and adenocarcinoma (AC. We identified a small population of cells strongly positive for CD44 (CD44(high and a main population which was either weakly positive or negative for CD44 (CD44(low/-. Co-expression of CD90 further narrowed down the putative stem cell population in PLCCLs from SCLC and LCC as spheroid-forming cells were mainly found within the CD44(highCD90(+ sub-population. Moreover, these CD44(highCD90(+ cells revealed mesenchymal morphology, increased expression of mesenchymal markers N-Cadherin and Vimentin, increased mRNA levels of the embryonic stem cell related genes Nanog and Oct4 and increased resistance to irradiation compared to other sub-populations studied, suggesting the CD44(highCD90(+ population a good candidate for the lung CSCs. Both CD44(highCD90(+ and CD44(highCD90(- cells in the PLCCL derived from SCC formed spheroids, whereas the CD44(low/- cells were lacking this potential. These results indicate that CD44(highCD90(+ sub-population may represent CSCs in SCLC and LCC, whereas in SCC lung cancer subtype, CSC potentials were found within the CD44(high sub-population.

Identification and Characterization of Cells with Cancer Stem Cell Properties in Human Primary Lung Cancer Cell Lines

Science.gov (United States)

Suo, Zhenhe; Munthe, Else; Solberg, Steinar; Ma, Liwei; Wang, Mengyu; Westerdaal, Nomdo Anton Christiaan; Kvalheim, Gunnar; Gaudernack, Gustav

2013-01-01

Lung cancer (LC) with its different subtypes is generally known as a therapy resistant cancer with the highest morbidity rate worldwide. Therapy resistance of a tumor is thought to be related to cancer stem cells (CSCs) within the tumors. There have been indications that the lung cancer is propagated and maintained by a small population of CSCs. To study this question we established a panel of 15 primary lung cancer cell lines (PLCCLs) from 20 fresh primary tumors using a robust serum-free culture system. We subsequently focused on identification of lung CSCs by studying these cell lines derived from 4 representative lung cancer subtypes such as small cell lung cancer (SCLC), large cell carcinoma (LCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and adenocarcinoma (AC). We identified a small population of cells strongly positive for CD44 (CD44high) and a main population which was either weakly positive or negative for CD44 (CD44low/−). Co-expression of CD90 further narrowed down the putative stem cell population in PLCCLs from SCLC and LCC as spheroid-forming cells were mainly found within the CD44highCD90+ sub-population. Moreover, these CD44highCD90+ cells revealed mesenchymal morphology, increased expression of mesenchymal markers N-Cadherin and Vimentin, increased mRNA levels of the embryonic stem cell related genes Nanog and Oct4 and increased resistance to irradiation compared to other sub-populations studied, suggesting the CD44highCD90+ population a good candidate for the lung CSCs. Both CD44highCD90+ and CD44highCD90− cells in the PLCCL derived from SCC formed spheroids, whereas the CD44low/− cells were lacking this potential. These results indicate that CD44highCD90+ sub-population may represent CSCs in SCLC and LCC, whereas in SCC lung cancer subtype, CSC potentials were found within the CD44high sub-population. PMID:23469181

Wnt signaling in cancer stem cells and colon cancer metastasis [version 1; referees: 3 approved

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Sayon Basu

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Overactivation of Wnt signaling is a hallmark of colorectal cancer (CRC. The Wnt pathway is a key regulator of both the early and the later, more invasive, stages of CRC development. In the normal intestine and colon, Wnt signaling controls the homeostasis of intestinal stem cells (ISCs that fuel, via proliferation, upward movement of progeny cells from the crypt bottom toward the villus and differentiation into all cell types that constitute the intestine. Studies in recent years suggested that cancer stem cells (CSCs, similar to ISCs of the crypts, consist of a small subpopulation of the tumor and are responsible for the initiation and progression of the disease. Although various ISC signature genes were also identified as CRC markers and some of these genes were even demonstrated to have a direct functional role in CRC development, the origin of CSCs and their contribution to cancer progression is still debated. Here, we describe studies supporting a relationship between Wnt-regulated CSCs and the progression of CRC.

Oncolytic viral therapy: targeting cancer stem cells

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Smith TT

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Tyrel T Smith,1 Justin C Roth,1 Gregory K Friedman,1 G Yancey Gillespie2 1Department of Pediatrics, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; 2Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA Abstract: Cancer stem cells (CSCs are defined as rare populations of tumor-initiating cancer cells that are capable of both self-renewal and differentiation. Extensive research is currently underway to develop therapeutics that target CSCs for cancer therapy, due to their critical role in tumorigenesis, as well as their resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. To this end, oncolytic viruses targeting unique CSC markers, signaling pathways, or the pro-tumor CSC niche offer promising potential as CSCs-destroying agents/therapeutics. We provide a summary of existing knowledge on the biology of CSCs, including their markers and their niche thought to comprise the tumor microenvironment, and then we provide a critical analysis of the potential for targeting CSCs with oncolytic viruses, including herpes simplex virus-1, adenovirus, measles virus, reovirus, and vaccinia virus. Specifically, we review current literature regarding first-generation oncolytic viruses with their innate ability to replicate in CSCs, as well as second-generation viruses engineered to enhance the oncolytic effect and CSC-targeting through transgene expression. Keywords: oncolytic virotherapy, cancer stem cell niche

Cell of Origin and Cancer Stem Cells in Tumor Suppressor Mouse Models of Glioblastoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Alcantara Llaguno, Sheila R; Xie, Xuanhua; Parada, Luis F

2016-01-01

The cellular origins and the mechanisms of progression, maintenance of tumorigenicity, and therapeutic resistance are central questions in the glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) field. Using tumor suppressor mouse models, our group recently reported two independent populations of adult GBM-initiating central nervous system progenitors. We found different functional and molecular subtypes depending on the tumor-initiating cell lineage, indicating that the cell of origin is a driver of GBM subtype diversity. Using an in vivo model, we also showed that GBM cancer stem cells (CSCs) or glioma stem cells (GSCs) contribute to resistance to chemotherapeutic agents and that genetic ablation of GSCs leads to a delay in tumor progression. These studies are consistent with the cell of origin and CSCs as critical regulators of the pathogenesis of GBM. © 2016 Alcantara Llaguno et al; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Electrospinning PCL Scaffolds Manufacture for Three-Dimensional Breast Cancer Cell Culture

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Marc Rabionet

2017-08-01

Full Text Available In vitro cell culture is traditionally performed within two-dimensional (2D environments, providing a quick and cheap way to study cell properties in a laboratory. However, 2D systems differ from the in vivo environment and may not mimic the physiological cell behavior realistically. For instance, 2D culture models are thought to induce cancer stem cells (CSCs differentiation, a rare cancer cell subpopulation responsible for tumor initiation and relapse. This fact hinders the development of therapeutic strategies for tumors with a high relapse percentage, such as triple negative breast cancer (TNBC. Thus, three-dimensional (3D scaffolds have emerged as an attractive alternative to monolayer culture, simulating the extracellular matrix structure and maintaining the differentiation state of cells. In this work, scaffolds were fabricated through electrospinning different poly(ε-caprolactone-acetone solutions. Poly(ε-caprolactone (PCL meshes were seeded with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC cells and 15% PCL scaffolds displayed significantly (p < 0.05 higher cell proliferation and elongation than the other culture systems. Moreover, cells cultured on PCL scaffolds exhibited higher mammosphere forming capacity and aldehyde dehydrogenase activity than 2D-cultured cells, indicating a breast CSCs enrichment. These results prove the powerful capability of electrospinning technology in terms of poly(ε-caprolactone nanofibers fabrication. In addition, this study has demonstrated that electrospun 15% PCL scaffolds are suitable tools to culture breast cancer cells in a more physiological way and to expand the niche of breast CSCs. In conclusion, three-dimensional cell culture using PCL scaffolds could be useful to study cancer stem cell behavior and may also trigger the development of new specific targets against such malignant subpopulation.

Promotion of initiated cells by radiation-induced cell inactivation.

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Heidenreich, W F; Paretzke, H G

2008-11-01

Cells on the way to carcinogenesis can have a growth advantage relative to normal cells. It has been hypothesized that a radiation-induced growth advantage of these initiated cells might be induced by an increased cell replacement probability of initiated cells after inactivation of neighboring cells by radiation. Here Monte Carlo simulations extend this hypothesis for larger clones: The effective clonal expansion rate decreases with clone size. This effect is stronger for the two-dimensional than for the three-dimensional situation. The clones are irregular, far from a circular shape. An exposure-rate dependence of the effective clonal expansion rate could come in part from a minimal recovery time of the initiated cells for symmetric cell division.

MicroRNA Regulation of CD44+ Prostate Tumor Stem/Progenitor Cells and Prostate Cancer Development/Metastasis

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-01

cancer cell capable of initiating tumour growth in immunodeficient mice. Nature 2007;445:106–10. 11. Goodell MA, Brose K, Paradis G, Conner AS, Mulligan...broad-lineage differentiation potential and were able to regenerate mam- mary ductal structures in vivo. Likewise, breast cancer cells with high ALDH

Stem cells and cancer: A review

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Najeeb Ullah

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Stem cells are the small units of multicellular creature. Regeneration and self-renewal are the ability of the stem cells. Each tissue is having particular stem cells, specific to it. These normal stem cells are converted into cancer stem cells through mutations in it. Although the expression of oncogenes is enhanced a lot, the tumor-supressing gene is lessened. Cancer stem cells are isolated and visualized through different techniques like immunocytochemical staining, spectral karyotyping, immunohistochemistry, induction method and dissection measures, then are performed histological procedures which include fascination, immunohistochemistry, dispensation, in situ hybridization and also quantitative examination of tissue flow cytometric analysis. For the analysis of quantization, statistical tests are also performed as two-sample t-test, Chi-square test, SD and arithmetic mean. Tumor cells generate glioma spheres. These are used in cancer study. Axin 1 is the gene suppressing cancer. Its removal causes the generation of liver cancer. Curcumin is the most effective for suppressing cancer as it increases the normal stem cell function and decreases the cancer stem cell function. Brahma-related gene 1 is crucial for the safeguarding of the stem cell residents in tissue-specific comportment. Different types of cancers originate through genetic mutation, tissue disorganization and cell proliferation. Tumor configuration is produced by the alteration in original cell culture having stem cells and progenitor cell populations. The developmental facets about cancer cells and cancer stem cells as well as their personal natal functions sustain an intricate steadiness to settle on their personal donations to the efficacy or harmfulness of the biological organization.

Seeing is believing: are cancer stem cells the Loch Ness monster of tumor biology?

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Lathia, Justin D; Venere, Monica; Rao, Mahendra S; Rich, Jeremy N

2011-06-01

Tumors are complex systems with a diversity of cell phenotypes essential to tumor initiation and maintenance. With the heterogeneity present within the neoplastic compartment as its foundation, the cancer stem cell hypothesis posits that a fraction of tumor cells has the capacity to recapitulate the parental tumor upon transplantation. Over the last decade, the cancer stem cell hypothesis has gained support and shown to be relevant in many highly lethal solid tumors. However, the cancer stem cell hypothesis is not without its controversies and critics question the validity of this hypothesis based upon comparisons to normal somatic stem cells. Cancer stem cells may have direct therapeutic relevance due to resistance to current treatment paradigms, suggesting novel multimodal therapies targeting the cancer stem cells may improve patient outcomes. In this review, we will use the most common primary brain tumor, glioblastoma multiforme, as an example to illustrate why studying cancer stem cells holds great promise for more effective therapies to highly lethal tumors. In addition, we will discuss why the abilities of self-renewal and tumor propagation are the critical defining properties of cancer stem cells. Furthermore, we will examine recent progress in defining appropriate cell surface selection markers and mouse models which explore the potential cell(s) or origin for GBMs. What remains clear is that a population of cells is present in many tumors which are resistant to conventional therapies and must be considered in the design of the next generation of cancer treatments.

Protein Kinase D Enzymes as Regulators of EMT and Cancer Cell Invasion

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Nisha Durand

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The Protein Kinase D (PKD isoforms PKD1, PKD2, and PKD3 are effectors of the novel Protein Kinase Cs (nPKCs and diacylglycerol (DAG. PKDs impact diverse biological processes like protein transport, cell migration, proliferation, epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT and apoptosis. PKDs however, have distinct effects on these functions. While PKD1 blocks EMT and cell migration, PKD2 and PKD3 tend to drive both processes. Given the importance of EMT and cell migration to the initiation and progression of various malignancies, abnormal expression of PKDs has been reported in multiple types of cancers, including breast, pancreatic and prostate cancer. In this review, we discuss how EMT and cell migration are regulated by PKD isoforms and the significance of this regulation in the context of cancer development.

Dasatinib and Doxorubicin Treatment of Sarcoma Initiating Cells: A Possible New Treatment Strategy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aggerholm-Pedersen, Ninna; Demouth, Christina; Safwat, Akmal

2016-01-01

Background. One of the major challenges affecting sarcoma treatment outcome, particularly that of metastatic disease, is resistance to chemotherapy. Cancer-initiating cells are considered a major contributor to this resistance. Methods. An immortalised nontransformed human stromal (mesenchymal......) stem cell line hMSC-TERT4 and a transformed cell line hMSC-TERT20-CE8, known to form sarcoma-like tumours when implanted in immune-deficient mice, were used as models. Receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) activation was analysed by RTK arrays and cellular viability after tyrosine kinases inhibitor (TKI...

Squamous cell skin cancer

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... that reflect light more, such as water, sand, concrete, and areas that are painted white. The higher ... - skin - squamous cell; Skin cancer - squamous cell; Nonmelanoma skin cancer - squamous ...

Cadmium promotes the proliferation of triple-negative breast cancer cells through EGFR-mediated cell cycle regulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei, Zhengxi; Song, Xiulong; Shaikh, Zahir A.

2015-01-01

Cadmium (Cd) is a carcinogenic metal which is implicated in breast cancer by epidemiological studies. It is reported to promote breast cancer cell growth in vitro through membrane receptors. The study described here examined Cd-mediated growth of non-metastatic human breast cancer derived cells that lack receptors for estrogen, progesterone, and HER2. Treatment of triple-negative HCC 1937 cells with 0.1–0.5 μM Cd increased cell growth by activation of AKT and ERK. Accelerated cell cycle progression was achieved by increasing the levels of cyclins A, B, and E, as well as those of CDKs 1 and 2. Although triple negative cells lack estrogen receptor, they express high levels of EGFR. Therefore, further studies on HCC 1937 and another triple-negative cell line, HCC 38, were conducted using specific siRNA and an inhibitor of EGFR to determine whether EGFR was responsible for mediating the effect of Cd. The results revealed that in both cell types EGFR was not only activated upon Cd treatment, but was also essential for the downstream activation of AKT and ERK. Based on these observations, it is concluded that, in breast cancer cells lacking estrogen receptor, sub-micromolar concentration of Cd can promote cell proliferation. Furthermore, that EGFR plays a critical role in this process. - Highlights: • Sub-micromolar concentrations of Cd promote cell growth in breast cancer cells that lack ER, PR, and HER2. • The increase in cell number is not due to reduction in apoptosis. • Growth promotion involves AKT and ERK signaling and downstream stimulation of cell cycle progression. • Initiation of cell growth by Cd occurs at the cell membrane and requires the activation of EGFR.

Critical protein GAPDH and its regulatory mechanisms in cancer cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Jin-Ying; Zhang, Fan; Hong, Chao-Qun; Giuliano, Armando E.; Cui, Xiao-Jiang; Zhou, Guang-Ji; Zhang, Guo-Jun; Cui, Yu-Kun

2015-01-01

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), initially identified as a glycolytic enzyme and considered as a housekeeping gene, is widely used as an internal control in experiments on proteins, mRNA, and DNA. However, emerging evidence indicates that GAPDH is implicated in diverse functions independent of its role in energy metabolism; the expression status of GAPDH is also deregulated in various cancer cells. One of the most common effects of GAPDH is its inconsistent role in the determination of cancer cell fate. Furthermore, studies have described GAPDH as a regulator of cell death; other studies have suggested that GAPDH participates in tumor progression and serves as a new therapeutic target. However, related regulatory mechanisms of its numerous cellular functions and deregulated expression levels remain unclear. GAPDH is tightly regulated at transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels, which are involved in the regulation of diverse GAPDH functions. Several cancer-related factors, such as insulin, hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), p53, nitric oxide (NO), and acetylated histone, not only modulate GAPDH gene expression but also affect protein functions via common pathways. Moreover, posttranslational modifications (PTMs) occurring in GAPDH in cancer cells result in new activities unrelated to the original glycolytic function of GAPDH. In this review, recent findings related to GAPDH transcriptional regulation and PTMs are summarized. Mechanisms and pathways involved in GAPDH regulation and its different roles in cancer cells are also described

Uterine cervical cancer with brain metastasis as the initial site of presentation.

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Sato, Yumi; Tanaka, Kei; Kobayashi, Yoichi; Shibuya, Hiromi; Nishigaya, Yoshiko; Momomura, Mai; Matsumoto, Hironori; Iwashita, Mitsutoshi

2015-07-01

Brain metastasis from uterine cervical cancer is rare, with an incidence of 0.5%, and usually occurs late in the course of the disease. We report a case of uterine cervical cancer with brain metastasis as the initial site of presentation. A 50-year-old woman with headache, vertigo, amnesia and loss of appetite was admitted for persistent vomiting. Contrast enhanced computed tomography showed a solitary right frontal cerebral lesion with ring enhancement and uterine cervical tumor. She was diagnosed with uterine cervical squamous cell carcinoma with parametrium invasion and no other distant affected organs were detected. The cerebral lesion was surgically removed and pathologically proved to be metastasis of uterine cervical squamous cell carcinoma. The patient underwent concurrent chemoradiotherapy, followed by cerebral radiation therapy, but multiple metastases to the liver and lung developed and the patient died 7 months after diagnosis of brain metastasis. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research © 2015 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Pancreatic stellate cells promote epithelial-mesenchymal transition in pancreatic cancer cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kikuta, Kazuhiro; Masamune, Atsushi; Watanabe, Takashi; Ariga, Hiroyuki; Itoh, Hiromichi; Hamada, Shin; Satoh, Kennichi; Egawa, Shinichi; Unno, Michiaki; Shimosegawa, Tooru

2010-01-01

Research highlights: → Recent studies have shown that pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) promote the progression of pancreatic cancer. → Pancreatic cancer cells co-cultured with PSCs showed loose cell contacts and scattered, fibroblast-like appearance. → PSCs decreased the expression of epithelial markers but increased that of mesenchymal markers, along with increased migration. → This study suggests epithelial-mesenchymal transition as a novel mechanism by which PSCs contribute to the aggressive behavior of pancreatic cancer cells. -- Abstract: The interaction between pancreatic cancer cells and pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs), a major profibrogenic cell type in the pancreas, is receiving increasing attention. There is accumulating evidence that PSCs promote the progression of pancreatic cancer by increasing cancer cell proliferation and invasion as well as by protecting them from radiation- and gemcitabine-induced apoptosis. Because epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a critical role in the progression of pancreatic cancer, we hypothesized that PSCs promote EMT in pancreatic cancer cells. Panc-1 and SUIT-2 pancreatic cancer cells were indirectly co-cultured with human PSCs isolated from patients undergoing operation for pancreatic cancer. The expression of epithelial and mesenchymal markers was examined by real-time PCR and immunofluorescent staining. The migration of pancreatic cancer cells was examined by scratch and two-chamber assays. Pancreatic cancer cells co-cultured with PSCs showed loose cell contacts and a scattered, fibroblast-like appearance. The expression of E-cadherin, cytokeratin 19, and membrane-associated β-catenin was decreased, whereas vimentin and Snail (Snai-1) expression was increased more in cancer cells co-cultured with PSCs than in mono-cultured cells. The migration of pancreatic cancer cells was increased by co-culture with PSCs. The PSC-induced decrease of E-cadherin expression was not altered by treatment with anti

Colon cancer stem cells dictate tumor growth and resist cell death by production of interleukin-4.

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Todaro, Matilde; Alea, Mileidys Perez; Di Stefano, Anna B; Cammareri, Patrizia; Vermeulen, Louis; Iovino, Flora; Tripodo, Claudio; Russo, Antonio; Gulotta, Gaspare; Medema, Jan Paul; Stassi, Giorgio

2007-10-11

A novel paradigm in tumor biology suggests that cancer growth is driven by stem-like cells within a tumor. Here, we describe the identification and characterization of such cells from colon carcinomas using the stem cell marker CD133 that accounts around 2% of the cells in human colon cancer. The CD133(+) cells grow in vitro as undifferentiated tumor spheroids, and they are both necessary and sufficient to initiate tumor growth in immunodeficient mice. Xenografts resemble the original human tumor maintaining the rare subpopulation of tumorigenic CD133(+) cells. Further analysis revealed that the CD133(+) cells produce and utilize IL-4 to protect themselves from apoptosis. Consistently, treatment with IL-4Ralpha antagonist or anti-IL-4 neutralizing antibody strongly enhances the antitumor efficacy of standard chemotherapeutic drugs through selective sensitization of CD133(+) cells. Our data suggest that colon tumor growth is dictated by stem-like cells that are treatment resistant due to the autocrine production of IL-4.

Stages of Renal Cell Cancer

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... Tumors Treatment Genetics of Kidney Cancer Research Renal Cell Cancer Treatment (PDQ®)–Patient Version General Information About Renal Cell Cancer Go to Health Professional Version Key Points Renal ...

Cancer stem cells and personalized cancer nanomedicine.

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Gener, Petra; Rafael, Diana Fernandes de Sousa; Fernández, Yolanda; Ortega, Joan Sayós; Arango, Diego; Abasolo, Ibane; Videira, Mafalda; Schwartz, Simo

2016-02-01

Despite the progress in cancer treatment over the past years advanced cancer is still an incurable disease. Special attention is pointed toward cancer stem cell (CSC)-targeted therapies, because this minor cell population is responsible for the treatment resistance, metastatic growth and tumor recurrence. The recently described CSC dynamic phenotype and interconversion model of cancer growth hamper even more the possible success of current cancer treatments in advanced cancer stages. Accordingly, CSCs can be generated through dedifferentiation processes from non-CSCs, in particular, when CSC populations are depleted after treatment. In this context, the use of targeted CSC nanomedicines should be considered as a promising tool to increase CSC sensitivity and efficacy of specific anti-CSC therapies.

Epigenetic regulation of miRNA-cancer stem cells nexus by nutraceuticals.

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Ahmad, Aamir; Li, Yiwei; Bao, Bin; Kong, Dejuan; Sarkar, Fazlul H

2014-01-01

Nutraceuticals, the bioactive food components represented by many naturally occurring dietary compounds, have been investigated for a few decades for their numerous beneficial effects, including their anticancer properties. The initial interest in the cancer-preventing/therapeutic ability of these agents was based on their ability to affect multiple signaling pathways that are deregulated in cancer cells. With a shift in the focus of cancer research to the emerging areas such as epigenetic regulation, microRNAs (miRNAs) and the cancer stem cells (CSCs), nutraceuticals initially appeared out of place. However, research investigations over the last several years have slowly but firmly presented evidence that supports a relevance of these agents in modern day research. While nutraceuticals are increasingly being realized to alter miRNA/CSCs expression and function, the molecular mechanism(s) are not very clearly understood. Epigenetic regulation is one mechanism by which these agents exert their anticancer effects. In this focused mini review, we summarize our current understanding of epigenetic regulation of miRNAs and CSCs by nutraceuticals. We discuss both direct and indirect evidences that support such an activity of these compounds. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Lin28a is a putative factor in regulating cancer stem cell-like properties in side population cells of oral squamous cell carcinoma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hayashi, S.; Tanaka, J.; Okada, S.; Isobe, T.; Yamamoto, G.; Yasuhara, R.; Irie, T.; Akiyama, C.; Kohno, Y.; Tachikawa, T.; Mishima, K., E-mail: mishima-k@dent.showa-u.ac.jp

2013-05-01

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are among the target cells of cancer therapy because they are uniquely involved in both cancer progression and sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents. We identified side population (SP) cells, which are known to be an enriched population of CSC, in five oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells (SCC9, SCC25, TOSCC7, TOSCC17, and TOSCC23). The percentages of SP cells ranged from 0% to 3.3%, with TOSCC23 cells showing the highest percentages of SP cells (3.3% of the total cell population). The SP cells isolated from TOSCC23 cells also showed greater cell proliferation and invasion compared to non-SP (MP) cells. Therefore, our initial findings suggested that SP cells were enriched for CSC-like cells. Furthermore, DNA microarray analysis revealed that the expression of cell proliferation-related and anti-apoptotic genes was greater in SP cells compared to MP cells. We focused on Lin28a, which showed the highest expression (approximately 22-fold) among the upregulated genes. The overexpression of Lin28a in TOSCC23 cells increased their proliferation, colony formation, and invasion. These findings suggest that Lin28a is an appropriate CSC target molecule for OSCC treatment - Highlights: ► Lin28a is a SP cell-specific factor in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells. ► SP cells in OSCC cells show cancer stem cell-like properties. ► Lin28a regulates OSCC proliferative and invasive activities.

Lin28a is a putative factor in regulating cancer stem cell-like properties in side population cells of oral squamous cell carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayashi, S.; Tanaka, J.; Okada, S.; Isobe, T.; Yamamoto, G.; Yasuhara, R.; Irie, T.; Akiyama, C.; Kohno, Y.; Tachikawa, T.; Mishima, K.

2013-01-01

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are among the target cells of cancer therapy because they are uniquely involved in both cancer progression and sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents. We identified side population (SP) cells, which are known to be an enriched population of CSC, in five oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells (SCC9, SCC25, TOSCC7, TOSCC17, and TOSCC23). The percentages of SP cells ranged from 0% to 3.3%, with TOSCC23 cells showing the highest percentages of SP cells (3.3% of the total cell population). The SP cells isolated from TOSCC23 cells also showed greater cell proliferation and invasion compared to non-SP (MP) cells. Therefore, our initial findings suggested that SP cells were enriched for CSC-like cells. Furthermore, DNA microarray analysis revealed that the expression of cell proliferation-related and anti-apoptotic genes was greater in SP cells compared to MP cells. We focused on Lin28a, which showed the highest expression (approximately 22-fold) among the upregulated genes. The overexpression of Lin28a in TOSCC23 cells increased their proliferation, colony formation, and invasion. These findings suggest that Lin28a is an appropriate CSC target molecule for OSCC treatment - Highlights: ► Lin28a is a SP cell-specific factor in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells. ► SP cells in OSCC cells show cancer stem cell-like properties. ► Lin28a regulates OSCC proliferative and invasive activities

Breast cancer stem cell-like cells are more sensitive to ionizing radiation than non-stem cells: role of ATM.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seog-Young Kim

Full Text Available There are contradictory observations about the different radiosensitivities of cancer stem cells and cancer non-stem cells. To resolve these contradictory observations, we studied radiosensitivities by employing breast cancer stem cell (CSC-like MDA-MB231 and MDA-MB453 cells as well as their corresponding non-stem cells. CSC-like cells proliferate without differentiating and have characteristics of tumor-initiating cells [1]. These cells were exposed to γ-rays (1.25-8.75 Gy and survival curves were determined by colony formation. A final slope, D(0, of the survival curve for each cell line was determined to measure radiosensitivity. The D(0 of CSC-like and non-stem MDA-MB-453 cells were 1.16 Gy and 1.55 Gy, respectively. Similar results were observed in MDA-MB-231 cells (0.94 Gy vs. 1.56 Gy. After determination of radiosensitivity, we investigated intrinsic cellular determinants which influence radiosensitivity including cell cycle distribution, free-radical scavengers and DNA repair. We observed that even though cell cycle status and antioxidant content may contribute to differential radiosensitivity, differential DNA repair capacity may be a greater determinant of radiosensitivity. Unlike non-stem cells, CSC-like cells have little/no sublethal damage repair, a low intracellular level of ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM and delay of γ-H2AX foci removal (DNA strand break repair. These results suggest that low DNA repair capacity is responsible for the high radiosensitivity of these CSC-like cells.

The role of p38 MAP kinase in cancer cell apoptosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lenassi, M.; Plemenitas, A.

2006-01-01

Background. Cellular behaviour in response to many extracellular stimuli is mediated through MAP kinase signalling pathways. p38 MAP kinase that is represented in mammals by four isoforms (p38α, p38β, p38γ and p38δ) is one of the four main subgroups of MAP kinases. Recent studies show that p38 activation is necessary for cancer cell death initiated by variety of anti-cancer agents. This finding connected cancer therapies previously considered to be mechanistically unrelated and raised the possibility of developing anti-cancer agents that lack the side effects caused by events upstream of p38 MAPK. Many of the details of p38 induced apoptosis still need to be elucidated. Since most of the past studies rely only on the cell culture models, all the results have to be verified using in vivo models. Also very little is known about the role of p38 mediated apoptosis on non-neoplastic cells in response to anti-cancer agents. Conclusion. Although p38 activation of cancer cell apoptosis is a very complex process, recent studies indicate a good starting point for new strategies that would increase the efficiency and decrease the toxicity of proven therapies. (author)

The role of microRNAs in stemness of cancer stem cells

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Seyed Mohammad Ali Hosseini Rad

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Cancer is one of the most important diseases of humans, for which no cure has been found so far. Understanding the causes of cancer can pave the way for its treatment. Alteration in genetic elements such as oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes results in cancer. The most recent theory for the origin of cancer has been provided by cancer stem cells (CSCs. Tumor-initiating cells (T-ICs or CSCs are a small population isolated from tumors and hematologic malignancies. Since CSCs are similar to embryonic stem cells (ESCs in many aspects (such as pluripotency and self-renewal, recognizing the signaling pathways through which ESCs maintain their stemness can also help identify CSC signaling. One component of these signaling pathways is non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs. ncRNAs are classified in two groups: microRNAs (miRNAs and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs. miRNAs undergo altered expression in cancer. In this regard, they are classified as Onco-miRNAs or tumor suppressor miRNAs. Some miRNAs play similar roles in ESCs and CSCs, such as let-7 and miR-302. This review focuses on the miRNAs involved in stemness of ESCs and CSCs by presenting a summary of the role of miRNAs in other tumor cells.

The Cancer Cell Map Initiative: Defining the Hallmark Networks of Cancer

OpenAIRE

Krogan, Nevan J.; Lippman, Scott; Agard, David A.; Ashworth, Alan; Ideker, Trey

2015-01-01

Progress in DNA sequencing has revealed the startling complexity of cancer genomes, which typically carry thousands of somatic mutations. However, it remains unclear which are the key driver mutations or dependencies in a given cancer and how these influence pathogenesis and response to therapy. Although tumors of similar types and clinical outcomes can have patterns of mutations that are strikingly different, it is becoming apparent that these mutations recurrently hijack the same hallmark m...

[Role of PET/CT in primitive non-small cell bronchopulmonary cancer].

Science.gov (United States)

Soumia, Fdil; Leila, Achachi; Mohamed, Raoufi; Laila, Herrak; Mustapha, Elftouh

2017-01-01

Bronchopulmonary cancer is a real public health problem. Morphological imaging plays a central role in its diagnosis, staging as well as post-therapeutic assessment but it has some limitations. Metabolic imaging is a more recent technique which allows to significantly improve the overall imagery performance. We conducted a retrospective, descriptive and analytical study at the Ibn Sina Hospital and at the Military Hospital of instruction Mohammed V in Rabat over a period of 18 months, between September 2014 and February 2016, in order to evaluate the role of Fluorodeoxyglucose-PET/CT in the staging and restaging of non-small cell bronchopulmonary cancer. Initial staging showed a vast majority of locally advanced and metastatic stages: stage IV (40%), Stage IIIB (36%), Stage IIIA (16%), Stage II (8%). PET-CT allowed to detect new sites which were not initially seen on CT scan in 24 cases: 15 new ganglion sites, 8 new adrenal sites and 6 sites of bone lesions. PET/CT allowed to modify initial tumor stage in 60% of cases: upstaging in 23 patients (46%) and downstaging in 7 patients(14%). The initial stage remained unchanged in 40% of patients. Our study confirms the data from the literature concerning the superiority of PET-CT in comparison with CT scan, but only in the optimization of the non-small cell bronchopulmonary cancer management, in particular in locoregional and distant staging.

Epigenetic reprogramming of breast cancer cells with oocyte extracts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kumari Rajendra

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Breast cancer is a disease characterised by both genetic and epigenetic alterations. Epigenetic silencing of tumour suppressor genes is an early event in breast carcinogenesis and reversion of gene silencing by epigenetic reprogramming can provide clues to the mechanisms responsible for tumour initiation and progression. In this study we apply the reprogramming capacity of oocytes to cancer cells in order to study breast oncogenesis. Results We show that breast cancer cells can be directly reprogrammed by amphibian oocyte extracts. The reprogramming effect, after six hours of treatment, in the absence of DNA replication, includes DNA demethylation and removal of repressive histone marks at the promoters of tumour suppressor genes; also, expression of the silenced genes is re-activated in response to treatment. This activity is specific to oocytes as it is not elicited by extracts from ovulated eggs, and is present at very limited levels in extracts from mouse embryonic stem cells. Epigenetic reprogramming in oocyte extracts results in reduction of cancer cell growth under anchorage independent conditions and a reduction in tumour growth in mouse xenografts. Conclusions This study presents a new method to investigate tumour reversion by epigenetic reprogramming. After testing extracts from different sources, we found that axolotl oocyte extracts possess superior reprogramming ability, which reverses epigenetic silencing of tumour suppressor genes and tumorigenicity of breast cancer cells in a mouse xenograft model. Therefore this system can be extremely valuable for dissecting the mechanisms involved in tumour suppressor gene silencing and identifying molecular activities capable of arresting tumour growth. These applications can ultimately shed light on the contribution of epigenetic alterations in breast cancer and advance the development of epigenetic therapies.

Cancer Stem Cells, EMT, and Developmental Pathway Activation in Pancreatic Tumors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hindriksen, Sanne; Bijlsma, Maarten F.

2012-01-01

Pancreatic cancer is a disease with remarkably poor patient survival rates. The frequent presence of metastases and profound chemoresistance pose a severe problem for the treatment of these tumors. Moreover, cross-talk between the tumor and the local micro-environment contributes to tumorigenicity, metastasis and chemoresistance. Compared to bulk tumor cells, cancer stem cells (CSC) have reduced sensitivity to chemotherapy. CSC are tumor cells with stem-like features that possess the ability to self-renew, but can also give rise to more differentiated progeny. CSC can be identified based on increased in vitro spheroid- or colony formation, enhanced in vivo tumor initiating potential, or expression of cell surface markers. Since CSC are thought to be required for the maintenance of a tumor cell population, these cells could possibly serve as a therapeutic target. There appears to be a causal relationship between CSC and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in pancreatic tumors. The occurrence of EMT in pancreatic cancer cells is often accompanied by re-activation of developmental pathways, such as the Hedgehog, WNT, NOTCH, and Nodal/Activin pathways. Therapeutics based on CSC markers, EMT, developmental pathways, or tumor micro-environment could potentially be used to target pancreatic CSC. This may lead to a reduction of tumor growth, metastatic events, and chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer

A Flexible Reporter System for Direct Observation and Isolation of Cancer Stem Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Binwu Tang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Many tumors are hierarchically organized with a minority cell population that has stem-like properties and enhanced ability to initiate tumorigenesis and drive therapeutic relapse. These cancer stem cells (CSCs are typically identified by complex combinations of cell-surface markers that differ among tumor types. Here, we developed a flexible lentiviral-based reporter system that allows direct visualization of CSCs based on functional properties. The reporter responds to the core stem cell transcription factors OCT4 and SOX2, with further selectivity and kinetic resolution coming from use of a proteasome-targeting degron. Cancer cells marked by this reporter have the expected properties of self-renewal, generation of heterogeneous offspring, high tumor- and metastasis-initiating activity, and resistance to chemotherapeutics. With this approach, the spatial distribution of CSCs can be assessed in settings that retain microenvironmental and structural cues, and CSC plasticity and response to therapeutics can be monitored in real time.

Chronic inflammation-elicited liver progenitor cell conversion to liver cancer stem cell with clinical significance.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiao-Feng; Chen, Cheng; Xiang, Dai-Min; Qu, Le; Sun, Wen; Lu, Xin-Yuan; Zhou, Teng-Fei; Chen, Shu-Zhen; Ning, Bei-Fang; Cheng, Zhuo; Xia, Ming-Yang; Shen, Wei-Feng; Yang, Wen; Wen, Wen; Lee, Terence Kin Wah; Cong, Wen-Ming; Wang, Hong-Yang; Ding, Jin

2017-12-01

The substantial heterogeneity and hierarchical organization in liver cancer support the theory of liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs). However, the relationship between chronic hepatic inflammation and LCSC generation remains obscure. Here, we observed a close correlation between aggravated inflammation and liver progenitor cell (LPC) propagation in the cirrhotic liver of rats exposed to diethylnitrosamine. LPCs isolated from the rat cirrhotic liver initiated subcutaneous liver cancers in nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient mice, suggesting the malignant transformation of LPCs toward LCSCs. Interestingly, depletion of Kupffer cells in vivo attenuated the LCSC properties of transformed LPCs and suppressed cytokeratin 19/Oval cell 6-positive tumor occurrence. Conversely, LPCs cocultured with macrophages exhibited enhanced LCSC properties. We further demonstrated that macrophage-secreted tumor necrosis factor-α triggered chromosomal instability in LPCs through the deregulation of ubiquitin D and checkpoint kinase 2 and enhanced the self-renewal of LPCs through the tumor necrosis factor receptor 1/Src/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 pathway, which synergistically contributed to the conversion of LPCs to LCSCs. Clinical investigation revealed that cytokeratin 19/Oval cell 6-positive liver cancer patients displayed a worse prognosis and exhibited superior response to sorafenib treatment. Our results not only clarify the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the inflammation-mediated LCSC generation but also provide a molecular classification for the individualized treatment of liver cancer. (Hepatology 2017;66:1934-1951). © 2017 by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Metabolic cooperation between cancer and non-cancerous stromal cells is pivotal in cancer progression.

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Lopes-Coelho, Filipa; Gouveia-Fernandes, Sofia; Serpa, Jacinta

2018-02-01

The way cancer cells adapt to microenvironment is crucial for the success of carcinogenesis, and metabolic fitness is essential for a cancer cell to survive and proliferate in a certain organ/tissue. The metabolic remodeling in a tumor niche is endured not only by cancer cells but also by non-cancerous cells that share the same microenvironment. For this reason, tumor cells and stromal cells constitute a complex network of signal and organic compound transfer that supports cellular viability and proliferation. The intensive dual-address cooperation of all components of a tumor sustains disease progression and metastasis. Herein, we will detail the role of cancer-associated fibroblasts, cancer-associated adipocytes, and inflammatory cells, mainly monocytes/macrophages (tumor-associated macrophages), in the remodeling and metabolic adaptation of tumors.

Dendritic-cell-based immunotherapy evokes potent anti-tumor immune responses in CD105+ human renal cancer stem cells.

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Zhang, Xiao-Fei; Weng, De-Sheng; Pan, Ke; Zhou, Zi-Qi; Pan, Qiu-Zhong; Zhao, Jing-Jing; Tang, Yan; Jiang, Shan-Shan; Chen, Chang-Long; Li, Yong-Qiang; Zhang, Hong-Xia; Chang, Alfred E; Wicha, Max S; Zeng, Yi-Xin; Li, Qiao; Xia, Jian-Chuan

2017-11-01

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are responsible for tumor initiation, progression, and resistance to therapeutic agents; they are usually less sensitive to conventional cancer therapies, and could cause tumor relapse. An ideal therapeutic strategy would therefore be to selectively target and destroy CSCs, thereby preventing tumor relapse. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of dendritic cells (DCs) pulsed with antigen derived from CD105+ human renal cell carcinoma (RCC) CSCs against renal cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. We identified "stem-like" characteristics of CD105+ cells in two human RCC cell lines: A498 and SK-RC-39. Loading with cell lysates did not change the characteristics of the DCs. However, DCs loaded with lysates derived from CD105+ CSCs induced more functionally specific active T cells and specific antibodies against CSCs, and clearly depressed the tumor growth in mice. Our results could form the basis for a novel strategy to improve the efficacy of DC-based immunotherapy for human RCC. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Tracking and Functional Characterization of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Mesenchymal Tumor Cells During Prostate Cancer Metastasis

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Ruscetti, Marcus; Quach, Bill; Dadashian, Eman L.; Mulholland, David J.; Wu, Hong

2015-01-01

The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been postulated as a mechanism by which cancer cells acquire the invasive and stem-like traits necessary for distant metastasis. However, direct in vivo evidence for the role of EMT in the formation of cancer stem-like cells (CSC) and the metastatic cascade remains lacking. Here we report the first isolation and characterization of mesenchymal and EMT tumor cells, which harbor both epithelial and mesenchymal characteristics, in an autochthonous murine model of prostate cancer. By crossing the established Pb-Cre+/−;PtenL/L;KrasG12D/+ prostate cancer model with a vimentin-GFP reporter strain, generating CPKV mice, we were able to isolate epithelial, EMT and mesenchymal cancer cells based on expression of vimentin and EpCAM. CPKV mice (but not mice with Pten deletion alone) exhibited expansion of cells with EMT (EpCAM+/Vim-GFP+) and mesenchymal (EpCAM−/Vim-GFP+) characteristics at the primary tumor site and in circulation. These EMT and mesenchymal tumor cells displayed enhanced stemness and invasive character compared to epithelial tumor cells. Moreover, they displayed an enriched tumor-initiating capacity and could regenerate epithelial glandular structures in vivo, indicative of epithelia-mesenchyme plasticity. Interestingly, while mesenchymal tumor cells could persist in circulation and survive in the lung following intravenous injection, only epithelial and EMT tumor cells could form macrometastases. Our work extends the evidence that mesenchymal and epithelial states in cancer cells contribute differentially to their capacities for tumor initiation and metastatic seeding, respectively, and that EMT tumor cells exist with plasticity that can contribute to multiple stages of the metastatic cascade. PMID:25948589

'A novel in vivo model for the study of human breast cancer metastasis using primary breast tumor-initiating cells from patient biopsies'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marsden, Carolyn G; Wright, Mary Jo; Carrier, Latonya; Moroz, Krzysztof; Pochampally, Radhika; Rowan, Brian G

2012-01-01

The study of breast cancer metastasis depends on the use of established breast cancer cell lines that do not accurately represent the heterogeneity and complexity of human breast tumors. A tumor model was developed using primary breast tumor-initiating cells isolated from patient core biopsies that would more accurately reflect human breast cancer metastasis. Tumorspheres were isolated under serum-free culture conditions from core biopsies collected from five patients with clinical diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). Isolated tumorspheres were transplanted into the mammary fat pad of NUDE mice to establish tumorigenicity in vivo. Tumors and metastatic lesions were analyzed by hematoxylin and eosin (H+E) staining and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Tumorspheres were successfully isolated from all patient core biopsies, independent of the estrogen receptor α (ERα)/progesterone receptor (PR)/Her2/neu status or tumor grade. Each tumorsphere was estimated to contain 50-100 cells. Transplantation of 50 tumorspheres (1-5 × 10 3 cells) in combination with Matrigel into the mammary fat pad of NUDE mice resulted in small, palpable tumors that were sustained up to 12 months post-injection. Tumors were serially transplanted three times by re-isolation of tumorspheres from the tumors and injection into the mammary fat pad of NUDE mice. At 3 months post-injection, micrometastases to the lung, liver, kidneys, brain and femur were detected by measuring content of human chromosome 17. Visible macrometastases were detected in the lung, liver and kidneys by 6 months post-injection. Primary tumors variably expressed cytokeratins, Her2/neu, cytoplasmic E-cadherin, nuclear β catenin and fibronectin but were negative for ERα and vimentin. In lung and liver metastases, variable redistribution of E-cadherin and β catenin to the membrane of tumor cells was observed. ERα was re-expressed in lung metastatic cells in two of five samples. Tumorspheres isolated under defined culture

Comparison of tumor biology of two distinct cell sub-populations in lung cancer stem cells.

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Wang, Jianyu; Sun, Zhiwei; Liu, Yongli; Kong, Liangsheng; Zhou, Shixia; Tang, Junlin; Xing, Hongmei Rosie

2017-11-14

Characterization of the stem-like properties of cancer stem cells (CSCs) remain indirect and qualitative, especially the ability of CSCs to undergo asymmetric cell division for self renewal and differentiation, a unique property of cells of stem origin. It is partly due to the lack of stable cellular models of CSCs. In this study, we developed a new approach for CSC isolation and purification to derive a CSC-enriched cell line (LLC-SE). By conducting five consecutive rounds of single cell cloning using the LLC-SE cell line, we obtained two distinct sub-population of cells within the Lewis lung cancer CSCs that employed largely symmetric division for self-renewal (LLC-SD) or underwent asymmetric division for differentiation (LLC-ASD). LLC-SD and LLC-ASD cell lines could be stably passaged in culture and be distinguished by cell morphology, stem cell marker, spheroid formation and subcutaneous tumor initiation efficiency, as well as orthotopic lung tumor growth, progression and survival. The ability LLC-ASD cells to undergo asymmetric division was visualized and quantified by the asymmetric segregation of labeled BrdU and NUMB to one of the two daughter cells in anaphase cell division. The more stem-like LLC-SD cells exhibited higher capacity for tumorigenesis and progression and shorter survival. As few as 10 LLC-SD could initiate subcutaneous tumor growth when transplanted to the athymic mice. Collectively, these observations suggest that the SD-type of cells appear to be on the top of the hierarchical order of the CSCs. Furthermore, they have lead to generated cellular models of CSC self-renewal for future mechanistic investigations.

Gastric stem cells and gastric cancer stem cells

OpenAIRE

Han, Myoung-Eun; Oh, Sae-Ock

2013-01-01

The gastric epithelium is continuously regenerated by gastric stem cells, which give rise to various kinds of daughter cells, including parietal cells, chief cells, surface mucous cells, mucous neck cells, and enteroendocrine cells. The self-renewal and differentiation of gastric stem cells need delicate regulation to maintain the normal physiology of the stomach. Recently, it was hypothesized that cancer stem cells drive the cancer growth and metastasis. In contrast to conventional clonal ev...

Multimodal Nanomedicine Strategies for Targeting Cancer Cells as well as Cancer Stem Cell Signalling Mechanisms.

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Kanwar, Jagat R; Samarasinghe, Rasika M; Kamalapuram, Sishir K; Kanwar, Rupinder K

2017-01-01

Increasing evidence suggests that stem cells, a small population of cells with unique selfrenewable and tumour regenerative capacity, are aiding tumour re-growth and multidrug resistance. Conventional therapies are highly ineffective at eliminating these cells leading to relapse of disease and formation of chemoresistance tumours. Cancer and stem cells targeted therapies that utilizes nanotherapeutics to delivery anti-cancer drugs to specific sites are continuously investigated. This review focuses on recent research using nanomedicine and targeting entities to eliminate cancer cells and cancer stem cells. Current nanotherapeutics in clinical trials along with more recent publications on targeted therapies are addressed. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Road for understanding cancer stem cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Serakinci, Nedime; Erzik, Can

2007-01-01

There is increasing evidence suggesting that stem cells are susceptive to carcinogenesis and, consequently, can be the origin of many cancers. Recently, the neoplastic potential of stem cells has been supported by many groups showing the existence of subpopulations with stem cell characteristics...... in tumor biopsies such as brain and breast. Evidence supporting the cancer stem cell hypothesis has gained impact due to progress in stem cell biology and development of new models to validate the self-renewal potential of stem cells. Recent evidence on the possible identification of cancer stem cells may...... offer an opportunity to use these cells as future therapeutic targets. Therefore, model systems in this field have become very important and useful. This review will focus on the state of knowledge on cancer stem cell research, including cell line models for cancer stem cells. The latter will, as models...

Value of brain computed tomography in small cell lung cancers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernet, M.; Breau, J.L.; Goldlust, D.; Israel, L.

1988-01-01

88 patients with small cell lung cancer were studied. Brain scans were performed first at initial staging and repeated at regular intervals during the survey. The results confirm the limited value of brain scans in the detection of metastases in neurologically asymptomatic patients [fr

Clinical Trial Design for Testing the Stem Cell Model for the Prevention and Treatment of Cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reddy, Rishindra M.; Kakarala, Madhuri; Wicha, Max S.

2011-01-01

The cancer stem cell model introduces new strategies for the prevention and treatment of cancers. In cancers that appear to follow the stem cell model, pathways such as Wnt, Notch and Hedgehog may be targeted with natural compounds such as curcumin or drugs to reduce the risk of initiation of new tumors. Disease progression of established tumors could also potentially be inhibited by targeting the tumorigenic stem cells alone, rather than aiming to reduce overall tumor size. These new approaches mandate a change in the design of clinical trials and biomarkers chosen for efficacy assessment for preventative, neoadjuvant, adjuvant, and palliative treatments. Cancer treatments could be evaluated by assessing stem cell markers before and after treatment. Targeted stem cell specific treatment of cancers may not result in “complete” or “partial” responses radiologically, as stem cell targeting may not reduce the tumor bulk, but eliminate further tumorigenic potential. These changes are discussed using breast, pancreatic, and lung cancer as examples

Clinical Trial Design for Testing the Stem Cell Model for the Prevention and Treatment of Cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reddy, Rishindra M., E-mail: reddyrm@med.umich.edu [Medical Center, University of Michigan, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, 2120 Taubman Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Kakarala, Madhuri; Wicha, Max S. [Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Michigan, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States)

2011-06-20

The cancer stem cell model introduces new strategies for the prevention and treatment of cancers. In cancers that appear to follow the stem cell model, pathways such as Wnt, Notch and Hedgehog may be targeted with natural compounds such as curcumin or drugs to reduce the risk of initiation of new tumors. Disease progression of established tumors could also potentially be inhibited by targeting the tumorigenic stem cells alone, rather than aiming to reduce overall tumor size. These new approaches mandate a change in the design of clinical trials and biomarkers chosen for efficacy assessment for preventative, neoadjuvant, adjuvant, and palliative treatments. Cancer treatments could be evaluated by assessing stem cell markers before and after treatment. Targeted stem cell specific treatment of cancers may not result in “complete” or “partial” responses radiologically, as stem cell targeting may not reduce the tumor bulk, but eliminate further tumorigenic potential. These changes are discussed using breast, pancreatic, and lung cancer as examples.

Cancer initiation and progression: an unsimplifiable complexity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frezza Eldo E

2006-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Cancer remains one of the most complex diseases affecting humans and, despite the impressive advances that have been made in molecular and cell biology, how cancer cells progress through carcinogenesis and acquire their metastatic ability is still widely debated. Conclusion There is no doubt that human carcinogenesis is a dynamic process that depends on a large number of variables and is regulated at multiple spatial and temporal scales. Viewing cancer as a system that is dynamically complex in time and space will, however, probably reveal more about its underlying behavioural characteristics. It is encouraging that mathematicians, biologists and clinicians continue to contribute together towards a common quantitative understanding of cancer complexity. This way of thinking may further help to clarify concepts, interpret new and old experimental data, indicate alternative experiments and categorize the acquired knowledge on the basis of the similarities and/or shared behaviours of very different tumours.

Bone metastasis pattern in initial metastatic breast cancer: a population-based study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiong Z

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Zhenchong Xiong,1–3,* Guangzheng Deng,1–3,* Xinjian Huang,1–3,* Xing Li,1–3 Xinhua Xie,1–3 Jin Wang,1–3 Zeyu Shuang,1–3 Xi Wang1–3 1Department of Breast Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China; 2State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Guangzhou, China; 3Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China *These authors contributed equally to this work Purpose: Bone is one of the most common sites of breast cancer metastasis, and population-based studies of patients with bone metastasis in initial metastatic breast cancer (MBC are lacking. Materials and methods: From 2010 to 2013, 245,707 breast cancer patients and 8901 patients diagnosed with initial bone metastasis were identified by Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database of the National Cancer Institute. Multivariate logistic and Cox regression were used to identify predictive factors for the presence of bone metastasis and prognosis factors. Kaplan–Meier method and log-rank test were used for survival analysis. Results: Eight thousand nine hundred one patients with initial MBC had bone involvement, accounting for 3.6% of the entire cohort and 62.5% of the patients with initial MBC. Also, 70.5% of patients with bone metastasis were hormone receptor (HR positive (HR+/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 [HER2]−: 57.6%; HR+/HER2+: 12.9%. Patients with initial bone metastasis had a better 5-year survival rate compared to those with initial brain, liver, or lung metastasis. HR+/HER2− and HR+/HER2+ breast cancer had a propensity of bone metastasis in the entire cohort and were correlated with better prognosis in patients with initial bone metastasis. Local surgery had significantly improved overall survival in initial MBC patients with bone metastasis. Conclusion: Our study has provided population-based estimates of epidemiologic characteristics and prognosis in patients with bone metastasis at the time of

Rectal prolapse as initial clinical manifestation of colon cancer.

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Chen, C-W; Hsiao, C-W; Wu, C-C; Jao, S-W

2008-04-01

Rectal prolapse as the initial clinical manifestation of colorectal cancer is uncommon. We describe the case of a 75-year-old woman who was diagnosed as having adenocarcinoma of the sigmoid colon after presenting with complete rectal prolapse. The tumor caused rectosigmoid intussusception and then it prolapsed out through the anus. She underwent rectosigmoidectomy and rectopexy. The postoperative course was uneventful. The relationship between colorectal cancer and rectal prolapse has not been clearly established. This case report describes an unusual presentation of colorectal cancer. It suggests that rectal prolapse can present as the initial symptom of colorectal cancer and may also be a presenting feature of the occult intra-abdominal pathology. The importance of adequate investigation such as colonoscopy should be emphasized in patients who develop a new onset of rectal prolapse.

Increased Levels of Erythropoietin in Nipple Aspirate Fluid and in Ductal Cells from Breast Cancer Patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ferdinando Mannello

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Erythropoietin (Epo is an important regulator of erythropoiesis, and controls proliferation and differentiation of both erythroid and non-erythroid tissues. Epo is actively synthesized by breast cells during lactation, and also plays a role in breast tissues promoting hypoxia-induced cancer initiation. Our aims are to perform an exploratory investigation on the Epo accumulation in breast secretions from healthy and cancer patients and its localization in breast cancer cells.

Extragonadal Germ Cell Cancer (EGC)

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The Testicular Cancer Resource Center Extragonadal Germ Cell Cancer (EGC) 95% of all testicular tumors are germ cell tumors. That is, the tumors originate in the sperm forming cells in the testicles ( ...

Highly efficient elimination of colorectal tumor-initiating cells by an EpCAM/CD3-bispecific antibody engaging human T cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ines Herrmann

2010-10-01

Full Text Available With their resistance to genotoxic and anti-proliferative drugs and potential to grow tumors and metastases from very few cells, cancer stem or tumor-initiating cells (TICs are a severe limitation for the treatment of cancer by conventional therapies. Here, we explored whether human T cells that are redirected via an EpCAM/CD3-bispecific antibody called MT110 can lyse colorectal TICs and prevent tumor growth from TICs. MT110 recognizes EpCAM, a cell adhesion molecule expressed on TICs from diverse human carcinoma, which was recently shown to promote tumor growth through engagement of elements of the wnt pathway. MT110 was highly potent in mediating complete redirected lysis of KRAS-, PI3 kinase- and BRAF-mutated colorectal TICs, as demonstrated in a soft agar assay. In immunodeficient mice, MT110 prevented growth of tumors from a 5,000-fold excess of a minimally tumorigenic TIC dose. T cells engaged by MT110 may provide a potent therapeutic means to eradicate TICs and bulk tumor cells derived thereof.

New use of an old drug: inhibition of breast cancer stem cells by benztropine mesylate.

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Cui, Jihong; Hollmén, Maija; Li, Lina; Chen, Yong; Proulx, Steven T; Reker, Daniel; Schneider, Gisbert; Detmar, Michael

2017-01-03

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) play major roles in cancer initiation, metastasis, recurrence and therapeutic resistance. Targeting CSCs represents a promising strategy for cancer treatment. The purpose of this study was to identify selective inhibitors of breast CSCs (BCSCs). We carried out a cell-based phenotypic screening with cell viability as a primary endpoint, using a collection of 2,546 FDA-approved drugs and drug-like molecules in spheres formed by malignant human breast gland-derived cells (HMLER-shEcad cells, representing BCSCs) and control immortalized non-tumorigenic human mammary cells (HMLE cells, representing normal stem cells). 19 compounds were identified from screening. The chemically related molecules benztropine mesylate and deptropine citrate were selected for further validation and both potently inhibited sphere formation and self-renewal of BCSCs in vitro. Benztropine mesylate treatment decreased cell subpopulations with high ALDH activity and with a CD44+/CD24- phenotype. In vivo, benztropine mesylate inhibited tumor-initiating potential in a 4T1 mouse model. Functional studies indicated that benztropine mesylate inhibits functions of CSCs via the acetylcholine receptors, dopamine transporters/receptors, and/or histamine receptors. In summary, our findings identify benztropine mesylate as an inhibitor of BCSCs in vitro and in vivo. This study also provides a screening platform for identification of additional anti-CSC agents.

Automatic cell cloning assay for determining the clonogenic capacity of cancer and cancer stem-like cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Fedr, Radek; Pernicová, Zuzana; Slabáková, Eva; Straková, Nicol; Bouchal, Jan; Grepl, Michal; Kozubík, Alois; Souček, Karel

2013-05-01

The clonogenic assay is a well-established in vitro method for testing the survival and proliferative capability of cells. It can be used to determine the cytotoxic effects of various treatments including chemotherapeutics and ionizing radiation. However, this approach can also characterize cells with different phenotypes and biological properties, such as stem cells or cancer stem cells. In this study, we implemented a faster and more precise method for assessing the cloning efficiency of cancer stem-like cells that were characterized and separated using a high-speed cell sorter. Cell plating onto a microplate using an automatic cell deposition unit was performed in a single-cell or dilution rank mode by the fluorescence-activated cell sorting method. We tested the new automatic cell-cloning assay (ACCA) on selected cancer cell lines and compared it with the manual approach. The obtained results were also compared with the results of the limiting dilution assay for different cell lines. We applied the ACCA to analyze the cloning capacity of different subpopulations of prostate and colon cancer cells based on the expression of the characteristic markers of stem (CD44 and CD133) and cancer stem cells (TROP-2, CD49f, and CD44). Our results revealed that the novel ACCA is a straightforward approach for determining the clonogenic capacity of cancer stem-like cells identified in both cell lines and patient samples. Copyright © 2013 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry.

A Critical Review on the Effect of Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) on Cancer Cell Cycle Progression.

Science.gov (United States)

Newell, Marnie; Baker, Kristi; Postovit, Lynne M; Field, Catherine J

2017-08-17

Globally, there were 14.1 million new cancer diagnoses and 8.2 million cancer deaths in 2012. For many cancers, conventional therapies are limited in their successes and an improved understanding of disease progression is needed in conjunction with exploration of alternative therapies. The long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), has been shown to enhance many cellular responses that reduce cancer cell viability and decrease proliferation both in vitro and in vivo. A small number of studies suggest that DHA improves chemotherapy outcomes in cancer patients. It is readily incorporated into cancer cell membranes and, as a result there has been considerable research regarding cell membrane initiated events. For example, DHA has been shown to mediate the induction of apoptosis/reduction of proliferation in vitro and in vivo. However, there is limited research into the effect of DHA on cell cycle regulation in cancer cells and the mechanism(s) by which DHA acts are not fully understood. The purpose of the current review is to provide a critical examination of the literature investigating the ability of DHA to stall progression during different cell cycle phases in cancer cells, as well as the consequences that these changes may have on tumour growth, independently and in conjunction with chemotherapy.

SU-F-T-683: Cancer Stem Cell Hypothesis and Radiation Treatments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fourkal, E

2016-01-01

Purpose: The tumor control probability in radiation therapy allows comparing different radiation treatments to each other by means of calculating the probability that a prescribed dose of radiation eradicates or controls the tumor. In the conventional approach, all cancer cells can divide unlimited number of times and the tumor control often means eradicating every malignant cell by the radiation. In recent years however, there is a mounting consensus that in a given tumor volume there is a sub-population of cells, known as cancer stem cells (CSCs) that are responsible for tumor initiation and growth. Other or progenitor cancer cells can only divide limited number of times. This entails that only cancer stem cells may nned to be eliminated in order to control the tumor. Thus one may define TCP as the probability of eliminating CSCs for the given dose of radiation. Methods: Using stochastic methods, specifically the birth-and-death Markov processes, an infinite system of equations is set for probabilities of having m cancer stem cells at time t after the start of radiation. The TCP is calculated as the probability of no cancer stem cells surviving the radiation. Two scenarios are studied. In the first situation, the TCP is calculated for a unidirectional case when CSC gives birth to another CSC or a progenitor cell. In the second scenario, a bidirectional model is studied where the progenitor cell gives rise to CSC. Results: The proposed calculations show that the calculated TCP for CSC depends on whether one adopts unidirectional or bidirectional conversion models. The bidirectional model shows significantly lower TCP values for the given dose delivered to the tumor. Conclusion: Incorporating CSC hypothesis into the TCP modeling may notably influence the dose prescription as well as the concept of the expected TCP after the radiation treatments.