Human CD133-positive hematopoietic progenitor cells initiate growth and metastasis of colorectal cancer cells

Identification of necroptosis-related lncRNAs for prognosis prediction and screening of potential drugs in patients with colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

Tumor recurrence and metastasis lead to a poor prognosis in colorectal cancer (CRC). Necroptosis is closely related to the tumor microenvironment (TME) and affects tumor recurrence and metastasis. We aimed to stratify CRC patients according to necroptosis-related long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), which can be used to not only evaluate prognosis and improve precision medicine in clinical practice but also screen potential immunotherapy drugs.

AIM

To stratify CRC patients according to necroptosis-related lncRNAs (NRLs), which can be used to not only evaluate prognosis and improve precision medicine in clinical practice but also screen potential immunotherapy drugs.

METHODS

LncRNA expression profiles were collected from The Cancer Genome Atlas. NRLs were identified by coexpression analysis. Cox regression analysis identified a NRL signature. Then, the value of this signature was comprehensively and multidimensionally evaluated, and its reliability for CRC prognosis prediction was assessed with clinical CRC data and compared with that of six other lncRNA signatures. Gene set enrichment analysis, TME analysis and half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) prediction were also performed according to the risk score (RS) of the signature.

RESULTS

An 8-lncRNA signature significantly associated with overall survival (OS) was constructed, and its reliability was validated with clinical CRC data. Most of the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) values for 1-, 3- and 5-year OS for this signature were higher than those for the other six lncRNA signatures. OS, disease-specific survival and the progression-free interval were all significantly poorer in the high-risk group. The RS of the signature showed good concordance with the predicted prognosis, with AUCs for 1-, 3- and 5-year OS of 0.79, 0.81 and 0.77, respectively. Additionally, the calibration plots for this signature combined with clinical factors showed that this combination could effectively improve the ability to predict OS. The RS was correlated with tumor stage, lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis. Most of the enriched Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes and Gene Ontology terms were tumor metastasis-related pathways in the high-risk group; these patients showed greater infiltration of immunosuppressive cells, such as cancer-associated fibroblasts, hematopoietic stem cells and M2 macrophages, but less infiltration of infiltrating antitumor effector immune cells, such as cluster of differentiation 8⁺ T cells and regulatory T cells (Tregs). We explored additional potential immune checkpoint genes and potential immunotherapeutic and chemotherapeutic drugs with relatively low IC₅₀ values.

CONCLUSION

We identified an NRL signature with strong fidelity that could stably predict prognosis and might be an indicator of the TME of CRC. Furthermore, additional potential immunotherapeutic and chemotherapeutic drugs were explored.

Multipotent fetal stem cells in reproductive biology research

Due to the limited accessibility of the in vivo situation, the scarcity of the human tissue, legal constraints, and ethical considerations, the underlying molecular mechanisms of disorders, such as preeclampsia, the pathological consequences of fetomaternal microchimerism, or infertility, are still not fully understood. And although substantial progress has already been made, the therapeutic strategies for reproductive system diseases are still facing limitations. In the recent years, it became more and more evident that stem cells are powerful tools for basic research in human reproduction and stem cell-based approaches moved into the center of endeavors to establish new clinical concepts. Multipotent fetal stem cells derived from the amniotic fluid, amniotic membrane, chorion leave, Wharton´s jelly, or placenta came to the fore because they are easy to acquire, are not associated with ethical concerns or covered by strict legal restrictions, and can be banked for autologous utilization later in life. Compared to adult stem cells, they exhibit a significantly higher differentiation potential and are much easier to propagate in vitro. Compared to pluripotent stem cells, they harbor less mutations, are not tumorigenic, and exhibit low immunogenicity. Studies on multipotent fetal stem cells can be invaluable to gain knowledge on the development of dysfunctional fetal cell types, to characterize the fetal stem cells migrating into the body of a pregnant woman in the context of fetomaternal microchimerism, and to obtain a more comprehensive picture of germ cell development in the course of in vitro differentiation experiments. The in vivo transplantation of fetal stem cells or their paracrine factors can mediate therapeutic effects in preeclampsia and can restore reproductive organ functions. Together with the use of fetal stem cell-derived gametes, such strategies could once help individuals, who do not develop functional gametes, to conceive genetically related children. Although there is still a long way to go, these developments regarding the usage of multipotent fetal stem cells in the clinic should continuously be accompanied by a wide and detailed ethical discussion.

The Gut-Vascular Barrier as a New Protagonist in Intestinal and Extraintestinal Diseases

The intestinal barrier, with its multiple layers, is the first line of defense between the outside world and the intestine. Its disruption, resulting in increased intestinal permeability, is a recognized pathogenic factor of intestinal and extra-intestinal diseases. The identification of a gut-vascular barrier (GVB), consisting of a structured endothelium below the epithelial layer, has led to new evidence on the etiology and management of diseases of the gut-liver axis and the gut-brain axis, with recent implications in oncology as well. The gut-brain axis is involved in several neuroinflammatory processes. In particular, the recent description of a choroid plexus vascular barrier regulating brain permeability under conditions of gut inflammation identifies the endothelium as a key regulator in maintaining tissue homeostasis and health.

Formation of pre-metastatic bone niche in prostate cancer and regulation of traditional chinese medicine

Prostate cancer with bone metastasis has a high cancer-specific mortality. Thus, it is essential to delineate the mechanism of bone metastasis. Pre-metastatic niche (PMN) is a concept in tumor metastasis, which is characterized by tumor-secreted factors, reprogramming of stromal cells, and immunosuppression by myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC), which is induced by bone marrow-derived cells (BMDC) in the target organ. However, PMN does not explain the predilection of prostate cancer towards bone metastasis. In this review, we discuss the initiation of bone metastasis of prostate cancer from the perspective of PMN and tumor microenvironment in a step-wise manner. Furthermore, we present a new concept called pre-metastatic bone niche, featuring inherent BMDC, to interpret bone metastasis. Moreover, we illustrate the regulation of traditional Chinese medicine on PMN.

OUP accepted manuscript

It is the hope of clinicians and patients alike that stem cell-based therapeutic products will increasingly become applicable remedies for many diseases and injuries. Whereas some multipotent stem cells are already routinely used in regenerative medicine, the efficacious and safe clinical translation of pluripotent stem cells is still hampered by their inherent immunogenicity and tumorigenicity. In addition, stem cells harbor the paracrine potential to affect the behavior of cells in their microenvironment. On the one hand, this property can mediate advantageous supportive effects on the overall therapeutic concept. However, in the last years, it became evident that both, multipotent and pluripotent stem cells, are capable of inducing adjacent cells to become motile. Not only in the context of tumor development but generally, deregulated mobilization and uncontrolled navigation of patient’s cells can have deleterious consequences for the therapeutic outcome. A more comprehensive understanding of this ubiquitous stem cell feature could allow its proper clinical handling and could thereby constitute an important building block for the further development of safe therapies.

Hypoxia-Inducible Exosomes Facilitate Liver-Tropic Premetastatic Niche in Colorectal Cancer

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Liver metastasis is a frequent occurrence in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), with 15%-25% of CRC patients having liver metastases at the time of initial diagnosis. Specifically, some regional-stage patients with mild symptoms (stage 1 or 2) will also advance to liver metastases rapidly, even if the CRC lesion in situ is resected in time. Nevertheless, the precise mechanism of liver metastasis is still unclear.

APPROACH AND RESULTS

Fresh tumor tissues from patients with CRC, adjacent noncancerous tissues, and colorectal adenoma tissues were subjected to microarray analysis to identify differentially expressed microRNA. Exosomes from human serum and cell culture medium were separated, quantitated, and verified by transmission electronic microscopy and Zetasizer Nano. Luciferase reporter assay, real-time quantitative PCR, western blot, immunoprecipitation, chromatin and re-chromatin immunoprecipitation, migration and invasion assay, PDX mouse model, flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence staining were employed to explore the regulation among CRC liver metastases, immunosuppression, and cell adhesion. In this study, we demonstrated that the hypoxic microenvironment in primary CRC lesions boosted exosome release, selectively initiated favorable premetastatic niche formation in the liver but not in other organs. Mechanistically, Kupffer cells (KCs) can phagocytose exosomes containing highly expressed miR-135a-5p from the blood circulation into the liver. Exosomal miR-135a-5p initiated the large tumor suppressor kinase 2-yes-associated protein-matrix metalloproteinase 7 axis to promote the occurrence of CRC liver metastasis, and cluster of differentiation 30-TNF receptor-associated factor 2-p65-mediated immunosuppression signaling also contributed to this process.

CONCLUSIONS

Hypoxia-induced exosomal miR-135a-5p correlates with the development, clinical severity, and prognosis of CRC liver metastases through the premetastatic niche; and our findings revealed that miR-135a-5p might be a promising target in halting CRC liver metastases.

ITLN1 inhibits tumor neovascularization and myeloid derived suppressor cells accumulation in colorectal carcinoma

Low levels of ITLN1 have been correlated with obesity-related colorectal carcinogenesis, however, the specific functions and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Thus, we sought to explore the inhibitory role of ITLN1 in the tumor-permissive microenvironment that exists during the first occurrence and subsequent development of colorectal carcinoma (CRC). Results indicated that ITLN1 was frequently lost in CRC tissues and ITLN1 to be an independent prognostic predictor of CRC. Orthotopic and subcutaneous tumor xenograft approaches were then used to further confirm the protective role of ITLN1 during tumor progression. Increased ITLN1 expression in CRC cells significantly inhibited local pre-existing vessels sprouting, EPC recruitment and the infiltration of immunosuppressive myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) into tumor tissues without affecting the behavior of CRC cells in vitro. Comparatively, ITLN1-derived MDSCs had a lower suppressive effect on T cell proliferation, NOS2 expression, and ROS production. In addition, ITLN1 overexpression markedly suppressed bone marrow (BM)-derived hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC) differentiation into MDSCs as well as NOS2 activity on MDSCs. Using H-2b+YFP + chimerism through bone marrow transplantation, increased ITLN1 in HCT116 significantly reduced the BM-derived EPCs and MDSCs in vivo mobilization. Mechanistically, results indicated ITLN1 inhibited tumor-derived IL-17D and CXCL2 (MIP2) through the KEAP1/Nrf2/ROS/IL-17D and p65 NF-ĸB/CXCL2 signaling cascades dependent on PI3K/AKT/GSK3ß. This effect was reversed by the PI3K selective inhibitor LY294002. Collectively, ITLN1 synergistically suppressed IL-17D and CXCL2-mediated tumor vascularization, bone marrow derived EPC recruitment, as well as MDSCs generation and trafficking. Thus, ITLN1 potentially serves as a critical prognostic and therapeutic target for CRC.

Identification of a 5-Gene-Based Scoring System by WGCNA and LASSO to Predict Prognosis for Rectal Cancer Patients

Background

Although accumulating evidence suggested that a molecular signature panel may be more effective for the prognosis prediction than routine clinical characteristics, current studies mainly focused on colorectal or colon cancers. No reports specifically focused on the signature panel for rectal cancers (RC). Our present study was aimed at developing a novel prognostic signature panel for RC.

Methods

Sequencing (or microarray) data and clinicopathological details of patients with RC were retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA-READ) or the Gene Expression Omnibus (GSE123390, GSE56699) database. A weighted gene coexpression network was used to identify RC-related modules. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator analysis was performed to screen the prognostic signature panel. The prognostic performance of the risk score was evaluated by survival curve analyses. Functions of prognostic genes were predicted based on the interaction proteins and the correlation with tumor-infiltrating immune cells. The Human Protein Atlas (HPA) tool was utilized to validate the protein expression levels.

Results

A total of 247 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were commonly identified using TCGA and GSE123390 datasets. Brown and yellow modules (including 77 DEGs) were identified to be preserved for RC. Five DEGs (ASB2, GPR15, PRPH, RNASE7, and TCL1A) in these two modules constituted the optimal prognosis signature panel. Kaplan-Meier curve analysis showed that patients in the high-risk group had a poorer prognosis than those in the low-risk group. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis demonstrated that this risk score had high predictive accuracy for unfavorable prognosis, with the area under the ROC curve of 0.915 and 0.827 for TCGA and GSE56699 datasets, respectively. This five-mRNA classifier was an independent prognostic factor. Its predictive accuracy was also higher than all clinical factor models. A prognostic nomogram was developed by integrating the risk score and clinical factors, which showed the highest prognostic power. ASB2, PRPH, and GPR15/TCL1A were predicted to function by interacting with CASQ2/PDK4/EPHA67, PTN, and CXCL12, respectively. TCL1A and GPR15 influenced the infiltration levels of B cells and dendritic cells, while the expression of PRPH was positively associated with the abundance of macrophages. HPA analysis supported the downregulation of PRPH, RNASE7, CASQ2, EPHA6, and PDK4 in RC compared with normal controls.

Conclusion

Our immune-related signature panel may be a promising prognostic indicator for RC.

Human CD133-positive hematopoietic progenitor cells enhance the malignancy of breast cancer cells

BACKGROUND

Human CD133+ hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) are a specific subset of cells that can regulate tumor malignancy. However, the mechanism by which CD133+ HPCs affect the malignancy of human breast cancer has not been reported.

METHODS

CD133+ HPCs were isolated and purified from human umbilical cord blood (UCB). We used in vitro culture of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines, and MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells in nude mice to evaluate whether CD133+ HPCs affected the apoptosis, proliferation, invasion and epithelial mesenchymal transition EMT of breast cancer cells.

RESULTS

Co-culture with CD133+ HPCs, but not UCB CD133- cells, promoted the proliferation of human breast cancer MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells, accompanied by reducing in vitro spontaneous apoptosis. Co-administration of these two lines with CD133+ HPCs significantly enhanced the growth of implanted breast cancer in vivo. Furthermore, co-culture with CD133+ HPCs, enhanced the invasion of breast cancer cells, N-cadherin and Vimentin expression, but reduced E-cadherin expression in breast cancer cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrated that CD133+ HPCs enhance the malignancy of breast cancer cells by attenuating spontaneous apoptosis and promoting the process of epithelial mesenchymal transition. These findings may provide new insights into the role of human CD133+ HPCs in breast cancer pathogenesis. Therefore, CD133+ HPCs may be a new therapeutic target for inhibiting the progression of breast cancer.

Magnetic nanomedicine for CD133-expressing cancer therapy using locoregional hyperthermia combined with chemotherapy

Aim: Cells with CD133 overexpression, a theoretical cancer stem cells (CSCs) marker, have been shown to induce colorectal cancer (CRC) initiation and relapse. Therefore, the detection and treatment of CSCs are the most important factors in overcoming CRC. Materials & methods: Herein, we developed a magnetite-based nanomedicine (superparamagnetic iron oxide@poly(sodium styrene sulfonate)/irinotecan/human serum albumin-anti-CD133 nanoparticle) using loco-regional hyperthermia combined with chemotherapy for CRC- and CSC-specific targeting treatment. Results: The designed nanoparticles were highly biocompatible and exhibited a higher temperature increase rate under radiofrequency generator irradiation. The nanoparticles could be used as a T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging contrast media, and also applied during hyperthermia and chemotherapy to display a synergistic anticancer effect. Conclusion: Therefore, the superparamagnetic iron oxide@poly(sodium styrene sulfonate)/irinotecan/human serum albumin-anti-CD133 nanoparticles are a powerful candidate for future antitumor strategies.

Targeting Cancer Stem Cells by Genetically Engineered Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells

The term cancer stem cell (CSC) starts 25 years ago with the evidence that CSC is a subpopulation of tumor cells that have renewal ability and can differentiate into several distinct linages. Therefore, CSCs play crucial role in the initiation and the maintenance of cancer. Moreover, it has been proposed throughout several studies that CSCs are behind the failure of the conventional chemo-/radiotherapy as well as cancer recurrence due to their ability to resist the therapy and their ability to re-regenerate. Thus, the need for targeted therapy to eliminate CSCs is crucial; for that reason, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells has currently been in use with high rate of success in leukemia and, to some degree, in patients with solid tumors. This review outlines the most common CSC populations and their common markers, in particular CD133, CD90, EpCAM, CD44, ALDH, and EGFRVIII, the interaction between CSCs and the immune system, CAR T cell genetic engineering and signaling, CAR T cells in targeting CSCs, and the barriers in using CAR T cells as immunotherapy to treat solid cancers.

MDSCs: Key Criminals of Tumor Pre-metastatic Niche Formation

The emergence of disseminated metastases remains the primary cause of mortality in cancer patients. Formation of the pre-metastatic niche (PMN), which precedes the establishment of tumor lesions, is critical for metastases. Bone marrow-derived myeloid cells (BMDCs) are indispensable for PMN formation. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are a population of immature myeloid cells that accumulate in patients with cancer and appear in the early PMN. The mechanisms by which MDSCs establish the pre-metastatic microenvironment in distant organs are largely unknown, although MDSCs play an essential role in metastasis. Here, we summarize the key factors associated with the recruitment and activation of MDSCs in the PMN and review the mechanisms by which MDSCs regulate PMN formation and evolution. Finally, we predict the potential value of MDSCs in PMN detection and therapy.

预转移龛形成--肿瘤转移研究新方向

肿瘤侵袭转移研究目前多聚焦肿瘤微环境对肿瘤细胞恶性生物学行为的调控解析, 而针对肿瘤细胞定植转移靶器官前, 由原发瘤诱导靶器官"土壤"微环境改变形成"预转移龛"的关注和认知却明显不足. 随着原发瘤来源肿瘤可溶性因子、膜泡、外泌体, 及募集骨髓衍生细胞在不同肿瘤动物模型转移靶器官中相继鉴定发现, 预转移龛加速促成转移在靶器官实现获得越来越多实验上的验证与支撑. 本文对肿瘤预转移龛形成的始动因素、细胞组分、形成调控、促转移发生机制进行总结综述, 并讨论预转移龛潜在的临床意义及其面临的挑战.

Pre-metastatic niches: organ-specific homes for metastases

It is well established that organs of future metastasis are not passive receivers of circulating tumour cells, but are instead selectively and actively modified by the primary tumour before metastatic spread has even occurred. Sowing the 'seeds' of metastasis requires the action of tumour-secreted factors and tumour-shed extracellular vesicles that enable the 'soil' at distant metastatic sites to encourage the outgrowth of incoming cancer cells. In this Review, we summarize the main processes and new mechanisms involved in the formation of the pre-metastatic niche.

Targeting cancer stem cells by using chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cells: a potential and curable approach for cancer treatment

Cancer stem cells (CSCs), a subpopulation of tumor cells, have self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation abilities that play an important role in cancer initiation, maintenance, and metastasis. An accumulation of evidence indicates that CSCs can cause conventional therapy failure and cancer recurrence because of their treatment resistance and self-regeneration characteristics. Therefore, approaches that specifically and efficiently eliminate CSCs to achieve a durable clinical response are urgently needed. Currently, treatments with chimeric antigen receptor-modified T (CART) cells have shown successful clinical outcomes in patients with hematologic malignancies, and their safety and feasibility in solid tumors was confirmed. In this review, we will discuss in detail the possibility that CART cells inhibit CSCs by specifically targeting their cell surface markers, which will ultimately improve the clinical response for patients with various types of cancer. A number of viewpoints were summarized to promote the application of CSC-targeted CART cells in clinical cancer treatment. This review covers the key aspects of CSC-targeted CART cells against cancers in accordance with the premise of the model, from bench to bedside and back to bench.

Antroquinonol, a Ubiquinone Derivative from the Mushroom Antrodia camphorata, Inhibits Colon Cancer Stem Cell-like Properties: Insights into the Molecular Mechanism and Inhibitory Targets

Antroquinonol (ANQ) is a ubiquinone derivative from the unique mushroom Antrodia camphorata, which exhibits broad-spectrum bioactivities. The effects of ANQ on cancer stem cell-like properties in colon cancer, however, remain unclear. In this study, we found that ANQ inhibited growth of colon cancer cells. The 50% growth inhibitions (GI₅₀) of ANQ on HCT15 and LoVo were 34.8 ± 0.07 and 17.9 ± 0.07 μM. Moreover, ANQ exhibited inhibitory activities toward migration/invasion and tumorsphere formation of colon cancer cells. Mechanistically, ANQ inhibited pluripotent and cancer stem cell-related genes and down-regulated β-catenin/T-cell factor (TCF) signaling. Moreover, activation of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/β-catenin signaling axis was identified to be crucial for regulating the expressions of pluripotent genes, whereas suppression of PI3K/AKT by ANQ inhibited expressions of β-catenin and downstream targets. Molecular docking identified the potential interaction of ANQ with PI3K. Our data show for the first time that the bioactive component of A. camphorata, ANQ, suppresses stem cell-like properties via targeting PI3K/AKT/β-catenin signaling. ANQ could be a promising cancer prevention agent for colon cancer.

CXCR4 is involved in CD133-induced EMT in non-small cell lung cancer

Metastasis is the major cause of death in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been observed to be one of the key regulators of metastasis in certain cancers as it confers an invasive phenotype. CD133 is a widely used cancer stem cell (CSC) marker, and CD133-positive cancer cells are thought to be tumor-initiating cells with CSC characteristics, while CXCR4, a stromal-derived-factor-1 specific chemokine receptor, is highly expressed in NSCLC tissues and participates in cancer progression by regulating cell anti-apoptosis. We previously demonstrated that CXCR4 promotes NSCLC chemoresistance by upregulating CYP1B1, however, the relationship of CD133, CXCR4 and EMT processes in NSCLC metastasis are unclear. In this study, we detected a CD133 and CXCR4 high expression in tissue specimens from 64 NSCLC patients by immunohistochemistry, of which CD133 and CXCR4 were found to be positively associated with metastatic NSCLC patients. CD133 was found to promote NSCLC tumorigenesis and mediated the expression of CXCR4. Furthermore, CD133/CXCR4 co-expression was found to be an independent prognostic factor as shown by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis, and was observed to regulate the expression of EMT-related molecules and transcriptional factors in NSCLC. In addition, our results showed that E-cadherin and Vimentin were simultaneously downregulated and upregulated, in CD133+CXCR4+ A549 cells, respectively. While E-cadherin was upregulated and Vimentin was downregulated in metastatic NSCLC patients. Vimentin expression was also observed to have a positive correlation with CD133/CXCR4 co-expression in NSCLC patients and survival analysis results suggested that Vimentin high expression might be significantly associated with poor survival rates of the patients. Thus, these results suggest that the CD133/CXCR4/EMT axis may be a prognostic marker and may provide novel targets for combinational therapies in the treatment of NSCLC.

Current understanding concerning intestinal stem cells

In mammals, the intestinal epithelium is a tissue that contains two distinct pools of stem cells: active intestinal stem cells and reserve intestinal stem cells. The former are located in the crypt basement membrane and are responsible for maintaining epithelial homeostasis under intact conditions, whereas the latter exhibit the capacity to facilitate epithelial regeneration after injury. These two pools of cells can convert into each other, maintaining their quantitative balance. In terms of the active intestinal stem cells, their development into functional epithelium is precisely controlled by the following signaling pathways: Wnt/β-catenin, Ras/Raf/Mek/Erk/MAPK, Notch and BMP/Smad. However, mutations in some of the key regulator genes associated with these signaling pathways, such as APC, Kras and Smad4, are also highly associated with gut malformations. At this point, clarifying the biological characteristics of intestinal stem cells will increase the feasibility of preventing or treating some intestinal diseases, such as colorectal cancer. Moreover, as preclinical data demonstrate the therapeutic effects of colon stem cells on murine models of experimental colitis, the prospects of stem cell-based regenerative treatments for ulcerous lesions in the gastrointestinal tract will be improved all the same.

Targeting cancer stem cells by using the nanoparticles

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been shown to be markedly resistant to conventional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Therefore, therapeutic strategies that selectively target CSCs will ultimately lead to better cancer treatments. Currently, accessible conventional therapeutic agents mainly eliminate the bulk tumor but do not eliminate CSCs. Therefore, the discovery and improvement of CSC-targeting therapeutic agents are necessary. Nanoparticles effectively inhibit multiple types of CSCs by targeting specific signaling pathways (Wnt/β-catenin, Notch, transforming growth factor-β, and hedgehog signaling) and/or specific markers (aldehyde dehydrogenases, CD44, CD90, and CD133) critically involved in CSC function and maintenance. In this review article, we summarized a number of findings to provide current information about their therapeutic potential of nanoparticles in various cancer cell types and CSCs.