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Muliawan GK, Lee TKW. The roles of cancer stem cell-derived secretory factors in shaping the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1400112. [PMID: 38868769 PMCID: PMC11167126 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1400112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide and has a poor prognosis. Although immune checkpoint inhibitors have entered a new era of HCC treatment, their response rates are modest, which can be attributed to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment within HCC tumors. Accumulating evidence has shown that tumor growth is fueled by cancer stem cells (CSCs), which contribute to therapeutic resistance to the above treatments. Given that CSCs can regulate cellular and physical factors within the tumor niche by secreting various soluble factors in a paracrine manner, there have been increasing efforts toward understanding the roles of CSC-derived secretory factors in creating an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. In this review, we provide an update on how these secretory factors, including growth factors, cytokines, chemokines, and exosomes, contribute to the immunosuppressive TME, which leads to immune resistance. In addition, we present current therapeutic strategies targeting CSC-derived secretory factors and describe future perspectives. In summary, a better understanding of CSC biology in the TME provides a rational therapeutic basis for combination therapy with ICIs for effective HCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory Kenneth Muliawan
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Terence Kin-Wah Lee
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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2
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Pospieszna J, Dams-Kozlowska H, Udomsak W, Murias M, Kucinska M. Unmasking the Deceptive Nature of Cancer Stem Cells: The Role of CD133 in Revealing Their Secrets. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10910. [PMID: 37446085 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer remains a leading cause of death globally, and its complexity poses a significant challenge to effective treatment. Cancer stem cells and their markers have become key players in tumor growth and progression. CD133, a marker in various cancer types, is an active research area as a potential therapeutic target. This article explores the role of CD133 in cancer treatment, beginning with an overview of cancer statistics and an explanation of cancer stem cells and their markers. The rise of CD133 is discussed, including its structure, functions, and occurrence in different cancer types. Furthermore, the article covers CD133 as a therapeutic target, focusing on gene therapy, immunotherapy, and approaches to affect CD133 expression. Nanoparticles such as gold nanoparticles and nanoliposomes are also discussed in the context of CD133-targeted therapy. In conclusion, CD133 is a promising therapeutic target for cancer treatment. As research in this area progresses, it is hoped that CD133-targeted therapies will offer new and effective treatment options for cancer patients in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Pospieszna
- Department of Toxicology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 30 Dojazd Street, 10 Uniwersytetu Poznanskiego Street, 60-631 Poznan, Poland
| | - Hanna Dams-Kozlowska
- Department of Cancer Immunology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 15 Garbary Street, 61-866 Poznan, Poland
- Department of Diagnostics and Cancer Immunology, Greater Poland Cancer Centre, 15 Garbary Street, 61-866 Poznan, Poland
| | - Wachirawit Udomsak
- Department of Toxicology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 30 Dojazd Street, 10 Uniwersytetu Poznanskiego Street, 60-631 Poznan, Poland
| | - Marek Murias
- Department of Toxicology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 30 Dojazd Street, 10 Uniwersytetu Poznanskiego Street, 60-631 Poznan, Poland
- Center for Advanced Technology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Uniwersytetu Poznanskiego 10 Street, 61-614 Poznan, Poland
| | - Malgorzata Kucinska
- Department of Toxicology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 30 Dojazd Street, 10 Uniwersytetu Poznanskiego Street, 60-631 Poznan, Poland
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Li L, Xun C, Yu CH. Role of microRNA-regulated cancer stem cells in recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma. World J Hepatol 2022; 14:1985-1996. [PMID: 36618329 PMCID: PMC9813843 DOI: 10.4254/wjh.v14.i12.1985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Among the most common cancers, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a high rate of tumor recurrence, tumor dormancy, and drug resistance after initial successful chemotherapy or radiotherapy. A small subset of cancer cells, cancer stem cells (CSCs), exhibit stem cell characteristics and are present in various cancers, including HCC. The dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) often accompanies the occurrence and development of HCC. miRNAs can influence tumorigenesis, progression, recurrence, and drug resistance by regulating CSCs properties, which supports their clinical utility in managing and treating HCC. This review summarizes the regulatory effects of miRNAs on CSCs in HCC with a special focus on their impact on HCC recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Li
- Department of Pathology, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
| | - Chen Xun
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhuzhou Central Hospital, Zhuzhou 412000, Hunan Province, China
| | - Chun-Hong Yu
- School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
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Kim N, Kim S, Song Y, Choi I, Lee SY, Kim KM, Rhu HC, Lee JY, Seo HR. Chromenopyrimidinone exhibit antitumor effects through inhibition of CAP1 (Adenylyl cyclase-associated protein 1) expression in hepatocellular carcinoma. Chem Biol Interact 2022; 365:110066. [PMID: 35931200 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2022.110066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most malignant human cancers, with a high mortality rate worldwide. Within an HCC tumor, cancer stem cells (CSCs) are responsible for tumor maintenance and progression and may contribute to resistance to standard HCC treatments. Previously, we characterized CD133+ cells as CSCs in primary HCC and identified chromenopyrimidinone (CPO) as a novel therapeutic for the effective treatment of CD133+ HCC. However, the biological function and molecular mechanism of CD133 remain unclear. Epigenetic alterations of CSCs have impacts on tumor initiation, progression, and therapeutic response. Here, we found that pharmacological and genetic depletion of CD133 in HCC attenuated the activity of DNA methyltransferases via control of DNMT3B stabilization. Genes were ranked by degree of promoter hypo/hyper methylation and significantly differential expression to create an "epigenetically activated by CPO" ranked genes list. Through this epigenetic analysis, we found that CPO treatment altered DNA methylation-mediated oncogenic signaling in HCCs. Specifically, CPO treatment inhibited Adenylyl cyclase-associated protein 1 (CAP1) expression, thereby reducing FAK/ERK activity and EMT-related proteins in HCC. Moreover, CPO improved the efficacy of sorafenib by inhibiting CAP1 expression and FAK/ERK activation in sorafenib-resistant HCC. These novel mechanistic insights may ultimately open up avenues for strategies targeting DNA methylation in liver cancer stem cells and provides novel therapeutic function of CPO for the effective treatment of sorafenib-resistant HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Namjeong Kim
- Advanced Biomedical Research Laboratory, Institut Pasteur Korea, 16, Daewangpangyo-ro 712 Beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 463-400, South Korea
| | - Sanghwa Kim
- Advanced Biomedical Research Laboratory, Institut Pasteur Korea, 16, Daewangpangyo-ro 712 Beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 463-400, South Korea
| | - Yeonhwa Song
- Advanced Biomedical Research Laboratory, Institut Pasteur Korea, 16, Daewangpangyo-ro 712 Beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 463-400, South Korea
| | - Inhee Choi
- Medicinal Chemistry, Institut Pasteur Korea, 16, Daewangpangyo-ro 712 Beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 463-400, South Korea
| | - Su-Yeon Lee
- Advanced Biomedical Research Laboratory, Institut Pasteur Korea, 16, Daewangpangyo-ro 712 Beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 463-400, South Korea
| | - Kang Mo Kim
- Department of Gastroenterology, Asan Liver Center, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 05505, South Korea
| | - Hyung Chul Rhu
- R&D Center, J2H Biotech, Saneop-ro 156 Beon-gil, Gwonseon-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, 16648, Republic of Korea
| | - Ju Young Lee
- R&D Center, J2H Biotech, Saneop-ro 156 Beon-gil, Gwonseon-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, 16648, Republic of Korea
| | - Haeng Ran Seo
- Advanced Biomedical Research Laboratory, Institut Pasteur Korea, 16, Daewangpangyo-ro 712 Beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 463-400, South Korea.
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A New Stemness-Related Prognostic Model for Predicting the Prognosis in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 2021:6669570. [PMID: 34671679 PMCID: PMC8523240 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6669570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Objective This study is aimed at identifying stemness-related genes in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Methods The RNA-seq data of PADC patients were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) databases. The mRNA expression-based stemness index (mRNAsi) and epigenetically regulated mRNAsi (EREG-mRNAsi) of PADC patients were evaluated. The mRNAsi-related gene sets in PADC were identified by weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA). The key genes were further analyzed using functional enrichment analysis. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and the Cox proportional hazards model were used to evaluate the prognostic value of the key genes. Prognostic hub genes were used to establish nomograms. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, concordance index (C-index), and calibration curves were used to assess the discrimination and accuracy of the nomogram. Finally, these results were validated in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Results A total of 36 key genes related to mRNAsi were identified by WGCNA. A prognostic gene signature compromising seven genes (TPX2, ZWINT, UBE2C, CCNB2, CDK1, BUB1, and BIRC5) was established to predict the overall survival (OS) of PADC patients. The Cox regression analysis revealed that the risk score was an independent prognostic factor for PADC. Patients were then divided into the high-risk and low-risk groups. The ROC curves, C-index, and calibration curves indicated good performance of the prognostic signature in the TCGA and GEO datasets. Moreover, the nomogram incorporating clinical parameters showed better sensitivity and specificity for predicting the OS of PADC patients. Conclusion The stemness-related prognostic model successfully predicted the OS of PADC patients and could be used for the treatment of PADC.
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Zhao X, Li H, Lyu S, Zhai J, Ji Z, Zhang Z, Zhang X, Liu Z, Wang H, Xu J, Fan H, Kou J, Li L, Lang R, He Q. Single-cell transcriptomics reveals heterogeneous progression and EGFR activation in pancreatic adenosquamous carcinoma. Int J Biol Sci 2021; 17:2590-2605. [PMID: 34326696 PMCID: PMC8315026 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.58886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic adenosquamous carcinoma (PASC) — a rare pathological pancreatic cancer (PC) type — has a poor prognosis due to high malignancy. To examine the heterogeneity of PASC, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) profiling with sample tissues from a healthy donor pancreas, an intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm, and a patient with PASC. Of 9,887 individual cells, ten cell subpopulations were identified, including myeloid, immune, ductal, fibroblast, acinar, stellate, endothelial, and cancer cells. Cancer cells were divided into five clusters. Notably, cluster 1 exhibited stem-like phenotypes expressing UBE2C, ASPM, and TOP2A. We found that S100A2 is a potential biomarker for cancer cells. LGALS1, NPM1, RACK1, and PERP were upregulated from ductal to cancer cells. Furthermore, the copy number variations in ductal and cancer cells were greater than in the reference cells. The expression of EREG, FCGR2A, CCL4L2, and CTSC increased in myeloid cells from the normal pancreas to PASC. The gene sets expressed by cancer-associated fibroblasts were enriched in the immunosuppressive pathways. We demonstrate that EGFR-associated ligand-receptor pairs are activated in ductal-stromal cell communications. Hence, this study revealed the heterogeneous variations of ductal and stromal cells, defined cancer-associated signaling pathways, and deciphered intercellular interactions following PASC progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zhao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing 100020, China
| | - Han Li
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Shaocheng Lyu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing 100020, China
| | - Jialei Zhai
- Department of Pathology, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing 100020, China
| | - Zhiwei Ji
- College of Artificial Intelligence, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, China
| | - Zhigang Zhang
- School of Information Management and Statistics, Hubei University of Economics, Wuhan 430205, Hubei, China
| | - Xinxue Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing 100020, China
| | - Zhe Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing 100020, China
| | - Huaguang Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing 100020, China
| | - Junming Xu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing 100020, China
| | - Hua Fan
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing 100020, China
| | - Jiantao Kou
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing 100020, China
| | - Lixin Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing 100020, China
| | - Ren Lang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing 100020, China
| | - Qiang He
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing 100020, China
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Jianghong L, Tingting M, Yingping Z, Tong Y, Lanxia Z, Jingwen L, Wentao Z, Pengbo C, Hong Y, Fuqiang H. Aptamer and Peptide-Modified Lipid-Based Drug Delivery Systems in Application of Combined Sequential Therapy of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2021; 7:2558-2568. [PMID: 34047187 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.1c00357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is known as the most common malignancy of the hepatobiliary system with a continued increase in incidence but limited therapeutic options. Nanomedicine has provided a promising strategy through engineered nanocarriers that are capable of targeting therapeutic agents specifically to tumor cells. In this research, two aptamer/peptide-modified lipid-based drug delivery systems (A54-PEG-SLN/OXA and A15-PEG-SLN/SAL) were developed as a sequential therapeutic strategy to conquer specific hepatocellular carcinoma. The nanomedicine A54-PEG-SLN/OXA was able to target specific hepatocellular carcinoma cell BEL-7402 and exhibited a strong targeting ability and antitumor efficiency both in vitro and in vivo. The A15-PEG-SLN/SAL could target and penetrate deeply to the spheroid composed of CD133+ cancer cells. In the study of developing a sequential therapeutic strategy, we demonstrated that A54-PEG-SLN/OXA could kill tumor cells and expose CD133+ cancer cells. After the administration of A15-PEG-SLN/SAL, the growth of the tumors was significantly inhibited. In conclusion, the aptamer/peptide-modified lipid-based drug delivery systems, A54-PEG-SLN/OXA and A15-PEG-SLN/SAL, could specifically target carcinoma cells and had an evident antitumor effect when administrated sequentially.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lv Jianghong
- Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital School of Medicine Zhejiang University No. 3 Qingchun East Road, Hangzhou 310016, China
| | - Meng Tingting
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Zeng Yingping
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Yu Tong
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Zhao Lanxia
- Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, No.16 Jiangsu Road, Qingdao, Shandong Province 266000, P. R. China
| | - Liu Jingwen
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - Zhou Wentao
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Chen Pengbo
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Yuan Hong
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Hu Fuqiang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
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Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) represent a small subpopulation of cells found within tumors that exhibit properties of self-renewal, like normal stem cells. CSCs have been defined as a crucial factor involved in driving cancer relapse, chemoresistance and metastasis. Prominin-1 (CD133) is one of the most well-characterized markers of CSCs in various tumor types, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). CD133+ cells have been demonstrated to be involved in metastasis, tumorigenesis, tumor recurrence, and resistance to treatment in HCC. CD133-related clinical prognosis prediction, and targeted therapy have highlighted the clinical significance of CD133 in HCC. However, there remains controversy over the role of CD133 in experimental and clinical research involving HCC. In this article, we summarize the fundamental cell biology of CD133 in HCC cells and discuss the important characteristics of CD133+ in HCC cells. Furthermore, the prognostic value of CD133, and therapeutic strategies for its targeting in HCC, is also reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengchao Liu
- Liver Disease Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yanzhi Qian
- Department of Gastroenterology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
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Lee HY, Hong IS. Targeting Liver Cancer Stem Cells: An Alternative Therapeutic Approach for Liver Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12102746. [PMID: 32987767 PMCID: PMC7598600 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12102746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The first report of cancer stem cell (CSC) from Bruce et al. has demonstrated the relatively rare population of stem-like cells in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The discovery of leukemic CSCs prompted further identification of CSCs in multiple types of solid tumor. Recently, extensive research has attempted to identity CSCs in multiple types of solid tumors in the brain, colon, head and neck, liver, and lung. Based on these studies, we hypothesize that the initiation and progression of most malignant tumors rely largely on the CSC population. Recent studies indicated that stem cell-related markers or signaling pathways, such as aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), CD133, epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), Wnt/β-catenin signaling, and Notch signaling, contribute to the initiation and progression of various liver cancer types. Importantly, CSCs are markedly resistant to conventional therapeutic approaches and current targeted therapeutics. Therefore, it is believed that selectively targeting specific markers and/or signaling pathways of hepatic CSCs is an effective therapeutic strategy for treating chemotherapy-resistant liver cancer. Here, we provide an overview of the current knowledge on the hepatic CSC hypothesis and discuss the specific surface markers and critical signaling pathways involved in the development and maintenance of hepatic CSC subpopulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hwa-Yong Lee
- Department of Biomedical Science, Jungwon University, 85 Goesan-eup, Munmu-ro, Goesan-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do 367700, Korea;
| | - In-Sun Hong
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, GAIHST, Gachon University, Incheon 21999, Korea
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon 406840, Korea
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-32-899-6315; Fax: +82-32-899-6350
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