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Zeng Z, Fu M, Hu Y, Wei Y, Wei X, Luo M. Regulation and signaling pathways in cancer stem cells: implications for targeted therapy for cancer. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:172. [PMID: 37853437 PMCID: PMC10583419 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01877-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs), initially identified in leukemia in 1994, constitute a distinct subset of tumor cells characterized by surface markers such as CD133, CD44, and ALDH. Their behavior is regulated through a complex interplay of networks, including transcriptional, post-transcriptional, epigenetic, tumor microenvironment (TME), and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) factors. Numerous signaling pathways were found to be involved in the regulatory network of CSCs. The maintenance of CSC characteristics plays a pivotal role in driving CSC-associated tumor metastasis and conferring resistance to therapy. Consequently, CSCs have emerged as promising targets in cancer treatment. To date, researchers have developed several anticancer agents tailored to specifically target CSCs, with some of these treatment strategies currently undergoing preclinical or clinical trials. In this review, we outline the origin and biological characteristics of CSCs, explore the regulatory networks governing CSCs, discuss the signaling pathways implicated in these networks, and investigate the influential factors contributing to therapy resistance in CSCs. Finally, we offer insights into preclinical and clinical agents designed to eliminate CSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Zeng
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Agent Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, P.R. China
| | - Minyang Fu
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Agent Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, P.R. China
| | - Yuan Hu
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology Nursing, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Ministry of Education, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, P.R. China
| | - Yuquan Wei
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Agent Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, P.R. China
| | - Xiawei Wei
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Agent Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, P.R. China
| | - Min Luo
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Agent Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, P.R. China.
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Chen Q, Tang P, Huang H, Qiu X. Establishment of a circular RNA regulatory stemness-related gene pair signature for predicting prognosis and therapeutic response in colorectal cancer. Front Immunol 2022; 13:934124. [PMID: 35958575 PMCID: PMC9357884 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.934124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common malignant tumor of the digestive tract with a poor prognosis. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) affect disease outcomes and treatment responses in CRC. We developed a circular RNA (circRNA) regulatory stemness-related gene pair (CRSRGP) signature to predict CRC patient prognosis and treatment effects. Methods The circRNA, miRNA, and mRNA expression profiles and clinical information of CRC patients were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. CRSRGPs were established based on stemness-related genes in the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network. A CRSRGP signature was generated using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) and Cox regression analysis of TCGA training set. The prognosis was predicted by generating a nomogram integrating the CRSRGP signature and clinicopathologic features. The model was validated in an external validation set (GSE17536). The antitumor drug sensitivity and immunotherapy responses of CRC patients in the high-risk group (HRG) and low-risk group (LRG) were evaluated by the pRRophetic algorithm and immune checkpoint analysis. Results We established an 18-CRSRGP signature to predict the prognosis and treatment responses of CRC patients. In the training and external validation sets, risk scores were used to categorize CRC patients into the HRG and LRG. The Kaplan–Meier analysis showed a poor prognosis for patients in the HRG and that subgroups with different clinical characteristics had significantly different prognoses. A multivariate Cox analysis revealed that the CRSRGP signature was an independent prognostic factor. The nomogram integrating clinical features and the CRSRGP signature efficiently predicted CRC patient prognosis, outperformed the current TNM staging system, and had improved practical clinical value. Anticancer drug sensitivity predictions revealed that the tumors of patients in the HRG were more sensitive to pazopanib, sunitinib, gemcitabine, lapatinib, and cyclopamine. Analysis of immune checkpoint markers demonstrated that patients in the HRG were more likely to benefit from immunotherapy. Conclusion An efficient, reliable tool for evaluating CRC patient prognosis and treatment response was established based on the 18-CRSRGP signature and nomogram.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Chen
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
- Department of Experimental Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Peng Tang
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Huishen Huang
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Xiaoqiang Qiu
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaoqiang Qiu,
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Chen Y, Wang MH, Wu JY, Zhu JY, Xie CF, Li XT, Wu JS, Geng SS, Li YD, Han HY, Zhong CY. ΔNp63α mediates sulforaphane suppressed colorectal cancer stem cell properties through transcriptional regulation of Nanog/Oct4/Sox2. J Nutr Biochem 2022; 107:109067. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2022.109067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Wang Y, Yang Z, Gu J, Zhang Y, Wang X, Teng Z, Wang D, Gao L, Li W, Yeh S, Han Z. Estrogen receptor beta increases clear cell renal cell carcinoma stem cell phenotype via altering the circPHACTR4/miR-34b-5p/c-Myc signaling. FASEB J 2022; 36:e22163. [PMID: 35061326 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202101645r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2021] [Revised: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Early clinical studies indicated that estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) might play key roles to impact the progression of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). The detailed molecular mechanisms, however, remain unclear. Here, we found ERβ could increase the cancer stem cell (CSC) population via altering the circPHACTR4/miR-34b-5p/c-Myc signaling. Mechanism dissection revealed that ERβ could suppress circular RNA PHACTR4 (circPHACTR4) expression via direct binding to the estrogen response elements (EREs) on the 5' promoter region of its host gene, phosphatase and actin regulator 4 (PHACTR4) to decrease miR-34b-5p expression. The decreased miRNA-34b-5p could then increase c-Myc mRNA translation via targeting its 3' untranslated region (3' UTR). The in vivo mouse model with subcutaneous xenografts of ccRCC cells also validated the in vitro data. Importantly, analysis results from ccRCC TCGA database and our clinical data further confirmed the above in vitro/in vivo data. Together, these results suggest that ERβ may increase CSC population in ccRCC via altering ERβ/circPHACTR4/miR-34b-5p/c-Myc signaling and that targeting this newly identified signal pathway may help physicians to better suppress ccRCC progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaxuan Wang
- Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Zhan Yang
- Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Ministry of Education of China, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Junfei Gu
- Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yanping Zhang
- Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Zhihai Teng
- Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Dandan Wang
- Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Lei Gao
- Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Shuyuan Yeh
- Department of Urology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Zhenwei Han
- Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
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Szymonik J, Wala K, Górnicki T, Saczko J, Pencakowski B, Kulbacka J. The Impact of Iron Chelators on the Biology of Cancer Stem Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 23:ijms23010089. [PMID: 35008527 PMCID: PMC8745085 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23010089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2021] [Revised: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Neoplastic diseases are still a major medical challenge, requiring a constant search for new therapeutic options. A serious problem of many cancers is resistance to anticancer drugs and disease progression in metastases or local recurrence. These characteristics of cancer cells may be related to the specific properties of cancer stem cells (CSC). CSCs are involved in inhibiting cells’ maturation, which is essential for maintaining their self-renewal capacity and pluripotency. They show increased expression of transcription factor proteins, which were defined as stemness-related markers. This group of proteins includes OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, Nanog, and SALL4. It has been noticed that the metabolism of cancer cells is changed, and the demand for iron is significantly increased. Iron chelators have been proven to have antitumor activity and influence the expression of stemness-related markers, thus reducing chemoresistance and the risk of tumor cell progression. This prompts further investigation of these agents as promising anticancer novel drugs. The article presents the characteristics of stemness markers and their influence on the development and course of neoplastic disease. Available iron chelators were also described, and their effects on cancer cells and expression of stemness-related markers were analyzed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Szymonik
- Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland; (J.S.); (K.W.); (T.G.)
| | - Kamila Wala
- Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland; (J.S.); (K.W.); (T.G.)
| | - Tomasz Górnicki
- Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland; (J.S.); (K.W.); (T.G.)
| | - Jolanta Saczko
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Wroclaw Medical University, 50-556 Wroclaw, Poland;
| | - Bartosz Pencakowski
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology and Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Wroclaw Medical University, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland;
| | - Julita Kulbacka
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Wroclaw Medical University, 50-556 Wroclaw, Poland;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-71-784-06-88
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