Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Olga Pershina, Natalia Ermakova, Angelina Pakhomova, Darius Widera, Edgar Pan, Mariia Zhukova, Elena Slonimskaya, Sergey G. Morozov, Aslan Kubatiev, Alexander Dygai, Evgenii G. Skurikhin
Summary: This study found that breast cancer patients can be divided into two groups based on the frequency of ALDH1 cells, corresponding to different types of stem cells. Additionally, epithelial precursors associated with a positive effect of chemotherapy and remission in breast cancer patients were found in normal breast tissue.
Article
Oncology
Linxiang Lan, Axel Behrens
Summary: The hierarchy of heterogeneous tumor cell populations, with a small population of cancer stem cells (CSCs) at the top, is explained by the CSC model. These CSCs have the ability to self-renew and generate other cancer cell populations, similar to the function of normal adult stem cells. However, controversies exist regarding the existence and identification of CSCs, which may be attributed to technical differences in experimentation, CSC niche-dependency and plasticity, and CSC heterogeneity itself.
Article
Oncology
Hakim Bouamar, Larry Esteban Broome, Kate Ida Lathrop, Ismail Jatoi, Andrew Jacob Brenner, Alia Nazarullah, Karla Moncada Gorena, Michael Garcia, Yidong Chen, Virginia Kaklamani, Lu-Zhe Sun
Summary: This study demonstrates the efficacy of rapamycin in reducing mammary stem/progenitor cell activity and malignant progression markers, particularly in postmenopausal patients.
BREAST CANCER RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Tingting Liu, Hongyue Wang, Zhiyong Liu, Jing Zhang, Yan Liu, Lin Zhang, Chunhui Zheng, Fei Liu, Chuanqiang Hou, Baojiang Li
Summary: TNBC stem cells were screened using phage display to identify specific binding clones, which were then synthesized into polypeptides labeled with FITC. The specificity of these polypeptides to BCSCs was confirmed in vitro and in vivo, providing a foundation for targeted therapy and further research on BCSCs.
FRONTIERS IN ONCOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xiaoying Li, Yang Li, Xianqiang Du, Xu Wang, Shu Guan, Yu Cao, Feng Li, Feng Jin
Summary: The study indicates that HES1 promotes the stemness properties of BCSC in TNBC by upregulating Slug. TNBC patients with high levels of HES1 and Slug have worse prognosis. HES1 acts as a novel transcriptional activator for Slug, providing new insights for identifying promising prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in TNBC.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Joanna Radzikowska, Anna M. Czarnecka, Teresa Klepacka, Magdalena Rychlowska-Pruszynska, Anna Raciborska, Bozenna Dembowska-Baginska, Maciej Pronicki, Andrzej Kukwa, Wojciech Fendler, Urszula Smyczynska, Wojciech Kukwa, Antoni Krzeski
Summary: This study aimed to assess the expression and prognostic role of cancer stem cell (CSC) markers in pediatric rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS). The expression of selected CSC markers was confirmed in RMS tissue, but no significant correlation was found with clinical and pathological prognostic factors. Further studies are needed to fully understand the relevance of these CSC markers in RMS carcinogenesis.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hana Jin, Hye Jung Kim
Summary: This study isolated cancer stem cells (CSCs) from radiotherapy-resistant triple negative breast cancer cells, finding that they increased tumor invasiveness and suppressed NK cell cytotoxicity by regulating NK cell activation ligands.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marina Ibragimova, Matvey Tsyganov, Nikolai Litviakov
Summary: This review discusses the main mechanisms of CSCs in breast cancer, including markers and signaling pathways, heterogeneity, plasticity, and ecological behavior. The study also considers the significance of dynamic heterogeneity of CSCs and dynamic transitions between CSCs and non-CSCs for metastasis.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lu Zhang, Wenmin Chen, Suling Liu, Ceshi Chen
Summary: The potential roles of breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) in tumor initiation and recurrence have been recognized for many decades. Due to their strong capacity for self-renewal and differentiation, BCSCs are the major reasons for poor clinical outcomes and low therapeutic response. Several hypotheses on the origin of cancer stem cells have been proposed, including critical gene mutations in stem cells, dedifferentiation of somatic cells, and cell plasticity remodeling by epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the tumor microenvironment. Moreover, the tumor microenvironment, including cellular components and cytokines, modulates the self-renewal and therapeutic resistance of BCSCs. Small molecules, antibodies, and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells targeting BCSCs have been developed, and their applications in combination with conventional therapies are undergoing clinical trials. In this review, we focus on the features of BCSCs, emphasize the major factors and tumor environment that regulate the stemness of BCSCs, and discuss potential BCSC-targeting therapies.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Pegah Farhadi, Shiva Irani, Mohammadreza Gholami, Kamran Mansouri
Summary: Tumor metabolism is a promising target for cancer therapy, as the metabolic pathways of cancer cells differ from normal cells. In this study, three inhibitors were used to target glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway, and mitochondria in breast cancer cells. The combination of these drugs showed the most effective inhibitory action, suggesting their potential as an efficient anti-cancer treatment.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rui Zhang, Mengxue Dong, Juchuanli Tu, Fengkai Li, Qiaodan Deng, Jiahui Xu, Xueyan He, Jiajun Ding, Jie Xia, Dandan Sheng, Zhaoxia Chang, Wei Ma, Haonan Dong, Yi Zhang, Lixing Zhang, Lu Zhang, Suling Liu
Summary: Our previous studies have shown that CCL20 contributes to tumor progression and chemoresistance by regulating breast cancer stem cell self-renewal. This study demonstrates that CCL20 also affects breast cancer progression by remodeling the tumor microenvironment, particularly through the enrichment of PMN-MDSCs. The interaction between PMN-MDSCs and BCSCs in CCL20(high)-expressing breast cancer can be targeted for therapeutic intervention.
SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION AND TARGETED THERAPY
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Liping Pan, Juan Han, Ming Lin
Summary: For patients with refractory breast cancer, integrative immunotherapies are becoming crucial in treatment. However, many patients do not respond to treatment or relapse. The tumor microenvironment and cancer stem cells play important roles in the progression of breast cancer. Modulating the immune system and targeting breast cancer stem cells directly are essential strategies for improving therapeutic efficacy.
FRONTIERS IN ONCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Vajihe Azimian Zavareh, Shima Gharibi, Mahnaz Hosseini Rizi, Abdolhossein Nekookar, Hossein Mirhendi, Mehdi Rahimmalek, Antoni Szumny
Summary: This study evaluated the suppression and targeting effects of S. bachtiarica on cancer and cancer stem cells in glioblastoma and breast cancer. The results showed that S. bachtiarica reduced cell viability and growth rate, inhibited colony formation, migration, and invasion, and decreased self-renewal capacity and the expression of genes associated with EMT and stemness. This suggests that S. bachtiarica may have potential as an adjuvant for cancer treatment.
Review
Cell Biology
Amrutha Mohan, Reshma Raj Rajan, Gayathri Mohan, Padmaja Kollenchery Puthenveettil, Tessy Thomas Maliekal
Summary: Cancer stem cells (CSCs) exhibit functional heterogeneity and hierarchical organization, giving rise to tumor-initiating cells, drug-resistant cells, or metastasis-initiating cells. Various markers are used to identify CSCs, with a combination of markers used to demarcate the heterogeneous CSCs in solid tumors.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Tung-Wei Hsu, Hsin-An Chen, Po-Hsiang Liao, Yen-Hao Su, Ching-Feng Chiu, Chih-Yang Huang, Yu-Jung Lin, Chih-Chiang Hung, Ming-Hsin Yeh, Shian-Ying Sung, Chih-Ming Su
Summary: The study revealed that Dicer plays a crucial role in regulating the migration, invasion, and stemness of breast cancer cells, and low levels of Dicer are associated with an increased risk of breast cancer.
Article
Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine
Luis Monteiro, Leonor Delgado, Barbas Amaral, Sara Ricardo, Maximo Fraga, Carlos Lopes, Saman Warnakulasuriya
Summary: This study evaluated the expression of cell membrane markers in oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) and their prognostic influence. The results showed that the CLDN-1 and OCLN proteins may be involved in tumor progression of OSCC and their deregulated expression is associated with adverse prognosis.
ORAL SURGERY ORAL MEDICINE ORAL PATHOLOGY ORAL RADIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Medical Laboratory Technology
Fernando Schmitt, Maria D. Lozano
Summary: The understanding of molecular mechanisms in lung cancer and the discovery of targetable genomic alterations have significantly changed the pathological approach to lung cancer, particularly non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Pathologists have been at the forefront of lung cancer management due to this unstoppable knowledge. In the field of cytopathology, where maximizing output with minimal input is a daily challenge, there has been a paradigm shift in the care and handling of diagnostic samples. This shift emphasizes the utilization of cytologic samples and small biopsies for both diagnostic and ancillary testing purposes.
DIAGNOSTIC CYTOPATHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Pathology
Fernando C. Schmitt, Lukas Bubendorf, Sule Canberk, Ashish Chandra, Ian A. Cree, Marianne Engels, Kenzo Hiroshima, Deepali Jain, Ivana Kholova, Lester Layfield, Ravi Mehrotra, Claire W. Michael, Robert Osamura, Martha B. Pitman, Sinchita Roy-Chowdhuri, Yukitoshi Satoh, Paul VanderLaan, Maureen F. Zakowski, Andrew S. Field
Summary: The International Academy of Cytology and the International Agency for Research on Cancer have collaborated to develop a WHO Reporting System for Lung Cytopathology. This system defines five categories for reporting lung cytopathology and provides a standardized approach for testing and diagnosing lung diseases worldwide. It aims to improve patient care and raise the profile of cytopathology.
Article
Pathology
Paula de Melo Alves, Fernando Ferreira, Telma Oliveira, Daniela Alves, Sule Canberk, Fernando C. Schmitt
Summary: Thyroid fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is a well-established technique for primary diagnosis. This study compared the staining effects of two methods, namely Diff-Quik (DQ) and BlueStain (R), and found that BlueStain (R) showed better preservation of colloid and cell details, making it a more cost-effective and simpler alternative to DQ stain.
Editorial Material
Medical Laboratory Technology
Fernando Schmitt, Zhongbo Yang, Magda Esebua
Summary: In the era of personalized medicine, molecular testing plays a critical role in patient care, particularly in cytology samples. It increases diagnostic sensitivity and specificity and helps select appropriate treatment for patients. This special issue provides readers with more information about molecular cytology through a review of literature and discussions on the basics of molecular techniques.
DIAGNOSTIC CYTOPATHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mariana Nunes, Diana Duarte, Nuno Vale, Sara Ricardo
Summary: The combination of Carboplatin with repurposed drugs, such as Pitavastatin or Metformin, showed a stronger synergistic effect and higher cytotoxicity in chemoresistant cells compared to Carboplatin as a single agent. This study suggests that these combinations may be a promising therapeutic approach for high-grade serous carcinoma patients with Carboplatin plus Paclitaxel resistance. Furthermore, the repurposed drugs demonstrated a safe pharmacological profile when combined with Carboplatin in non-tumoral cells.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Christopher J. VandenBussche, Barbara Crothers, Ashish Chandra, Fernando Schmitt, Daniel F. I. Kurtycz
Summary: Objective: An international panel conducted a survey to identify opinions and explore existing practice patterns regarding body fluid cytopathology. The survey collected 593 international participant responses, revealing strong support for the development of a unified system for reporting body fluid cytopathology among respondents.
Article
Cell Biology
Lidia Faria, Sara Canato, Tito T. Jesus, Margarida Goncalves, Patricia S. Guerreiro, Carla S. Lopes, Isabel Meireles, Eurico Morais-de-Sa, Joana Paredes, Florence Janody
Summary: Alterations in P-cadherin expression or function influence tumor progression. P-cadherin is highly expressed in basal-like breast carcinomas and is involved in cancer cell renewal, migration, and invasion. In this study, a humanized P-cadherin Drosophila model was generated to investigate its role in vivo. The results showed that actin nucleators Mrtf and Srf are main effectors of P-cadherin in flies. These findings were validated in a human mammary epithelial cell line with conditional activation of the SRC oncogene. Knocking down P-cadherin or inhibiting F-actin polymerization impaired SRF transcriptional activity, while blocking Mrtf-A nuclear translocation hindered proliferation, self-renewal, and invasion.
DISEASE MODELS & MECHANISMS
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Irina Fonseca, Cintia Horta, Ana Sofia Ribeiro, Barbara Sousa, Gaelle Marteil, Monica Bettencourt-Dias, Joana Paredes
Summary: Polo-like kinase 4 (Plk4) is a potential therapeutic target in cancer due to its abnormal expression, which leads to centrosome number deregulation and mitotic defects. Plk4 overexpression significantly enhances resistance to anoikis of p53 knock-out mammary epithelial cells and induces a stable hybrid epithelial-mesenchymal phenotype, partially dependent on P-cadherin upregulation.
CELL DEATH & DISEASE
(2023)
Editorial Material
Oncology
Miguel Henriques Abreu, Gabriella Lillsunde-Larsson, Carla Bartosch, Sara Ricardo
FRONTIERS IN ONCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Gisela Magalhaes, Rita Calisto, Catarina Freire, Regina Silva, Diana Montezuma, Sule Canberk, Fernando Schmitt
Summary: Digital pathology is the future for histopathology laboratories, but the implementation process requires workflow reorganisation and often overlooks the role of Histotechnologists (HTLs). This article aims to provide guidance and practical recommendations for HTLs to contribute to the implementation of a new digital workflow, as well as to improve study programs and education regarding HTLs in digital pathology.
JOURNAL OF HISTOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Correction
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Doroteya Raykova, Despoina Kermpatsou, Tony Malmqvist, Philip J. Harrison, Marie Rubin Sander, Christiane Stiller, Johan Heldin, Mattias Leino, Sara Ricardo, Anna Klemm, Leonor David, Ola Spjuth, Kalyani Vemuri, Anna Dimberg, Anders Sundqvist, Maria Norlin, Axel Klaesson, Caroline Kampf, Ola Soderberg
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Carla Luis, Fernando Schmitt, Rute Fernandes, Nuno Coimbra, Joana Rigor, Paula Dias, Dina Leitao, Ruben Fernandes, Raquel Soares
Summary: This study investigated the expression of enzymes involved in glycolysis and gluconeogenesis in breast cancer, and found significant differences based on molecular subtype and body mass index. These differences were closely related to hormonal receptor and HER2 status, as well as pathological stage and histological grade. Obesity appeared to attenuate these differences, but adipocyte deposition and inflammatory infiltration did not affect the differences. Additionally, obesity-related conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia influenced the expression of certain enzymes.
Article
Oncology
Ines Brandao Rego, Sara Coelho, Patricia Miguel Semedo, Joana Cavaco-Silva, Laetitia Teixeira, Susana Sousa, Joana Reis, Rui Dinis, Fernando Schmitt, Noemia Afonso, Jose Luis Fougo, Francisco Pavao, Ricardo Baptista Leite, Luis Costa
Summary: This study aims to describe the compliance with EUSOMA indicators in breast cancer management in different hospital settings in Portugal. Although most indicators meet EUSOMA standards, there are differences among institutions, especially in diagnosis and disease stages.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Cosimo Durante, Laszlo Hegedues, Agnieszka Czarniecka, Ralf Paschke, Gilles Russ, Fernando Schmitt, Paula Soares, Tamas Solymosi, Enrico Papini
Summary: With the widespread use of imaging techniques, an increasing number of thyroid nodules are discovered. Most are benign and do not require treatment, while small intrathyroidal neoplasms can be safely managed conservatively. Guidelines are needed to provide a cost-effective and patient-centered approach to managing this prevalent condition. The present guidelines aim to provide a clinical practice guide for the initial workup and management of thyroid nodules in adults, and are not intended for the management of thyroid malignancy.
EUROPEAN THYROID JOURNAL
(2023)
