Review
Biology
Ilias Tsochantaridis, Angelos Roupas, Sofie Mohlin, Aglaia Pappa, Georgia-Persephoni Voulgaridou
Summary: Cancer is a complex and multifactorial disease with high phenotypic plasticity and diversity. Intratumoral heterogeneity, caused by the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) with stem-like properties, poses a major challenge in cancer treatment. CSCs exhibit enhanced chemoresistance and the identification of specific CSC biomarkers, such as ALDH1B1, is crucial for effective clinical therapies.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Wookyeom Yang, Dasol Kim, Dae Kyoung Kim, Kyung Un Choi, Dong Soo Suh, Jae Ho Kim
Summary: Ovarian cancer is a fatal gynecological malignancy, and its treatment remains a challenge. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) play a key role in cancer relapse and treatment resistance, with their malignancy regulated by cell surface receptors and intracellular factors.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Huiying Ma, Tian Tian, Zhumei Cui
Summary: Ovarian cancer is a highly lethal gynecological malignancy characterized by tumor heterogeneity, limited early diagnosis methods, and high incidence of chemoresistant recurrent disease. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) play a crucial role in tumor growth, metastasis, and resistance to treatment. Understanding the role of CSCs in ovarian cancer can provide insights into the disease's progression and resistance mechanisms, leading to the development of novel therapeutic strategies. This review summarizes the current research on targeting ovarian cancer stem cells, including signaling pathways, markers, and drugs, with the aim of improving the management of ovarian cancer patients using CSC-based therapies.
STEM CELL RESEARCH & THERAPY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Jin Qian, Bauer L. LeSavage, Kelsea M. Hubka, Chenkai Ma, Suchitra Natarajan, Joshua T. Eggold, Yiren Xiao, Katherine C. Fuh, Venkatesh Krishnan, Annika Enejder, Sarah C. Heilshorn, Oliver Dorigo, Erinn B. Rankin
Summary: Ovarian cancer-associated mesothelial cells play a critical role in promoting chemoresistance and stemness in ovarian cancer. The secreted factor osteopontin drives mesothelial-mediated chemoresistance and stemness, and therapeutic targeting of osteopontin may enhance platinum sensitivity in ovarian cancer.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION
(2021)
Review
Oncology
Dan Xie, Qin Pei, Jingyuan Li, Xue Wan, Ting Ye
Summary: The E2F family of transcription factors consists of eight genes in mammals, encoding ten proteins that play crucial roles in cellular processes. Cancer stem cells are key players in tumor development, and E2Fs may be promising biomarkers and therapeutic targets associated with their pathologies.
FRONTIERS IN ONCOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shuai Lv, Yufei Liu, Changheng Xie, Chenyang Xue, Shi Du, Jing Yao
Summary: Tumor angiogenesis and cancer stem cells are two major features of solid tumors that have critical roles in tumor progression, metastasis, and recurrence. There is evidence of a close association between cancer stem cells and tumor vasculature, where cancer stem cells promote tumor angiogenesis and the highly vascularized tumor microenvironment further maintains their growth, forming a vicious circle to promote tumor development. This review highlights the crosstalk between tumor vasculature and cancer stem cells, with emphasis on small-molecule compounds and associated biological signaling pathways. Disrupting the cancer stem cells-angiogenesis vicious circle by linking tumor vessels to cancer stem cells is of utmost importance, and more precise treatment regimens targeting tumor vasculature and cancer stem cells are expected to improve future tumor treatments.
JOURNAL OF CONTROLLED RELEASE
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Yinu Wang, Guangyuan Zhao, Salvatore Condello, Hao Huang, Horacio Cardenas, Edward J. Tanner, JianJun Wei, Yanrong Ji, Junjie Li, Yuying Tan, Ramana V. Davuluri, Marcus E. Peter, Ji-Xin Cheng, Daniela Matei
Summary: The study identifies platinum-tolerant cancer cells with cancer stem cell features characterized by expression of FZD7 and dependency on the FZD7-beta-catenin-Tp63-GPX4 pathway for survival. These cells are highly susceptible to ferroptosis, marking a novel therapeutic vulnerability in platinum-resistant cancer cells.
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Yibin Lin, Yifu Song, Yaochuan Zhang, Mengwu Shi, Ana Hou, Sheng Han
Summary: The nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) is a transcriptional regulator initially identified in activated T cells. The NFAT family is involved in tumor development and recent studies have shown its role in regulating inflammatory and immune responses. Additionally, NFAT has been found to regulate cancer progression through cancer stem cells (CSC). This article discusses the involvement of NFAT family in immune system functioning and various types of cancer.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jacek R. Wilczynski, Milosz Wilczynski, Edyta Paradowska
Summary: This review provides an overview of the biology of ovarian cancer stem cells (OCSCs) and their impact on chemo-resistance and prognosis in ovarian cancer patients. It discusses the role of OCSCs in cancer progression and recurrence, as well as potential treatment options targeted specifically at OCSCs.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Cell Biology
Martina Mang Leng Lei, Terence Kin Wah Lee
Summary: Immune cells play a crucial role in driving cancer cells towards stemness and enabling cancer stem cells to evade immune surveillance by affecting various immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. Targeting CSCs with immunotherapy disrupts the interaction between immune cells and CSCs, offering a novel strategy against cancer.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Yizuo Song, Hejing Liu, Shuya Pan, Xinli Xiang, Miaomiao Ye, Xueqiong Zhu
Summary: Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have shown great promise in various fields such as regenerative medicine and cancer therapy. However, their role as important components within the tumor microenvironment poses potential tumorigenic risks, hindering their clinical translation.
STEM CELL RESEARCH & THERAPY
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Meng Rui Chang, Daniil A. Rusanov, Jemma Arakelyan, Mana Alshehri, Aleksandra Asaturova, Galina S. Kireeva, Maria Babak, Wee Han Ang
Summary: In the last decade, our understanding of cancer development and progression has expanded, with the recognition of specific hallmarks of cancer. These hallmarks have been widely accepted as an organizing principle to comprehend cancer and develop new therapies. Recent research has revealed new hallmarks related to the interaction between cancer cells and their tumor microenvironment. This review summarizes therapeutic strategies targeting phenotypic plasticity and the cancer microbiome, and explores the potential advantages of transition metal complexes as compared to current treatment options.
COORDINATION CHEMISTRY REVIEWS
(2023)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Zhe Wang, Fenghua Meng, Zhiyuan Zhong
Summary: Targeted drug delivery systems play a crucial role in enhancing the efficacy of ovarian cancer treatment, improving selectivity, overcoming drug resistance, and reducing toxicity. These systems provide important means to explore innovative treatment modalities.
ADVANCED DRUG DELIVERY REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Yiping Wen, Yaya Hou, Xiaoqing Yi, Si Sun, Jing Guo, Xiaoqi He, Tao Li, Jing Cai, Zehua Wang
Summary: The study revealed that EZH2 plays a critical role in ovarian cancer stemness and chemo-resistance, with CHK1 being a target involved in CSC stemness regulated by EZH2. Clinical samples showed that high levels of EZH2 and CHK1 were associated with poorer prognosis and increased resistance to platinum drugs in ovarian cancer patients.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yi He, Salvador Alejo, Prabhakar P. Venkata, Jessica D. Johnson, Ilanna Loeffel, Uday P. Pratap, Yi Zou, Zhao Lai, Rajeshwar R. Tekmal, Edward Kost, Gangadhara R. Sareddy
Summary: This study found that ovarian cancer stem cells (OCSCs) highly express ER beta, and the ER beta agonist LY500307 can significantly reduce the viability of OCSCs, inhibit sphere formation, self-renewal, and invasion, and promote apoptosis and G2/M cell cycle arrest. Further investigation revealed that LY500307 exerts its effects by modulating pathways related to cell cycle and apoptosis. Additionally, LY500307 treatment attenuated the tumor-initiating capacity of OCSCs in mice. These findings demonstrate that LY500307 is a promising novel therapeutic agent for ovarian cancer.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
