Tumor occurrence and progression are considered to be a complex progressive process involving multi-level reactions and accumulation of mutations. In the past few decades, there have been many studies on this topic in the field of oncology. These studies mainly focus on tumor cells, tumor microenvironment, tumor heterogeneity, etc., among which tumor heterogeneity is closely related to the occurrence and malignancy of tumors. Cancer stem cells (CSCs), as one of the theories explaining the mechanism of tumor heterogeneity, have received widespread attention.
Recently, researchers from Sichuan University published an article titled “Regulation and Signaling Pathways in Cancer Stem Cells: implications for targeted therapy for Cancer” in the Mol Cancer Journal. This review introduces the origin and biological characteristics of CSCs, explores their regulatory networks, discusses the signaling pathways involved in these networks, and investigates the influencing factors of CSC resistance.
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) were first discovered in leukemia in 1994 and are a unique subgroup of tumor cells characterized by surface markers such as CD133, CD44, and ALDH. Their behavior is regulated through complex network interactions, including transcription, post-transcription, epigenetics, tumor microenvironment (TME), and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) factors. Many signaling pathways are involved in the regulatory network of CSCs. The maintenance of CSC features plays a crucial role in driving CSC-related tumor metastasis and conferring therapeutic resistance. Therefore, CSC has become a promising target in cancer treatment.
So far, researchers have developed several anti-cancer drugs specifically targeting CSCs, some of which are currently undergoing preclinical or clinical trials for treatment strategies.
In summary, CSCs are a subgroup of stem cells characterized by their self-renewal ability and differentiation potential, making significant contributions to cell proliferation, metastasis, and tumor growth. The regulatory network of CSCs includes transcriptional control, post-transcriptional control, epigenetic modification, tumor microenvironment (TME) control, and regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) processes. Several factors related to the use of CSCs are closely related to treatment resistance. Hopefully, various CSC-targeted therapies have been developed and are currently undergoing clinical trials, providing a promising future for cancer treatment.
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Reference
Zhen Zeng et al. Regulation and signaling pathways in cancer stem cells: implications for targeted therapy for cancer. Mol Cancer. 2023 Oct 18;22(1):172. doi: 10.1186/s12943-023-01877-w.