Sakashita Hiroyuki, Ieta Keisuke, Haraguchi Naotsugu, Inoue Yutaka, Yoshizawa Yasuyuki, Mori Masaki
Dept. of Molecular and Surgical Oncology, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, Japan.
Gan To Kagaku Ryoho. 2007 Nov;34(11):1721-9.
Recently it is considered that there is a small population of cells with stem cell property not only in leukemia but also in solid cancer.These cells show the ability of self-renewal and multi-potential differentiation, and can initiate and maintain a tumor. The origin of cancer stem cells might be their normal stem cells, progenitor cells, or bone marrow-derived cells. It is still difficult to isolate cancer stem cells in solid cancer. There are three possible methodologies to isolate or identify cancer stem cells; the use of a surface marker, use of cells cultured in a specific condition (sphere), or the use of side population cells identified by FACS. The gold standard assay that fulfills the definition of cancer stem cell may be serial transplantation in animal models. Cancer stem cells are likely to be responsible for disease relapse or metastasis, and also for resistance to radiation or conventional chemotherapy. The stem cell niche plays an important role on maintaining cancer stem cells. The novel promising therapies against cancer stem cells are considered, including antibody-based therapy, signal inhibitors, overcoming radiation and drug resistance, or differentiation therapy. Another interesting therapy targeting the niche may also be considered.
最近人们认为，不仅在白血病中，而且在实体癌中都存在一小部分具有干细胞特性的细胞。这些细胞具有自我更新和多能分化的能力，能够启动并维持肿瘤生长。癌症干细胞的起源可能是其正常干细胞、祖细胞或骨髓来源的细胞。在实体癌中分离癌症干细胞仍然很困难。有三种可能的方法来分离或鉴定癌症干细胞：使用表面标志物、使用在特定条件下培养的细胞（球体）或使用通过荧光激活细胞分选（FACS）鉴定的侧群细胞。符合癌症干细胞定义的金标准检测方法可能是在动物模型中的连续移植。癌症干细胞可能是疾病复发或转移的原因，也是对放疗或传统化疗产生耐药性的原因。干细胞微环境在维持癌症干细胞方面起着重要作用。人们正在考虑针对癌症干细胞的新的有前景的治疗方法，包括基于抗体的治疗、信号抑制剂、克服放疗和耐药性或分化治疗。另一种针对微环境的有趣治疗方法也值得考虑。
