Ontario Cancer Institute/Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada; Campbell Family Institute for Cancer Research, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
Cancer Lett. 2013 Nov 28;341(1):63-72. doi: 10.1016/j.canlet.2012.11.019. Epub 2012 Nov 28.
Numerous studies have demonstrated the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) within solid tumors. Although the precursor of these cells is not clearly established, recent studies suggest that the phenotype of CSCs may be quite plastic and associated with the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). In patients, the presence of EMT and CSCs has been implicated in increased resistance to radiotherapy. Hypoxia, a negative prognostic factor for treatment success, is a potent driver of a multitude of molecular signalling pathways that allow cells to survive and thrive in the hostile tumor microenvironment and can induce EMT. Hypoxia also provides tumor cells with cues for maintenance of a stem-like state and may help to drive the linkage between EMT and CSCs. Understanding the biology of CSCs, the EMT phenotype and their implications in therapeutic relapse may provide crucial new approaches in the development of improved therapeutic strategies.
大量研究表明，实体肿瘤中存在癌症干细胞（CSCs）。尽管这些细胞的前体尚不清楚，但最近的研究表明，CSC 的表型可能具有相当大的可塑性，并与上皮-间充质转化（EMT）有关。在患者中，EMT 和 CSCs 的存在与增加对放射治疗的抵抗力有关。缺氧是治疗成功的一个负面预后因素，它是多种分子信号通路的强大驱动因素，使细胞能够在恶劣的肿瘤微环境中存活和茁壮成长，并能诱导 EMT。缺氧还为肿瘤细胞提供了维持类似干细胞状态的线索，并可能有助于驱动 EMT 和 CSCs 之间的联系。了解 CSCs 的生物学、EMT 表型及其在治疗复发中的意义，可能为开发改进的治疗策略提供关键的新方法。
