Stem Cell and Microenvironment Laboratory, Department of Genetic Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Education City, Qatar Foundation, P.O. Box, Doha 24144, Qatar.
Biomed Res Int. 2013;2013:630782. doi: 10.1155/2013/630782. Epub 2012 Dec 24.
Despite recent progresses in cancer therapy and increased knowledge in cancer biology, ovarian cancer remains a challenging condition. Among the latest concepts developed in cancer biology, cancer stem cells and the role of microenvironment in tumor progression seem to be related. Indeed, cancer stem cells have been described in several solid tumors including ovarian cancers. These particular cells have the ability to self-renew and reconstitute a heterogeneous tumor. They are characterized by specific surface markers and display resistance to therapeutic regimens. During development, specific molecular cues from the tumor microenvironment can play a role in maintaining and expanding stemness of cancer cells. The tumor stroma contains several compartments: cellular component, cytokine network, and extracellular matrix. These different compartments interact to form a permissive niche for the cancer stem cells. Understanding the molecular cues underlying this crosstalk will allow the design of new therapeutic regimens targeting the niche. In this paper, we will discuss the mechanisms implicated in the interaction between ovarian cancer stem cells and their microenvironment.
尽管癌症治疗领域最近取得了进展，癌症生物学方面的知识也有所增加，但卵巢癌仍然是一种具有挑战性的疾病。在癌症生物学中提出的最新概念中，癌症干细胞及其在肿瘤进展中的微环境作用似乎相关。事实上，已经在包括卵巢癌在内的几种实体瘤中描述了癌症干细胞。这些特殊的细胞具有自我更新和重新构成异质性肿瘤的能力。它们的特征是具有特定的表面标志物，并对治疗方案具有抗性。在发育过程中，肿瘤微环境中的特定分子线索可以在维持和扩大癌细胞的干性方面发挥作用。肿瘤基质包含几个隔室：细胞成分、细胞因子网络和细胞外基质。这些不同的隔室相互作用，为癌症干细胞形成一个允许的生态位。了解这种串扰背后的分子线索将允许设计针对生态位的新治疗方案。在本文中，我们将讨论卵巢癌干细胞与其微环境相互作用所涉及的机制。
