Immunology and Biotechnology Division, Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt,
Cytotechnology. 2015 Oct;67(5):749-59. doi: 10.1007/s10616-014-9830-0. Epub 2014 Dec 17.
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) need to survive cancer treatments with a specific end goal to provide new, more differentiated, metastatic-prone cancerous cells. This happens through diverse signals delivered within the tumor microenvironment where ample evidence indicates that altered developmental signaling pathways play an essential role in maintaining CSCs and accordingly the survival and the progression of the tumor itself. This review summarizes findings on the immunobiological properties of CSCs as compared with cancerous non-stem cells involving the expression of immunological molecules, cytokines and tumor antigens as well as the roles of the Notch, Wnt and Hedgehog pathways in the brain, breast and colon CSCs. We concluded that if CSCs are the main driving force behind tumor support and growth then understanding the molecular mechanisms and the immunological properties directing these cells for immune tolerance is of great clinical significance. Such knowledge will contribute to designing better targeted therapies that could prevent tumor recurrence and accordingly significantly improve cancer treatments and patient survival.
癌症干细胞（CSCs）需要在特定的治疗后存活，以提供新的、分化程度更高、更易转移的癌细胞。这是通过肿瘤微环境中传递的各种信号实现的，大量证据表明，发育信号通路的改变在维持 CSCs 以及肿瘤本身的存活和进展中起着至关重要的作用。本综述总结了 CSCs 与癌症非干细胞相比的免疫生物学特性，涉及免疫分子、细胞因子和肿瘤抗原的表达，以及 Notch、Wnt 和 Hedgehog 通路在脑、乳腺和结肠 CSCs 中的作用。我们得出结论，如果 CSCs 是肿瘤支持和生长的主要驱动力，那么了解指导这些细胞免疫耐受的分子机制和免疫特性具有重要的临床意义。这些知识将有助于设计更好的靶向治疗方法，以防止肿瘤复发，从而显著改善癌症治疗和患者的生存。
