Author/Authors :
Li, Yiwei Wayne State University - School of Medicine, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute - Department of Pathology, USA , Ahmad, Aamir Wayne State University - School of Medicine, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute - Department of Pathology, USA , Kong, Dejuan Wayne State University - School of Medicine, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute - Department of Pathology, USA , Bao, Bin Wayne State University - School of Medicine, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute - Department of Pathology, USA , Sarkar, Fazlul H. Wayne State University - School of Medicine, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute - Departments of Pathology and Oncology, USA
Abstract :
After a long debate over several years, it is now becoming clear that cancer stem cells (CSCs) do exist in hematopoietic and solid malignant tumors. CSCs are a subpopulation of cancer cells which possess high capacities of self-renewal, multilineage differentiation, rapid proliferation and tumor initiation. CSCs are more resistant to chemotherapeutics and show a high potential for invasion and metastasis. Moreover, the survival of CSCs after the elimination of most cancer cells by chemotherapeutics is the major cause of cancer recurrence. Therefore, targeting CSCs in addition to conventional therapy may be a novel strategy for better treatment of cancer. Recently, miRNAs have received increasing attention in cancer research. miRNAs are aberrantly expressed in cancer cells. Studies on miRNAs have demonstrated that they could critically control the development, self-renewal and differentiation of CSCs as well as regulate drug sensitivity and CSC invasion and metastasis. Targeting CSC-related miRNAs could be a promising approach to eliminate CSCs and thus inhibit cancer progression.
