Abstract
Despite significant efforts in diagnosing and treating lung cancer, therapeutic resistance remains a major unresolved clinical and scientific problem. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are thought to be responsible for the failure of current chemotherapy of lung cancer. The concept of CSCs has radically changed the view of cancer therapy. Today a majority of current treatment modalities target the differentiated cancer cells and avoid the drug resistant cancer-initiating stem cells. This review summarizes our understanding of lung CSCs and their role in metastasis formation and growth of non- small-cells lung cancer (NSCLC). High tumorigenic and metastatic properties of lung CSCs are associated with the efficient cytokine network production and with the specific signaling pathways. This review underlines the experimental evidence indicating that the stem cell factor (SCF) and its receptor c-kit (CD117) play an important role in survival and proliferation of lung CSCs. Thus, molecularly targeting key cytokine network axes of such highly tumorigenic and metastatic CSCs must be considered for improving the current anti-cancer strategy efficacy. Standard chemotherapy in combination with specific axis of cytokine network targeting, such as SCF-c-kit, could eliminate both bulk tumor cells and CSCs, and therefore to be truly curative therapies. This review provides a summary of some of the developments in the field of lung CSCs targeting and highlights aspects which could help in the drug discovery process.
Keywords: Human lung cancer stem cells, Drug resistance, Cytokine network, Cancer stem cell targeted therapy
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry
Title: Lung Cancer Stem Cells as a Target for Therapy
Volume: 10 Issue: 2
Author(s): Elieser Gorelik, Anna Lokshin and Vera Levina
Affiliation:
Keywords: Human lung cancer stem cells, Drug resistance, Cytokine network, Cancer stem cell targeted therapy
Abstract: Despite significant efforts in diagnosing and treating lung cancer, therapeutic resistance remains a major unresolved clinical and scientific problem. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are thought to be responsible for the failure of current chemotherapy of lung cancer. The concept of CSCs has radically changed the view of cancer therapy. Today a majority of current treatment modalities target the differentiated cancer cells and avoid the drug resistant cancer-initiating stem cells. This review summarizes our understanding of lung CSCs and their role in metastasis formation and growth of non- small-cells lung cancer (NSCLC). High tumorigenic and metastatic properties of lung CSCs are associated with the efficient cytokine network production and with the specific signaling pathways. This review underlines the experimental evidence indicating that the stem cell factor (SCF) and its receptor c-kit (CD117) play an important role in survival and proliferation of lung CSCs. Thus, molecularly targeting key cytokine network axes of such highly tumorigenic and metastatic CSCs must be considered for improving the current anti-cancer strategy efficacy. Standard chemotherapy in combination with specific axis of cytokine network targeting, such as SCF-c-kit, could eliminate both bulk tumor cells and CSCs, and therefore to be truly curative therapies. This review provides a summary of some of the developments in the field of lung CSCs targeting and highlights aspects which could help in the drug discovery process.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Gorelik Elieser, Lokshin Anna and Levina Vera, Lung Cancer Stem Cells as a Target for Therapy, Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry 2010; 10 (2) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/187152010790909308
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/187152010790909308 |
Print ISSN 1871-5206 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1875-5992 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
Discovery of Lead compounds targeting transcriptional regulation
Transcriptional regulation plays key physiological functions in body growth and development. Transcriptional dysregulation is one of important biomarkers of tumor genesis and progression, which is involved in regulating tumor cell processes such as cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Additionally, it plays a pivotal role in angiogenesis and promotes tumor metastasis ...read more
Induction of cell death in cancer cells by modulating telomerase activity using small molecule drugs
Telomeres are distinctive but short stretches present at the corners of chromosomes and aid in stabilizing chromosomal makeup. Resynthesis of telomeres supported by the activity of reverse transcriptase ribonucleoprotein complex telomerase. There is no any telomerase activity in human somatic cells, but the stem cells and germ cells undergone telomerase ...read more
Innovative targets in medicinal chemistry
Medicinal chemistry continuously evolves in response to emerging healthcare needs and advancements in scientific understanding. This special issue explores the current landscape of innovative targets in medicinal chemistry, highlighting the quest for novel therapeutic avenues. From traditional drug targets such as enzymes and receptors to emerging targets like protein-protein interactions ...read more
Rechallenge Therapy in different types of cancer
Cancer is responsible for approximately 8 million deaths annually all worldwide. The Global burden of cancer (GLOBOCAN) 2020 reported 19.3 million new cases of cancer, which is projected to increase to 28.4 million by 2040.In the future , female breast cancer will be the most common cancer (11.7%) followed by ...read more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
Related Articles
-
Cancer Imaging Agents for Positron Emission Tomography: Beyond FDG
Current Medical Imaging Antimutagenic Activity of Lutein –An Oxycarotenoid Present in the Macula and its Inhibition of Cytochrome P 450 Enzymes in vitro
Drug Metabolism Letters Exosome-like Nanoparticles: A New Type of Nanocarrier
Current Medicinal Chemistry LncRNA in Tumorigenesis Microenvironment
Current Bioinformatics Current and Potential Treatments for Cervical Cancer
Current Cancer Drug Targets MicroRNA and Cancer: Tiny Molecules with Major Implications
Current Genomics Genetic Mechanisms and Aberrant Gene Expression during the Development of Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia and Adenocarcinoma
Current Genomics Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer with Activating Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutation: First Line Treatment and Beyond
Reviews on Recent Clinical Trials Emerging Role of Bone Morphogenetic Proteins as a Context Dependent Pro-Angiogenic Cue
Current Angiogenesis (Discontinued) Antimicrobial Peptides in Oral Cancer
Current Pharmaceutical Design Recent Applications of Phosphoproteomics
Current Proteomics Chemotherapy and Cardiotoxicity in Hematologic Malignancies
Current Cancer Drug Targets Annurca Apple Biophenols’ Effects in Combination with Cisplatin on A549 Cells
Current Nutrition & Food Science Immunotherapy Approaches in Cancer Treatment
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Correlations between Overexpression of SOX2OT Long Non-coding RNA and Susceptibility to Breast Cancer
Combinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput Screening Thymoquinone: Major Molecular Targets, Prominent Pharmacological Actions and Drug Delivery Concerns
Current Bioactive Compounds Synthetic Src-Kinase Domain Inhibitors and Their Structural Requirements
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry From the Table to the Bedside: Can Food-Derived Sulforaphane be used as a Novel Agent to Treat Leukemia?
Current Cancer Drug Targets Editorial: Investigate the Genetic and Environmental Interactions in Complex Systems with High Throughput Screening
Combinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput Screening Nuclear Receptor SHP as a Potential Therapeutic Target for Liver Cancer
Current Cancer Therapy Reviews