Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 21 in total

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  1. Tan WL, Subha ST, Mohtarrudin N, Cheah YK
    Mol Biol Rep, 2023 Jun;50(6):5395-5405.
    PMID: 37074612 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-023-08421-5
    The self-renew ability of cancer stem cells (CSCs) continues to challenge our determination for accomplishing cancer therapy breakthrough. Ineffectiveness of current cancer therapies to eradicate CSCs has contributed to chemoresistance and tumor recurrence. Yet, the discoveries of highly effective therapies have not been thoroughly developed. Further insights into cancer metabolomics and gene-regulated mechanisms of mitochondria in CSCs can expedite the development of novel anticancer drugs. In cancer cells, the metabolism is reprogrammed from oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) to glycolysis. This alteration allows the cancer cell to receive continuous energy supplies and avoid apoptosis. The pyruvate obtained from glycolysis produces acetyl-coenzyme A (Acetyl-CoA) via oxidative decarboxylation and enters the tricarboxylic acid cycle for adenosine triphosphate generation. Mitochondrial calcium ion (Ca2+) uptake is responsible for mitochondrial physiology regulation, and reduced uptake of Ca2+  inhibits apoptosis and enhances cell survival in cancer. There have been many discoveries of mitochondria-associated microRNAs (miRNAs) stimulating the metabolic alterations in mitochondria via gene regulation which promote cancer cell survival. These miRNAs are also found in CSCs where they regulate genes and activate different mechanisms to destroy the mitochondria and enhance CSCs survival. By targeting the miRNAs that induced mitochondrial destruction, the mitochondrial functions can be restored; thus, it triggers CSCs apoptosis and completely eliminates the CSCs. In general, this review article aims to address the associations between miRNAs with mitochondrial activities in cancer cells and cancer stem cells that support cancer cell survival and self-renewal.
    Matched MeSH terms: Neoplastic Stem Cells/metabolism
  2. Osei GY, Adu-Amankwaah J, Koomson S, Beletaa S, Ahmad MK, Asiamah EA, et al.
    Future Oncol, 2023 Nov;19(35):2369-2382.
    PMID: 37970643 DOI: 10.2217/fon-2023-0426
    Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a significant contributor to cancer mortality worldwide, and the presence of cancer stem cells (CSC) represents a major challenge for achieving effective treatment. miRNAs have emerged as critical regulators of gene expression, and recent studies have highlighted their role in regulating stemness and therapeutic resistance in CRC stem cells. This review highlights the mechanisms of CSC development, therapy resistance and the potential of miRNAs as therapeutic targets for CRC. It emphasizes the promise of miRNAs as a novel approach to CRC treatment and calls for further research to explore effective miRNA-based therapies and strategies for delivering miRNAs to CSCs in vivo.
    Matched MeSH terms: Neoplastic Stem Cells/metabolism
  3. Pandrangi SL, Chittineedi P, Chalumuri SS, Meena AS, Neira Mosquera JA, Sánchez Llaguno SN, et al.
    Molecules, 2022 May 07;27(9).
    PMID: 35566360 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27093011
    Iron is a crucial element required for the proper functioning of the body. For instance, hemoglobin is the vital component in the blood that delivers oxygen to various parts of the body. The heme protein present in hemoglobin comprises iron in the form of a ferrous state which regulates oxygen delivery. Excess iron in the body is stored as ferritin and would be utilized under iron-deficient conditions. Surprisingly, cancer cells as well as cancer stem cells have elevated ferritin levels suggesting that iron plays a vital role in protecting these cells. However, apart from the cytoprotective role iron also has the potential to induce cell death via ferroptosis which is a non-apoptotic cell death dependent on iron reserves. Apoptosis a caspase-dependent cell death mechanism is effective on cancer cells however little is known about its impact on cancer stem cell death. This paper focuses on the molecular characteristics of apoptosis and ferroptosis and the importance of switching to ferroptosis to target cancer stem cells death thereby preventing cancer relapse. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review to demonstrate the importance of intracellular iron in regulating the switching of tumor cells and therapy resistant CSCs from apoptosis to ferroptosis.
    Matched MeSH terms: Neoplastic Stem Cells/metabolism
  4. Wong MM, Chan HY, Aziz NA, Ramasamy TS, Bong JJ, Ch'ng ES, et al.
    Mol Biol Rep, 2021 Apr;48(4):3695-3717.
    PMID: 33893928 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-021-06334-9
    Liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in the world. The most common type of liver cancers is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Autophagy is the cellular digestion of harmful components by sequestering the waste products into autophagosomes followed by lysosomal degradation for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. The impairment of autophagy is highly associated with the development and progression of HCC although autophagy may be involved in tumour-suppressing cellular events. In regards to its protecting role, autophagy also shelters the cells from anoikis- a programmed cell death in anchorage-dependent cells detached from the surrounding extracellular matrix which facilitates metastasis in HCC. Liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs) have the ability for self-renewal and differentiation and are associated with the development and progression of HCC by regulating stemness, resistance and angiogenesis. Interestingly, autophagy is also known to regulate normal stem cells by promoting cellular survival and differentiation and maintaining cellular homeostasis. In this review, we discuss the basal autophagic mechanisms and double-faceted roles of autophagy as both tumour suppressor and tumour promoter in HCC, as well as its association with and contribution to self-renewal and differentiation of LCSCs.
    Matched MeSH terms: Neoplastic Stem Cells/metabolism*
  5. Vazifehmand R, Ali DS, Othman Z, Chau DM, Stanslas J, Shafa M, et al.
    J Neurovirol, 2022 Dec;28(4-6):566-582.
    PMID: 35951174 DOI: 10.1007/s13365-022-01089-w
    Glioblastoma multiforme is the most aggressive astrocytes brain tumor. Glioblastoma cancer stem cells and hypoxia conditions are well-known major obstacles in treatment. Studies have revealed that non-coding RNAs serve a critical role in glioblastoma progression, invasion, and resistance to chemo-radiotherapy. The present study examined the expression levels of microRNAs (in normoxic condition) and long non-coding RNAs (in normoxic and hypoxic conditions) in glioblastoma stem cells treated with the HSV-G47∆. The expression levels of 43 miRNAs and 8 lncRNAs isolated from U251-GBM-CSCs were analyzed using a miRCURY LNA custom PCR array and a quantitative PCR assay, respectively. The data revealed that out of 43 miRNAs that only were checked in normoxic condition, the only 8 miRNAs, including miR-7-1, miR-let-7b, miR-130a, miR-137, miR-200b, miR-221, miR-222, and miR-874, were markedly upregulated. The expression levels of lncRNAs, including LEF1 antisense RNA 1 (LEF1-AS1), metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1), long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 470 (LINC00470), tumor suppressor candidate 7 (TUSC7), HOX transcript antisense RNA (HOTAIR), nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (NEAT1), and X inactive specific transcript (XIST), were markedly downregulated in the hypoxic microenvironment, and H19-imprinted maternally expressed transcript (H19) was not observed to be dysregulated in this environment. Under normoxic conditions, LEF1-AS1, MALAT1, LINC00470, H19, HOTAIR, NEAT1, and XIST were downregulated and TUSC7 was not targeted by HSV-G47∆. Overall, the present data shows HSVG47Δ treatment deregulates non-coding RNA expression in GBM-CSC tumor microenvironments.
    Matched MeSH terms: Neoplastic Stem Cells/metabolism
  6. Rengganaten V, Huang CJ, Wang ML, Chien Y, Tsai PH, Lan YT, et al.
    BMC Cancer, 2023 Nov 10;23(1):1088.
    PMID: 37950151 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-11571-1
    BACKGROUND: Cancer stem cells form a rare cell population in tumors that contributes to metastasis, recurrence and chemoresistance in cancer patients. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression that sponge targeted microRNA (miRNAs) to affect a multitude of downstream cellular processes. We previously showed in an expression profiling study that circZNF800 (hsa_circ_0082096) was up-regulated in cancer stem cell-enriched spheroids derived from colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines.

    METHODS: Spheroids were generated in suspension spheroidal culture. The ZNF800 mRNA, pluripotency stem cell markers and circZNF800 levels were determined by quantitative RT-PCR. CircZNF800-miRNA interactions were shown in RNA pulldown assays and the miRNA levels determined by stem-loop qRT-PCR. The effects of circZNF800 on cell proliferation were tested by EdU staining followed by flowcytometry. Expression of stem cell markers CD44/CD133, Lgr5 and SOX9 was demonstrated in immunofluorescence microscopy. To manipulate the cellular levels of circZNF800, circZNF800 over-expression was achieved via transfection of in vitro synthesized and circularized circZNF800, and knockdown attained using a CRISPR-Cas13d-circZNF800 vector system. Xenografted nude mice were used to demonstrate effects of circZNF800 over-expression and knockdown on tumor growth in vivo.

    RESULTS: CircZNF800 was shown to be over-expressed in late-stage tumor tissues of CRC patients. Data showed that circZNF800 impeded expression of miR-140-3p, miR-382-5p and miR-579-3p while promoted the mRNA levels of ALK/ACVR1C, FZD3 and WNT5A targeted by the miRNAs, as supported by alignments of seed sequences between the circZNF800-miRNA, and miRNA-mRNA paired interactions. Analysis in CRC cells and biopsied tissues showed that circZNF800 positively regulated the expression of intestinal stem cell, pluripotency and cancer stem cell markers, and promoted CRC cell proliferation, spheroid and colony formation in vitro, all of which are cancer stem cell properties. In xenografted mice, circZNF800 over-expression promoted tumor growth, while circZNF800 knockdown via administration of CRISPR Cas13d-circZNF800 viral particles at the CRC tumor sites impeded tumor growth.

    CONCLUSIONS: CircZNF800 is an oncogenic factor that regulate cancer stem cell properties to lead colorectal tumorigenesis, and may be used as a predictive marker for tumor progression and the CRISPR Cas13d-circZNF800 knockdown strategy for therapeutic intervention of colorectal cancer.

    Matched MeSH terms: Neoplastic Stem Cells/metabolism
  7. Barzegar Behrooz A, Syahir A, Ahmad S
    J Drug Target, 2019 03;27(3):257-269.
    PMID: 29911902 DOI: 10.1080/1061186X.2018.1479756
    CD133 (prominin-1), a pentaspan membrane glycoprotein, is one of the most well-characterized biomarkers used for the isolation of cancer stem cells (CSCs). The presence of CSCs is one of the main causes of tumour reversal and resilience. Accumulating evidence has shown that CD133 might be responsible for CSCs tumourigenesis, metastasis and chemoresistance. It is now understood that CD133 interacts with the Wnt/β-catenin and PI3K-Akt signalling pathways. Moreover, CD133 can upregulate the expression of the FLICE-like inhibitory protein (FLIP) in CD133-positive cells, inhibiting apoptosis. In addition, CD133 can increase angiogenesis by activating the Wnt signalling pathway and increasing the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) and interleukin-8. Therefore, CD133 could be considered to be an 'Achilles' heel' for CSCs, because by inhibiting this protein, the signalling pathways that are involved in cell proliferation will also be inhibited. By understanding the molecular biology of CD133, we can not only isolate stem cells but can also utilise it as a therapeutic strategy. In this review, we summarise new insights into the fundamental cell biology of CD133 and discuss the involvement of CD133 in metastasis, metabolism, tumourigenesis, drug-resistance, apoptosis and autophagy.
    Matched MeSH terms: Neoplastic Stem Cells/metabolism*
  8. Hassn Mesrati M, Behrooz AB, Y Abuhamad A, Syahir A
    Cells, 2020 05 16;9(5).
    PMID: 32429463 DOI: 10.3390/cells9051236
    Gliomas are the most frequent and deadly form of human primary brain tumors. Among them, the most common and aggressive type is the high-grade glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), which rapidly grows and renders patients a very poor prognosis. Meanwhile, cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been determined in gliomas and play vital roles in driving tumor growth due to their competency in self-renewal and proliferation. Studies of gliomas have recognized CSCs via specific markers. This review comprehensively examines the current knowledge of the most significant CSCs markers in gliomas in general and in glioblastoma in particular and specifically focuses on their outlook and importance in gliomas CSCs research. We suggest that CSCs should be the superior therapeutic approach by directly targeting the markers. In addition, we highlight the association of these markers with each other in relation to their cascading pathways, and interactions with functional miRNAs, providing the role of the networks axes in glioblastoma signaling pathways.
    Matched MeSH terms: Neoplastic Stem Cells/metabolism
  9. Fani S, Kamalidehghan B, Lo KM, Nigjeh SE, Keong YS, Dehghan F, et al.
    Sci Rep, 2016 Dec 15;6:38992.
    PMID: 27976692 DOI: 10.1038/srep38992
    In the present study, we examined the cytotoxic effects of Schiff base complex, [N-(3,5-dichloro-2-oxidobenzylidene)-4-chlorobenzyhydrazidato](o-methylbenzyl)aquatin(IV) chloride, and C1 on MDA-MB-231 cells and derived breast cancer stem cells from MDA-MB-231 cells. The acute toxicity experiment with compound C1 revealed no cytotoxic effects on rats. Fluorescent microscopic studies using Acridine Orange/Propidium Iodide (AO/PI) staining and flow cytometric analysis using an Annexin V probe confirmed the occurrence of apoptosis in C1-treated MDA-MB-231 cells. Compound C1 triggered intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) releases in treated MDA-MB-231 cells. The Cellomics High Content Screening (HCS) analysis showed the induction of intrinsic pathways in treated MDA-MB-231 cells, and a luminescence assay revealed significant increases in caspase 9 and 3/7 activity. Furthermore, flow cytometric analysis showed that compound C1 induced G0/G1 arrest in treated MDA-MB-231 cells. Real time PCR and western blot analysis revealed the upregulation of the Bax protein and the downregulation of the Bcl-2 and HSP70 proteins. Additionally, this study revealed the suppressive effect of compound C1 against breast CSCs and its ability to inhibit the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways. Our results demonstrate the chemotherapeutic properties of compound C1 against breast cancer cells and derived breast cancer stem cells, suggesting that the anticancer capabilities of this compound should be clinically assessed.
    Matched MeSH terms: Neoplastic Stem Cells/metabolism*
  10. Heng WS, Kruyt FAE, Cheah SC
    Int J Mol Sci, 2021 May 27;22(11).
    PMID: 34071790 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22115697
    Lung cancer is still one of the deadliest cancers, with over two million incidences annually. Prevention is regarded as the most efficient way to reduce both the incidence and death figures. Nevertheless, treatment should still be improved, particularly in addressing therapeutic resistance due to cancer stem cells-the assumed drivers of tumor initiation and progression. Phytochemicals in plant-based diets are thought to contribute substantially to lung cancer prevention and may be efficacious for targeting lung cancer stem cells. In this review, we collect recent literature on lung homeostasis, carcinogenesis, and phytochemicals studied in lung cancers. We provide a comprehensive overview of how normal lung tissue operates and relate it with lung carcinogenesis to redefine better targets for lung cancer stem cells. Nine well-studied phytochemical compounds, namely curcumin, resveratrol, quercetin, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, luteolin, sulforaphane, berberine, genistein, and capsaicin, are discussed in terms of their chemopreventive and anticancer mechanisms in lung cancer and potential use in the clinic. How the use of phytochemicals can be improved by structural manipulations, targeted delivery, concentration adjustments, and combinatorial treatments is also highlighted. We propose that lung carcinomas should be treated differently based on their respective cellular origins. Targeting quiescence-inducing, inflammation-dampening, or reactive oxygen species-balancing pathways appears particularly interesting.
    Matched MeSH terms: Neoplastic Stem Cells/metabolism
  11. Musa M, Ali A
    Future Oncol, 2020 Oct;16(29):2329-2344.
    PMID: 32687721 DOI: 10.2217/fon-2020-0384
    Accumulation of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in the tumor microenvironment is associated with poor prognosis and recurrence of colorectal cancer (CRC). Despite their prominent roles in colorectal carcinogenesis, there is a lack of robust and specific markers to classify the heterogeneous and highly complex CAF populations. This has resulted in confusing and misleading definitions of CAFs in cancer niche. Advancements in molecular biology approaches have open doors to reliable CAF marker detection methods in various solid tumors. These discoveries would contribute to more efficient screening, monitoring and targeted therapy of CRC thus potentially will reduce cancer morbidity and mortality rates. This review highlights current scenarios, dilemma, translational potentials of CAF biomarker and future therapeutic applications involving CAF marker identification in CRC.
    Matched MeSH terms: Neoplastic Stem Cells/metabolism
  12. Pinkham K, Park DJ, Hashemiaghdam A, Kirov AB, Adam I, Rosiak K, et al.
    Stem Cell Reports, 2019 04 09;12(4):712-727.
    PMID: 30930246 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2019.02.012
    Inherent plasticity and various survival cues allow glioblastoma stem-like cells (GSCs) to survive and proliferate under intrinsic and extrinsic stress conditions. Here, we report that GSCs depend on the adaptive activation of ER stress and subsequent activation of lipogenesis and particularly stearoyl CoA desaturase (SCD1), which promotes ER homeostasis, cytoprotection, and tumor initiation. Pharmacological targeting of SCD1 is particularly toxic due to the accumulation of saturated fatty acids, which exacerbates ER stress, triggers apoptosis, impairs RAD51-mediated DNA repair, and achieves a remarkable therapeutic outcome with 25%-100% cure rate in xenograft mouse models. Mechanistically, divergent cell fates under varying levels of ER stress are primarily controlled by the ER sensor IRE1, which either promotes SCD1 transcriptional activation or converts to apoptotic signaling when SCD1 activity is impaired. Taken together, the dependence of GSCs on fatty acid desaturation presents an exploitable vulnerability to target glioblastoma.
    Matched MeSH terms: Neoplastic Stem Cells/metabolism*
  13. Ibiyeye KM, Zuki ABZ
    Int J Mol Sci, 2020 Mar 10;21(5).
    PMID: 32164352 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21051900
    Cancer stem cells CSCs (tumour-initiating cells) are responsible for cancer metastasis and recurrence associated with resistance to conventional chemotherapy. This study generated MBA MD231 3D cancer stem cells enriched spheroids in serum-free conditions and evaluated the influence of combined doxorubicin/thymoquinone-loaded cockle-shell-derived aragonite calcium carbonate nanoparticles. Single loaded drugs and free drugs were also evaluated. WST assay, sphere forming assay, ALDH activity analysis, Surface marker of CD44 and CD24 expression, apoptosis with Annexin V-PI kit, cell cycle analysis, morphological changes using a phase contrast light microscope, scanning electron microscopy, invasion assay and migration assay were carried out; The combination therapy showed enhanced apoptosis, reduction in ALDH activity and expression of CD44 and CD24 surface maker, reduction in cellular migration and invasion, inhibition of 3D sphere formation when compared to the free drugs and the single drug-loaded nanoparticle. Scanning electron microscopy showed poor spheroid formation, cell membrane blebbing, presence of cell shrinkage, distortion in the spheroid architecture; and the results from this study showed that combined drug-loaded cockle-shell-derived aragonite calcium carbonate nanoparticles can efficiently destroy the breast CSCs compared to single drug-loaded nanoparticle and a simple mixture of doxorubicin and thymoquinone.
    Matched MeSH terms: Neoplastic Stem Cells/metabolism
  14. Hoe SLL, Tan LP, Abdul Aziz N, Liew K, Teow SY, Abdul Razak FR, et al.
    Sci Rep, 2017 09 28;7(1):12372.
    PMID: 28959019 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-12045-8
    Subpopulations of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) contain cells with differential tumourigenic properties. Our study evaluates the tumourigenic potential of CD24, CD44, EpCAM and combination of EpCAM/CD44 cells in NPC. CD44br and EpCAMbr cells enriched for higher S-phase cell content, faster-growing tumourigenic cells leading to tumours with larger volume and higher mitotic figures. Although CD44br and EpCAMbr cells significantly enriched for tumour-initiating cells (TICs), all cells could retain self-renewal property for at least four generations. Compared to CD44 marker alone, EpCAM/CD44dbr marker did not enhance for cells with faster-growing ability or higher TIC frequency. Cells expressing high CD44 or EpCAM had lower KLF4 and p21 in NPC subpopulations. KLF4-overexpressed EpCAMbr cells had slower growth while Kenpaullone inhibition of KLF4 transcription increased in vitro cell proliferation. Compared to non-NPC, NPC specimens had increased expression of EPCAM, of which tumours from advanced stage of NPC had higher expression. Together, our study provides evidence that EpCAM is a potentially important marker in NPC.
    Matched MeSH terms: Neoplastic Stem Cells/metabolism*
  15. Hii LW, Chung FF, Mai CW, Yee ZY, Chan HH, Raja VJ, et al.
    Cells, 2020 04 04;9(4).
    PMID: 32260399 DOI: 10.3390/cells9040886
    Cancer stem cells (CSCs) represent rare tumor cell populations capable of self-renewal, differentiation, and tumor initiation and are highly resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Thus, therapeutic approaches that can effectively target CSCs and tumor cells could be the key to efficient tumor treatment. In this study, we explored the function of SPHK1 in breast CSCs and non-CSCs. We showed that RNAi-mediated knockdown of SPHK1 inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in both breast CSCs and non-CSCs, while ectopic expression of SPHK1 enhanced breast CSC survival and mammosphere forming efficiency. We identified STAT1 and IFN signaling as key regulatory targets of SPHK1 and demonstrated that an important mechanism by which SPHK1 promotes cancer cell survival is through the suppression of STAT1. We further demonstrated that SPHK1 inhibitors, FTY720 and PF543, synergized with doxorubicin in targeting both breast CSCs and non-CSCs. In conclusion, we provide important evidence that SPHK1 is a key regulator of cell survival and proliferation in breast CSCs and non-CSCs and is an attractive target for the design of future therapies.
    Matched MeSH terms: Neoplastic Stem Cells/metabolism
  16. Zakaria N, Yusoff NM, Zakaria Z, Lim MN, Baharuddin PJ, Fakiruddin KS, et al.
    BMC Cancer, 2015;15:84.
    PMID: 25881239 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-015-1086-3
    Despite significant advances in staging and therapies, lung cancer remains a major cause of cancer-related lethality due to its high incidence and recurrence. Clearly, a novel approach is required to develop new therapies to treat this devastating disease. Recent evidence indicates that tumours contain a small population of cells known as cancer stem cells (CSCs) that are responsible for tumour maintenance, spreading and resistant to chemotherapy. The genetic composition of CSCs so far is not fully understood, but manipulation of the specific genes that maintain their integrity would be beneficial for developing strategies to combat cancer. Therefore, the goal of this study isto identify the transcriptomic composition and biological functions of CSCs from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
    Matched MeSH terms: Neoplastic Stem Cells/metabolism*
  17. Abdul Satar N, Ismail MN, Yahaya BH
    Molecules, 2021 Feb 18;26(4).
    PMID: 33670440 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26041056
    Cancer stem cells (CSCs) represent a small subpopulation within a tumour. These cells possess stem cell-like properties but also initiate resistance to cytotoxic agents, which contributes to cancer relapse. Natural compounds such as curcumin that contain high amounts of polyphenols can have a chemosensitivity effect that sensitises CSCs to cytotoxic agents such as cisplatin. This study was designed to investigate the efficacy of curcumin as a chemo-sensitiser in CSCs subpopulation of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using the lung cancer adenocarcinoma human alveolar basal epithelial cells A549 and H2170. The ability of curcumin to sensitise lung CSCs to cisplatin was determined by evaluating stemness characteristics, including proliferation activity, colony formation, and spheroid formation of cells treated with curcumin alone, cisplatin alone, or the combination of both at 24, 48, and 72 h. The mRNA level of genes involved in stemness was analysed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to evaluate the effect of curcumin on the CSC niche. A combined treatment of A549 subpopulations with curcumin reduced cellular proliferation activity at all time points. Curcumin significantly (p < 0.001) suppressed colonies formation by 50% and shrank the spheroids in CSC subpopulations, indicating inhibition of their self-renewal capability. This effect also was manifested by the down-regulation of SOX2, NANOG, and KLF4. Curcumin also regulated the niche of CSCs by inhibiting chemoresistance proteins, aldehyde dehydrogenase, metastasis, angiogenesis, and proliferation of cancer-related proteins. These results show the potential of using curcumin as a therapeutic approach for targeting CSC subpopulations in non-small cell lung cancer.
    Matched MeSH terms: Neoplastic Stem Cells/metabolism
  18. Aminuddin A, Ng PY, Leong CO, Chua EW
    Sci Rep, 2020 May 12;10(1):7885.
    PMID: 32398775 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-64664-3
    Cisplatin is the first-line chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). However, the intrinsic or acquired resistance against cisplatin remains a major obstacle to treatment efficacy in OSCC. Recently, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) alterations have been reported in a variety of cancers. However, the role of mtDNA alterations in OSCC has not been comprehensively studied. In this study, we evaluated the correlation between mtDNA alterations (mtDNA content, point mutations, large-scale deletions, and methylation status) and cisplatin sensitivity using two OSCC cell lines, namely SAS and H103, and stem cell-like tumour spheres derived from SAS. By microarray analysis, we found that the tumour spheres profited from aberrant lipid and glucose metabolism and became resistant to cisplatin. By qPCR analysis, we found that the cells with less mtDNA were less responsive to cisplatin (H103 and the tumour spheres). Based on the findings, we theorised that the metabolic changes in the tumour spheres probably resulted in mtDNA depletion, as the cells suppressed mitochondrial respiration and switched to an alternative mode of energy production, i.e. glycolysis. Then, to ascertain the origin of the variation in mtDNA content, we used MinION, a nanopore sequencer, to sequence the mitochondrial genomes of H103, SAS, and the tumour spheres. We found that the lower cisplatin sensitivity of H103 could have been caused by a constellation of genetic and epigenetic changes in its mitochondrial genome. Future work may look into how changes in mtDNA translate into an impact on cell function and therefore cisplatin response.
    Matched MeSH terms: Neoplastic Stem Cells/metabolism
  19. Mahkamova K, Latar NM, Aspinall S, Meeson A
    Exp Cell Res, 2019 01 01;374(1):104-113.
    PMID: 30465733 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2018.11.012
    Comparison of studies of cells derived from normal and pathological tissues of the same organ can be fraught with difficulties, particular with cancer where a number of different diseases are considered cancer within the same tissue. In the thyroid, there are 4 main types of cancer, three of which arise from follicular epithelial cells; papillary and follicular which are classified as differentiated, and anaplastic which is classified as undifferentiated. One assay that can be utilised for isolation of cancer stem cells is the side population (SP) assay. However, SP studies have been limited in part due to lack of optimal isolation strategies and in the case of anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) are further compounded by lack of access to ATC tumors. We have used thyroid cell lines to determine the optimal conditions to isolate viable SP cells. We then compared SP cells and NSP cells (bulk tumour cells without the SP) of a normal thyroid cell line N-thy ori-3-1 and an anaplastic thyroid cancer cell line SW1736 and showed that both SP cell populations displayed higher levels of stem cell characteristics than the NSP. When we compared SP cells of the N-thy ori-3-1 and the SW1736, the SW1736 SP had a higher colony forming potential, expressed higher levels of stem cell markers and CXCR4 and where more migratory and invasive, invasiveness increasing in response to CXCL12. This is the first report showing functional differences between ATC SP and normal thyroid SP and could lead to the identification of new therapeutic targets to treat ATC.
    Matched MeSH terms: Neoplastic Stem Cells/metabolism
  20. Baharuddin P, Satar N, Fakiruddin KS, Zakaria N, Lim MN, Yusoff NM, et al.
    Oncol Rep, 2016 Jan;35(1):13-25.
    PMID: 26531053 DOI: 10.3892/or.2015.4371
    Natural compounds such as curcumin have the ability to enhance the therapeutic effectiveness of common chemotherapy agents through cancer stem-like cell (CSC) sensitisation. In the present study, we showed that curcumin enhanced the sensitivity of the double-positive (CD166+/EpCAM+) CSC subpopulation in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines (A549 and H2170) to cisplatin-induced apoptosis and inhibition of metastasis. Our results revealed that initial exposure of NSCLC cell lines to curcumin (10-40 µM) markedly reduced the percentage of viability to an average of ~51 and ~54% compared to treatment with low dose cisplatin (3 µM) with only 94 and 86% in both the A549 and H2170 cells. Moreover, sensitisation of NSCLC cell lines to curcumin through combined treatment enhanced the single effect induced by low dose cisplatin on the apoptosis of the double-positive CSC subpopulation by 18 and 20% in the A549 and H2170 cells, respectively. Furthermore, we found that curcumin enhanced the inhibitory effects of cisplatin on the highly migratory CD166+/EpCAM+ subpopulation, marked by a reduction in cell migration to 9 and 21% in the A549 and H2170 cells, respectively, indicating that curcumin may increase the sensitivity of CSCs to cisplatin-induced migratory inhibition. We also observed that the mRNA expression of cyclin D1 was downregulated, while a substantial increased in p21 expression was noted, followed by Apaf1 and caspase-9 activation in the double-positive (CD166+/EpCAM+) CSC subpopulation of A549 cells, suggested that the combined treatments induced cell cycle arrest, therefore triggering CSC growth inhibition via the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. In conclusion, we provided novel evidence of the previously unknown therapeutic effects of curcumin, either alone or in combination with cisplatin on the inhibition of the CD166+/EpCAM+ subpopulation of NSCLC cell lines. This finding demonstrated the potential therapeutic approach of using curcumin that may enhance the effects of cisplatin by targeting the CSC subpopulation in NSCLC.
    Matched MeSH terms: Neoplastic Stem Cells/metabolism
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