近日，來自美國密歇根大學綜合癌癥研究中心的研究者發(fā)現(xiàn)了一個癌癥基因和乳腺癌干細胞的惡性增殖及擴散有關,，新的研究成果為乳腺癌患者的治療提供了新思路,。研究中所發(fā)現(xiàn)的癌癥基因為RhoC，該基因可以促使許多癌癥擴散以及轉移,，在乳腺癌的發(fā)展過程中,，RhoC水平會增加，高水平的RhoC和病人的生存率直接相關,。
癌干細胞是一種較小的攜帶腫瘤的細胞,，可以助燃腫瘤細胞生長和擴散，研究者認為傳統(tǒng)的化療和發(fā)射性療法常常會沒有任何作用,，因為并不能殺死癌干細胞,，未來治療癌癥的方法或許要以這些癌干細胞為靶點來開發(fā)出新型藥物和療法。研究者的研究成果刊登在了近日的國際雜志PLoS One上,。
去除癌癥干細胞或許會徹底治愈某些癌癥,，但是與此同時，研究者要以基因RhoC為靶點,，來有效控制癌干細胞的數(shù)量以及這些細胞的侵襲力,。研究者研究了具有高度的轉移性乳腺癌的細胞系和正常乳腺組織的細胞系，通過抑制和高表達基因RhoC,，研究者發(fā)現(xiàn)RhoC的表達對于引發(fā)這兩種乳腺癌細胞系的轉移必不可少,，而且單獨高表達RhoC可以引發(fā)乳腺癌的轉移。后期研究者在小鼠中進行檢測,，也發(fā)現(xiàn)了類似的結果,。
研究者目前正在研發(fā)一種新型的抑制RhoC的小分子藥物，這種新型抑制藥物為治療乳腺癌患者帶來了極大的希望,，而且目前在實驗室研究中也得到了可喜的結果,。（生物谷Bioon.com）
編譯自：Driver of Breast Cancer Stem Cell Metastasis Found
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0040979
PMC:
PMID:
RhoC Impacts the Metastatic Potential and Abundance of Breast Cancer Stem Cells
Devin T. Rosenthal1,2¤, Jie Zhang1, Liwei Bao1, Lian Zhu1, Zhifen Wu1, Kathy Toy3, Celina G. Kleer2,3,4, Sofia D. Merajver1,2,4*
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been shown to promote tumorigenesis of many tumor types, including breast, although their relevance to cancer metastasis remains unclear. While subpopulations of CSCs required for metastasis have been identified, to date there are no known molecular regulators of breast CSC (BCSC) metastasis. Here we identify RhoC GTPase as an important regulator of BCSC metastasis, and present evidence suggesting that RhoC also modulates the frequency of BCSCs within a population. Using an orthotopic xenograft model of spontaneous metastasis we discover that RhoC is both necessary and sufficient to promote SUM149 and MCF-10A BCSC metastasis–often independent from primary tumor formation–and can even induce metastasis of non-BCSCs within these cell lines. The relationship between RhoC and BCSCs persists in breast cancer patients, as expression of RhoC and the BCSC marker ALDH1 are highly correlated in clinical specimens. These results suggest new avenues to combating the deadliest cells driving the most lethal stage of breast cancer progression.
