Background
Traditional chemotherapy may fail to achieve complete remission of cancers due to resistance of the underlying cancer stem cells (CSCs) to the therapeutic agents. It is now well accepted that to achieve greater efficacy there is a need to specifically target CSCs within a tumor cell population. Furthermore, understanding the self-renewal potential of these CSCs, as well as their susceptibility to drug treatment and the overall malignant potential of the cancer, are essential steps to more successful cancer therapy.
Technology Description
Researchers at UC San Diego have developed a method for determining the self-renewal potential of CSCs. This technology involves CSC-specific analysis and quantitation of key players (splice variants of proteins and transcripts) in metabolic pathways that are critical for cell survival and self-renewal. The analysis of the cross-talk within cell survival and self-renewal pathways enables the:
- Determination of the self-renewal potential of cancer stem cells.
- Determination of the prognosis or malignant potential of cancer from the CSC.
- Identification of targets for drugs that lower self-renewal potential.
- Prediction of the susceptibility of a CSC to drug treatment (inhibition of self-renewal).
State Of Development
Validation experiments confirm cell type and context specific deregulation of apoptosis via deregulated expression in the CSC population. In vivo studies on CSC engraftment validate the therapeutic potential of targeting survival pathways and in vitro studies suggest mechanism of action.
Related Materials
- Abrahamsson A.E. et al., (2009) Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3beta Missplicing Contributes to Leukemia Stem Cell Generation. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 106(10):3925-9.
- Jamieson C.H. (2008) Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Stem Cells. Hematology 1:436-42.
- Jamieson C.H.M. et al., (2008) Miscreant myeloproliferative disorder stem cells. Leukemia 22:2011-9.
- Kitada S. et al., (1998) Expression of Apoptosis-Regulating Proteins in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Correlations with In Vitro and In Vivo Chemo Responses. Blood. 1998 91(9):3379-89.
- See also http://cancer.ucsd.edu/summaries/cjamieson.asp.
Similar innovations
- Treatment of Cancer by Inducing Cell Apoptosis
- Synthetic polypeptides for treating and preventing diseases characterized by excess cell proliferation, such as mesenchymally derived cells.
- Read more
-
San Diego, CA, United States
- Diagnostic Test for Cancer Susceptibility
- The technology comprises diagnostic methods to detect mutations of the CDK4I gene as well as detecting deficiencies in the expression products of the gene. In addition, the technology also provides for the detection of mutations and altered gene product o
- Read more
-
San Diego, CA, United States
- Treatment of Liver Fibrosis by Induction of Stellate Cell Apoptosis
- An approach to the treatment of chronic liver disease based on an endogenous peptide targeting the stellate cells. Using standard delivery, the peptide triggers apoptosis only in the stellate liver cells responsible for liver fibrosis, but sparing hepatoc
- Read more
-
San Diego, CA, United States
- Methods of Tissue Repair, Regeneration, and Tissue Engineered Compositions
- A method of propagating ureteric bud (UB) cells in culture under conditions that induce the UB to undergo branching morphogenesis in order to generate a population of UB comprising tubular branches, subdividing the UB population, and resuspending each sub
- Read more
-
San Diego, CA, United States
