Uncover the mystery of drug resistance caused by cancer stem cells

  DanL of Baylor College of Medicine. Researchers at Duncan Cancer Center explained why bladder cancer stem cells actively promote chemotherapy resistance after multiple cycles of chemotherapy drugs through a new mechanism similar to normal tissue stem cells after chemotherapy. It pointed out that it might be so. ). This "traumatic response" to cancer stem cells may be a new treatment.

  The author of the paper and Assistant Professor of Molecular Cell Biology and Urology, Dr. Keith Syson Chan, said: "The treatment of advanced bladder cancer is currently limited to surgery and chemotherapy. There is currently no targeted treatment. Our clinical goal is here. One area, because the effectiveness of chemotherapy is too poor. Promote

  The co-author of the paper, Antonio Kurtova, Baylor College of Medicine’s Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine Program and Urology Research Chan, along with his graduate assistant professor, Dr. Jing Xiao, his research team is trying to clarify The underlying mechanism of muscle invasive bladder cancer and the development of resistance. They found that during the drug treatment week, the regeneration of cancer stem cells actively promoted treatment resistance.

  Chen said: "This is an unexpected and contradictory drug resistance mechanism. Cancer stem cells actively regenerate in different treatment cycles and respond to chemotherapy-induced injury or apoptosis (cell death). For traumatic injuries. In response, it resembles normal tissue stem cells."

  A metabolite called prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is released from dying cells, which stimulates proliferation and shrinks cancer tumors due to chemotherapy. Proliferate in stem cells.

  Kurtova and Xiao pointed out that in normal cells, this is an integral part of the wound repair process. At this time, PGE2 induces tissue stem cell regeneration. The irony is that in cancer, PGE 2 induces more during the chemotherapy cycle. Regeneration of cancer stem cells. Chan said it is very important to note that chemotherapy is completed in multiple cycles. "One cycle of chemotherapy and subsequent withdrawal can protect the bone marrow and normal stem cells from damage, and start the next cycle. During this intermittent period, PGE2-induced cancer may also be recovered by the release of stem cells from dead cells. "" If PGE2 is blocked What about the block?" the researcher asked. In some mouse studies, researchers found that blocking PGE2 may interfere with the "damaged response" that induces the regeneration of cancer stem cells. The research team used tumors from human patients who had failed previous chemotherapy and observed increased responses in mice.

  Kurtova: "It is important to be able to use drugs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, which can quickly reduce the time to start clinical trials in humans." This is called Celecoxib Celecoxib or Celebrex? Medications are usually used to treat arthritis. Chan said that further clinical trials are needed, but this research provides promising new discoveries for cancer types, and there are currently no targeted treatment options. Importantly, this treatment may also be applicable to other types of solid tumors.