Cancer is a heterogeneous disease characterized by substantial differences between cellular and molecular features. It is well-recognized that tumors contain a subset of cancer stem cells (CSCs) which contribute to intra-tumor heterogeneity. CSCs are able to self-renew and generate phenotypically diverse progeny that feeds the tumor mass. CSCs are the main drivers of tumor progression, metastatic dissemination, and cancer relapse. Strikingly, CSCs have efficient mechanisms that prevent chemo or radio therapies from eliminating them. Conventional treatments not only leave CSCs alive but also spread the CSCs subset thus explaining the recurrence of several tumors. It is increasingly clear that CSC eradication is essential to achieve a long-lasting clinical response. New insights into cancer stem cells biology have improved the molecular and biological understanding of the mechanisms governing CSC. Unraveling the mechanisms allowing CSCs to exert their functions has allowed the development of novel strategies to eradicate CSC.
It is well known that tumors harbor a subpopulation of cancer stem cells (CSCs) with the ability to self-renew and generate diverse cell progeny. In recent years, cancer stem cells have been recognized as key players in tumor progression, metastasis, drug resistance, and tumor recurrence. Compelling evidence has shown that conventional therapies have several limitations that lead to treatment failure and cancer relapse. The characterization of CSCs has been a key step in cancer research, much effort is being made to elucidate the complex biology of cancer stem cells. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of CSC survival and expansion will provide strategies to efficiently target CSCs and improve outcomes of cancer patients. Particular attention has been paid to the role of signaling molecules and ncRNAs conferring stemness, self-renewal, plasticity, drug resistance and phenotype switching. This research topic aims to highlight current advances in the understanding of molecular mechanisms conducting stemness, drug resistance, phenotype switching, CSC survival and expansion, and also to provide new strategies for targeting CSCs.
This research topic will cover different aspects of CSCs regulation, ranging from the molecular machinery governing self-renewal, plasticity, and drug resistance to the development of new therapeutic approaches to target CSCs. We welcome submissions of original research papers and reviews including but not limited to the following topics:
- Identification of Cancer Stem Cells in solid tumors.- defining new biomarkers to distinguish CSCs from the bulk tumor cells.
- Molecular mechanisms regulating self-renewal, plasticity, and differentiation of CSC.
- Analyzing the CSC heterogeneity using single-cell RNA sequencing.
- Mechanisms controlling symmetric and asymmetric cell division in CSC.
- Insights into the molecular mechanisms that promote a phenotypic switching in cancer (molecules involved in the acquisition of a CSCs phenotype).
- Emerging Mechanisms by which EMT controls stemness and plasticity.
- Understanding the role of CSCs in the metastatic spread and the link with circulant tumor cells.
- Study of novel mechanisms of non-coding RNAs (miRNAs, lncRNAs, cirRNAs) in the regulation of the CSC phenotype.
- Metabolic regulation of Cancer Stem Cells.
- Microenvironmental regulation of CSCs.
- The molecular mechanisms contributing to drug resistance on CSCs
- Use of organoids to study the behavior of CSCs.
- Emerging strategies for therapeutically eradicate cancer stem cells and overcome drug resistance.
- Opportunity for Drug repurposing.
Cancer is a heterogeneous disease characterized by substantial differences between cellular and molecular features. It is well-recognized that tumors contain a subset of cancer stem cells (CSCs) which contribute to intra-tumor heterogeneity. CSCs are able to self-renew and generate phenotypically diverse progeny that feeds the tumor mass. CSCs are the main drivers of tumor progression, metastatic dissemination, and cancer relapse. Strikingly, CSCs have efficient mechanisms that prevent chemo or radio therapies from eliminating them. Conventional treatments not only leave CSCs alive but also spread the CSCs subset thus explaining the recurrence of several tumors. It is increasingly clear that CSC eradication is essential to achieve a long-lasting clinical response. New insights into cancer stem cells biology have improved the molecular and biological understanding of the mechanisms governing CSC. Unraveling the mechanisms allowing CSCs to exert their functions has allowed the development of novel strategies to eradicate CSC.
It is well known that tumors harbor a subpopulation of cancer stem cells (CSCs) with the ability to self-renew and generate diverse cell progeny. In recent years, cancer stem cells have been recognized as key players in tumor progression, metastasis, drug resistance, and tumor recurrence. Compelling evidence has shown that conventional therapies have several limitations that lead to treatment failure and cancer relapse. The characterization of CSCs has been a key step in cancer research, much effort is being made to elucidate the complex biology of cancer stem cells. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of CSC survival and expansion will provide strategies to efficiently target CSCs and improve outcomes of cancer patients. Particular attention has been paid to the role of signaling molecules and ncRNAs conferring stemness, self-renewal, plasticity, drug resistance and phenotype switching. This research topic aims to highlight current advances in the understanding of molecular mechanisms conducting stemness, drug resistance, phenotype switching, CSC survival and expansion, and also to provide new strategies for targeting CSCs.
This research topic will cover different aspects of CSCs regulation, ranging from the molecular machinery governing self-renewal, plasticity, and drug resistance to the development of new therapeutic approaches to target CSCs. We welcome submissions of original research papers and reviews including but not limited to the following topics:
- Identification of Cancer Stem Cells in solid tumors.- defining new biomarkers to distinguish CSCs from the bulk tumor cells.
- Molecular mechanisms regulating self-renewal, plasticity, and differentiation of CSC.
- Analyzing the CSC heterogeneity using single-cell RNA sequencing.
- Mechanisms controlling symmetric and asymmetric cell division in CSC.
- Insights into the molecular mechanisms that promote a phenotypic switching in cancer (molecules involved in the acquisition of a CSCs phenotype).
- Emerging Mechanisms by which EMT controls stemness and plasticity.
- Understanding the role of CSCs in the metastatic spread and the link with circulant tumor cells.
- Study of novel mechanisms of non-coding RNAs (miRNAs, lncRNAs, cirRNAs) in the regulation of the CSC phenotype.
- Metabolic regulation of Cancer Stem Cells.
- Microenvironmental regulation of CSCs.
- The molecular mechanisms contributing to drug resistance on CSCs
- Use of organoids to study the behavior of CSCs.
- Emerging strategies for therapeutically eradicate cancer stem cells and overcome drug resistance.
- Opportunity for Drug repurposing.
