Brain cancer propagating cells: biology, genetics and targeted therapies

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Constantinos G Hadjipanayis, Emory University; Erwin Van Meir, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2009-11
• Publisher: Elsevier (Cell Press)
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.crossref.org/10.1016%2Fj.molmed.2009.09.003
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Trends in Molecular Medicine
• ISSN: 1471-4914
• Volume: 15
• Issue: 11
• Start Page: 519
• End Page: 530
• Grant/Funding Information: Our work is supported in part by grants from the NIH (CA86335, CA116804 to EGVM, NS053454 to CGH), American Brain Tumor Association (to CGH), Goldhirsh Foundation (to EGVM), Southeastern Brain Tumor Foundation (to CGH and EGVM), the Brain Tumor Funders Collaborative (to EGVM) and the Georgia Cancer Coalition, Distinguished Cancer Clinicians and Scientists Program (to CGH).
• Research Categories: Biology, Genetics

Abstract

Cancer propagating cells (CPCs) within primary central nervous system (CNS) tumors (glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), medulloblastoma (MB) and ependymoma) might be integral to tumor development and perpetuation. These cells, also known as brain cancer propagating cells (BCPCs), have the ability to self-renew and proliferate. BCPCs can initiate new tumors in mice with high efficiency and these exhibit many features that are characteristic of patient's brain tumors. Accumulating evidence suggests that BCPCs might originate from the transformation of neural stem cells (NSCs) and their progenitors. Furthermore, recent studies have shown that NSC surface markers also define BCPCs. Ultimately, treatments that include specific targeting of BCPCs might potentially be more effective at treating the entire tumor mass, translating to improved patient survival and quality of life.