title: A strategic approach to identification of selective inhibitors of cancer stem cells.
abstract: Cancer stem-like cells (CSC) have been implicated in resistance to conventional chemotherapy as well as invasion and metastasis resulting in tumor relapse in majority of epithelial cancers including colorectal cancer. Hence, targeting CSC by small molecules is likely to improve therapeutic outcomes. Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are long linear polysaccharide molecules with varying degrees of sulfation that allows specific GAG-protein interaction which plays a key role in regulating cancer hallmarks such as cellular growth, angiogenesis, and immune modulation. However, identifying selective CSC-targeting GAG mimetic has been marred by difficulties associated with isolating and enriching CSC in vitro. Herein, we discuss two distinct methods, spheroid growth and EMT-transformed cells, to enrich CSC and set up medium- and high-throughput screen to identify selective CSC-targeting agents.
authors.affiliation: Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center, 980230, Richmond, VA, 23249, USA.
authors.forename: Nirmita
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Somesh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baranwal
authors.forename: Bhaumik B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Patel
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D057166:High-Throughput Screening Assays; D006801:Humans; D016086:Lentivirus / Q000378:metabolism; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D018874:Spheroids, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D014161:Transduction, Genetic
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015820:Cadherins