title: Distinct phases of human prostate cancer initiation and progression can be driven by different cell-types.
abstract: The cells that initiate and propagate cancer are important therapeutic targets. However, the progression from cells of origin to tumor-propagating cells is poorly defined for most human cancers. Mouse models indicate that both basal and luminal cells can initiate prostate cancer, while studies with human prostate tissue have demonstrated a role for basal cells in transformation. Our recent study provides evidence that a common cell of origin can produce alternative variants of human epithelial cancer. Our findings also reveal that the cell of origin that initiates cancer is not continuously required to maintain and propagate the disease. Importantly, the cells responsible for initiating human prostate cancer can have a distinct cellular phenotype from the cells needed to maintain it.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095.
authors.forename: Tanya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stoyanova
authors.affiliation: Departments of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 ; Departments of Urology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 ; Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 ; Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095.
authors.forename: Andrew S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Goldstein
keywords: basal-like cells; epithelial cells; prostate cancer; tumor-propagating cells