title: Harnessing the apoptotic programs in cancer stem-like cells.
abstract: Elimination of malignant cells is an unmet challenge for most human cancer types even with therapies targeting specific driver mutations. Therefore, a multi-pronged strategy to alter cancer cell biology on multiple levels is increasingly recognized as essential for cancer cure. One such aspect of cancer cell biology is the relative apoptosis resistance of tumor-initiating cells. Here, we provide an overview of the mechanisms affecting the apoptotic process in tumor cells emphasizing the differences in the tumor-initiating or stem-like cells of cancer. Further, we summarize efforts to exploit these differences to design therapies targeting that important cancer cell population.
authors.affiliation: Center for Regenerative Medicine and Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Ying-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Center for Regenerative Medicine and Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA dscadden@mgh.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: David T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Scadden
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C000595707:BCL2 protein, human; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
keywords: apoptosis; cancer stem cells; cancer therapy