title: NF-κB signaling in cancer stem cells: a promising therapeutic target?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are regulated by several signaling pathways that ultimately control their maintenance and expansion. NF-κB (nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells) forms a protein complex that controls DNA transcription and, as such, plays an important role in proliferation, inflammation, angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis. The NF-κB signaling pathway, which has been found to be constitutively activated in CSCs from a variety of cancers, participates in the maintenance, expansion, proliferation and survival of CSCs. Targeted disruption of this pathway may profoundly impair the adverse phenotype of CSCs and may provide a therapeutic opportunity to remove the CSC fraction. In particular, it may be attractive to use specific NF-κB inhibitors in chronic therapeutic schemes to reduce disease progression. Exceptional low toxicity profiles of these inhibitors are a prerequisite for use in combined treatment regimens and to avoid resistance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although still preliminary, recent evidence shows that such targeted strategies may be useful in adjuvant chemo-preventive settings.
authors: Epigenetics Laboratory, National Institute of Genomic Medicine, Periferico Sur 4809, Arenal Tepepan, Tlalpan, Mexico City, 14610, Mexico.
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Vazquez-Santillan
authors: Functional Cancer Genomics laboratory, National Institute of Genomic Medicine, Periferico Sur 4809, Arenal Tepepan, Tlalpan, Mexico, Mexico City, 14610, Mexico.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Melendez-Zajgla
authors: Epigenetics Laboratory, National Institute of Genomic Medicine, Periferico Sur 4809, Arenal Tepepan, Tlalpan, Mexico City, 14610, Mexico.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Jimenez-Hernandez
authors: Functional Cancer Genomics laboratory, National Institute of Genomic Medicine, Periferico Sur 4809, Arenal Tepepan, Tlalpan, Mexico, Mexico City, 14610, Mexico.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Martínez-Ruiz
authors: Epigenetics Laboratory, National Institute of Genomic Medicine, Periferico Sur 4809, Arenal Tepepan, Tlalpan, Mexico City, 14610, Mexico. vmaldonado@inmegen.gob.mx.
authors: V
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4633-9694
authors: V
authors: Maldonado
mesh_terms: D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D016328:NF-kappa B
keywords: Cancer stem cells; NF-κB signaling