title: Overcoming Multidrug Resistance in Cancer Stem Cells.
abstract: The principle mechanism of protection of stem cells is through the expression of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters. These transporters serve as the guardians of the stem cell population in the body. Unfortunately these very same ABC efflux pumps afford protection to cancer stem cells in tumors, shielding them from the adverse effects of chemotherapy. A number of strategies to circumvent the function of these transporters in cancer stem cells are currently under investigation. These strategies include the development of competitive and allosteric modulators, nanoparticle mediated delivery of inhibitors, targeted transcriptional regulation of ABC transporters, miRNA mediated inhibition, and targeting of signaling pathways that modulate ABC transporters. The role of ABC transporters in cancer stem cells will be explored in this paper and strategies aimed at overcoming drug resistance caused by these particular transporters will also be discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Trinity Washington University, 125 Michigan Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20017, USA.
authors.forename: Karobi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Moitra
mesh_terms: D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D000818:Animals; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D009385:Neoplastic Processes; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters