title: Melanoma Cancer Stem Cells: Markers and Functions.
abstract: The discovery of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in human solid tumors has allowed a better understanding of the biology and neoplastic transformation of normal melanocytes, and the possible mechanisms by which melanoma cells acquire tumorigenicity. In this review I summarize the literature findings on the potential biomarkers of melanoma CSCs, their presence in the melanoma cell populations, the interaction with the immune system (with both T and NK cells) and the role of melanoma CSCs in the clinics. Given the extraordinary progress in the therapy of melanoma caused by immune checkpoint antibodies blockade, I discuss how these antibodies can work by the activation of melanoma infiltrating T cells specifically recognizing neo-antigens expressed even by melanoma CSCs. This is the mechanism that can induce a regression of the metastatic melanomas.
authors.affiliation: Italian Network for Bioimmunotherapy of Tumors, Division of Medical Oncology and Immunotherapy, University Hospital, Viale Bracci, 16, 53100 Siena, Italy. giorgio.parmiani@fastwebnet.it.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Parmiani
keywords: biomarkers; cancer stem cells; human melanoma; immune checkpoint antibodies; immunosuppression