Activin pathway enhances colorectal cancer stem cell self-renew and tumor progression.
Activin belongs to transforming growth factor (TGF)-β super family of growth and differentiation factors and activin pathway participated in broad range of cell process. Studies elaborated activin pathway maintain pluripotency in human stem cells and suggest that the function of activin/nodal signaling in self-renew would be conserved across embryonic and adult stem cells. In this study, we tried to determine the effect of activin signaling pathway in regulation of cancer stem cells as a potential target for cancer therapy in clinical trials. A population of colorectal cancer cells was selected by the treatment of activin A. This population of cell possessed stem cell character with sphere formation ability. We demonstrated activin pathway enhanced the colorectal cancer stem cells self-renew and contribute to colorectal cancer progression in vivo. Targeting activin pathway potentially provide effective strategy for colorectal cancer therapy.
Laboratory of Biophysics, School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Republic of Korea; Institute of Microbiology, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Republic of Korea.
Rui
R
Liu
State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China.
Jun-Hua
JH
Wang
Cancer Center, Daping Hospital and Research Institute of Surgery, The Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, China.
Chengxiong
C
Xu
Institute of Microbiology, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Republic of Korea; State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China. Electronic address: sunbo@seu.edu.cn.
Bo
B
Sun
Laboratory of Biophysics, School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Republic of Korea; Institute of Microbiology, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: kangsaou@snu.ac.kr.
Sa-Ouk
SO
Kang
D029404:Activin Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D028341:Activins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001549:Benzamides / Q000494:pharmacology; D000066673:Cell Self Renewal; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D004149:Dioxoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D018450:Disease Progression; D045325:HCT116 Cells; D006801:Humans; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
C459179:4-(5-benzo(1,3)dioxol-5-yl-4-pyridin-2-yl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)benzamide; D001549:Benzamides; D004149:Dioxoles; C422405:activin A; D028341:Activins; D029404:Activin Receptors
Activin; Cancer stem cells; Cancer therapy; Colorectal cancer; TGF-β