Scientists have now discovered that a certain group of cancer drugs (MEK Inhibitors) activates the cancer-promoting Wnt signalling pathway in colorectal cancer cells. This can lead to the accumulation of tumor cells with stem cell characteristics that are resistant to many therapies and can lead to relapses. The researchers thus provide a possible explanation for why these drugs are not effective in colorectal cancer.
Cells react to external influences via the biochemical reactions of the Wnt signalling pathway. Wnt signals coordinate the development of the early embryo, but also play a role in many pathological processes and in cancer. While researchers initially assumed that an excessively activated Wnt signalling pathway was primarily associated with the development of cancer, more recent results have shown that Wnt activity also affects cancer stem cells: "Wnt signals affect the balance between cells with stem cell characteristics and differentiated cells both in the healthy intestine and in colon cancer," explains the senior author.
In colorectal cancer stem cells, the Wnt signalling pathway is particularly active and responsible for maintaining stem cell characteristics. Depending on the Wnt activity, the cancer cells can switch back and forth between the stem cell state and a differentiated state. This plays a decisive role in the success of treatment: Cancer stem cells are considered responsible for relapses after successful therapy. While the "normal" cancer cells are usually switched off by the drugs, the stem cells survive and represent a reservoir for later cancer relapses.
Due to the high relevance of Wnt activity for the course of the disease, the teams are now investigating whether certain drugs used for the targeted treatment of colon cancer affect Wnt signals.
Many tumors are stimulated by mutations in the growth-promoting Ras signalling pathway. These overactive Ras signals can be attenuated by drugs called MEK inhibitors. However, these drugs have no effect in colorectal cancer, and the studies now provide a possible explanation for this: The scientists showed that MEK inhibitors stimulate Wnt activity in both mice and organoids cultured from tumor cells of colorectal cancer patients.
At the same time, the gene activity of the cancer cells changed to a stem cell-typical pattern. MEK inhibitors reduce the division rate of intestinal tumors, but at the same time cancer stem cells accumulate in the intestinal cancer organoids. "This corresponds exactly to the picture of the "sleeping cancer stem cells" that have been described in many types of cancer for several years," explains the author. "These cells survive the therapy and are subsequently responsible for the relapse.
The researchers are now hoping to find out whether the influence of MEK inhibitors on Wnt activity can be blocked with specific drugs.
https://www.dkfz.de/en/presse/pressemitteilungen/2019/dkfz-pm-19-24-Cancer-drugs-promote-stem-cell-properties-of-colorectal-cancer.php
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-09898-0
http://sciencemission.com/site/index.php?page=news&type=view&id=publications%2Fmek-inhibitors-activate&filter=2
Latest News
How protein synthesis in de…
By newseditor
Posted 22 Apr
Atlas of mRNA variants in d…
By newseditor
Posted 22 Apr
Mapping microbiome in metas…
By newseditor
Posted 22 Apr
Full-length mRNA packaged i…
By newseditor
Posted 22 Apr
Glucose-sensing mechanism t…
By newseditor
Posted 21 Apr
Other Top Stories
How a non-coding RNA encourages cancer growth and metastasis
Read more
Nanoparticles to detect and kill circulating tumor cells (CTCs)
Read more
Quantum dot imaging system to detect cancer!
Read more
FDA Approves Personalized Cellular Therapy for Advanced Leukemia
Read more
Prostate cancer recurrence linked to DNA repair enzyme!
Read more
Protocols
A programmable targeted pro…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Apr
MemPrep, a new technology f…
By newseditor
Posted 08 Apr
A tangible method to assess…
By newseditor
Posted 08 Apr
Stem cell-derived vessels-o…
By newseditor
Posted 06 Apr
Single-cell biclustering fo…
By newseditor
Posted 01 Apr
Publications
Neuronal activity rapidly r…
By newseditor
Posted 22 Apr
A perspective on muscle phe…
By newseditor
Posted 22 Apr
Foxp1 suppresses cortical a…
By newseditor
Posted 22 Apr
Single-cell long-read seque…
By newseditor
Posted 22 Apr
Unlocking potential: the ro…
By newseditor
Posted 22 Apr
Presentations
Hydrogels in Drug Delivery
By newseditor
Posted 12 Apr
Lipids
By newseditor
Posted 31 Dec
Cell biology of carbohydrat…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Nov
RNA interference (RNAi)
By newseditor
Posted 23 Oct
RNA structure and functions
By newseditor
Posted 19 Oct
Posters
A chemical biology/modular…
By newseditor
Posted 22 Aug
Single-molecule covalent ma…
By newseditor
Posted 04 Jul
ASCO-2020-HEALTH SERVICES R…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-HEAD AND NECK CANCER
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-GENITOURINARY CAN…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar