Metabolic and epigenetic reprogramming in the arsenic-induced cancer stem cells

Publication date: Available online 19 April 2019Source: Seminars in Cancer BiologyAuthor(s): Lingzhi Li, Zhuoyu Bi, Priya Wadgaonkar, Yongju Lu, Qian Zhang, Yao Fu, Chitra Thakur, Li Wang, Fei ChenAbstractAt present, the belief that genetic mutations control every aspect of tumorigenesis is still very popular. Even for the highly debated “bad luck” theory of cancers, it ascertained that random mutation of genes during the self-renewal of somatic stem cells is responsible for cancer initiation. Logically, most of the new therapeutic strategies so far, from molecular targeting to precision medicine or personalized medicine, are genome-obsessed and focused on identifying and targeting these mutated genes. Accordingly, a rather simplified therapeutic regimen was formulated: cancers with the same mutations, e.g., lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, etc, were managed with the same chemo or targeting medicine, whereas for a particular cancer, such as breast cancer or lung cancer, with different mutational spectrums was treated with different, so-called personalized medicine. The outcomes of this strategy, however, are mixed with encouraging and disappointing findings. In this review article, we will address the importance of non-genetic factors, the metabolic and epigenetic reprogramming, during the induction of cancer stem cells in response to arsenic, a major environmental human carcinogen. The information provided may not only advance our understand...
Source: Seminars in Cancer Biology - Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research