CD44+ cells determine fenofibrate ‐induced microevolution of drug‐resistance in prostate cancer cell populations

In conclusion, we have confirmed the potential of fenofibrate for the metronomic treatment of drug‐resistant prostate tumors. However, docetaxel/fenofibrate‐induced selective expansion of hyper‐resistant CD44high SCL prostate cells and their “bulk” progenies prompts the microevolution of prostate tumor drug‐resistance. This process can limit the implementation of metabolic chemotherapy in prostate cancer treatment.© AlphaMed Press 2020Significance StatementFenofibrate has recently been shown to interfere with the drug ‐resistance of prostate tumor cells. Our current data confirmed that fenofibrate increases sensitivity of drug‐resistant prostate tumors to chemotherapeutic stress. However, they also revealed the resistance of CD44+ prostate cancer stem cells to the combined docetaxel/fenofibrate treatment, accompanied by docetaxel/fenofibrate ‐induced microevolution of hyper‐resistant CD44− progenies. Thus, the balance between the sensitivity of CD44low prostate cancer cells to chemotherapeutics and the adaptation of CD44high stem ‐like cells to metabolic stress determines the response of prostate tumors to metabolic chemotherapy.
Source: Stem Cells - Category: Stem Cells Authors: Tags: Cancer Stem Cells Source Type: research