Identification of bioactive dietary and natural components for targeting cancer stem cells
Abstract
Cancer stem cell (CSC) is a small specific subset of cancer cells and is suggested to be responsible for initiation, progression, drug resistance and recurrence of cancer. The search for novel agents to inhibit CSC self‐renewal has emerged as a research priority in cancer prevention and treatment. The objective of this study was to identify active dietary and natural compounds against CSC. Human breast, prostate, pancreatic and lung cancer cell lines were cultured at non‐adherent, self‐renewal conditions. The tumorsphere forming efficiency was determined to evaluate the effect of dietary and natural compounds on CSC self‐renewal. The expression of CSC‐related genes was determined by quantitative real time‐PCR. Tumorsphere formation was associated with altered expression of CSC‐related genes. Dietary components genistein and myricetin showed limited activities inhibiting CSC self‐renewal; sulforaphane and EGCG showed moderate activities. Tanshinones from Salvia Miltiorrhiza (tanshinone I, tanshinone IIA and cryptotanshinone) showed potent activities in inhibiting self‐renewal of CSCs in different cancer cell lines, with tanshinone I being the most potent. The inhibition of CSC self‐renewal was associated with modulation of gene expression of certain CSC‐related biomarkers. Our results warrant further evaluation of tanshinones as candidate anti‐CSC agents. Supported in part by DOD (PC073988).
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2010
- Source ID
- 10.1096/fasebj.24.1_supplement.545.2
Entities
People
- George Blackburn
- Jin‐rong Zhou
- Yanli Li
- Yi Gong
Organizations
- Harvard Medical School
- United States Department of Defense