0000000000625449
AUTHOR
Mariangela Zane
Normal vs cancer thyroid stem cells: the road to transformation
Recent investigations in thyroid carcinogenesis have led to the isolation and characterisation of a subpopulation of stem-like cells, responsible for tumour initiation, progression and metastasis. Nevertheless, the cellular origin of thyroid cancer stem cells (SCs) remains unknown and it is still necessary to define the process and the target population that sustain malignant transformation of tissue-resident SCs or the reprogramming of a more differentiated cell. Here, we will critically discuss new insights into thyroid SCs as a potential source of cancer formation in light of the available information on the oncogenic role of genetic modifications that occur during thyroid cancer develop…
Resistance of Cancer Stem Cells to Cell-Mediated Immune Responses
In the past decades, the hierarchical organization of tumors, governed by Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs), have been reported with regard to several tumor types. Advances in sequencing technologies have demonstrated that diverse genetic CSCs subclones, derived from the branching evolution, compete with each other within the tumor mass, thereby contributing to the functional heterogeneity. It is becoming increasingly clear that epigenetic modifications and microenvironmental influences are important determinants of tumor fitness resulting in disease progression, recurrence and reduced patient survival. Therefore, more effective therapies will require gaining insights into the role of genetic and no…
Differential Gene Expression of Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma Reveals Specific Markers Associated with Genetic Conditions
Maliszewska, Agnieszka et al.
Estrogens and Stem Cells in Thyroid Cancer
Recent discoveries highlight the emerging role of estrogens in the initiation and progression of different malignancies through their interaction with stem cell compartment. Estrogens play a relevant role especially for those tumors bearing a gender disparity in incidence and aggressiveness, as occurs for most thyroid diseases. Although several experimental lines suggest that estrogens promote thyroid cell proliferation and invasion, their precise contribution in stem cell compartment still remains unclear. This review underlines the interplay between hormones and thyroid function, which could help to complete the puzzle of gender discrepancy in thyroid malignancies. Defining the associatio…