0000000000742849

AUTHOR

Lisette Potze

showing 3 related works from this author

Betulinic Acid Kills Colon Cancer Stem Cells

2016

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are considered to be the origin of cancer and it is suggested that they are resistant to chemotherapy. Current therapies fail to eradicate CSCs and therefore selecting a resistant cell subset that is able to facilitate tumor recurrences. Betulinic acid (BetA) is a broad acting natural compound, shown to induce cell death via the inhibition of the stearoyl-CoA- desaturase (SCD- 1). This enzyme converts saturated fatty acids into unsaturated fatty acids and is over-expressed in tumor cells. Here we show that BetA induces rapid cell death in all colon CSCs tested and is able to affect the CSCs directly as shown, via the loss of clonogenic capacity. Similar results were…

0301 basic medicineProgrammed cell deathColorectal cancerMedicine (miscellaneous)Biology03 medical and health scienceschemistry.chemical_compound0302 clinical medicineCancer stem cellBetulinic acidCell Line TumormedicineHumansEnzyme InhibitorsClonogenic assayCell DeathCancer stem cellStearoyl CoA-desaturaseCancerGeneral Medicinemedicine.diseaseBetulinic acidTriterpenesClone CellsColon cancerTumor resistance030104 developmental biologychemistryBiochemistryCell culture030220 oncology & carcinogenesisCancer treatmentColonic NeoplasmsMutationCancer researchNeoplastic Stem CellsStem cellSettore MED/46 - Scienze Tecniche Di Medicina Di LaboratorioPentacyclic TriterpenesStearoyl-CoA DesaturaseCurrent stem cell research & therapy
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Betulinic acid induces a novel cell death pathway that depends on cardiolipin modification

2016

Cancer is associated with strong changes in lipid metabolism. For instance, normal cells take up fatty acids (FAs) from the circulation, while tumour cells generate their own and become dependent on de novo FA synthesis, which could provide a vulnerability to target tumour cells. Betulinic acid (BetA) is a natural compound that selectively kills tumour cells through an ill-defined mechanism that is independent of BAX and BAK, but depends on mitochondrial permeability transition-pore opening. Here we unravel this pathway and show that BetA inhibits the activity of steroyl-CoA-desaturase (SCD-1). This enzyme is overexpressed in tumour cells and critically important for cells that utilize de n…

0301 basic medicineCancer ResearchProgrammed cell deathCardiolipinsMitochondrionCell Line03 medical and health scienceschemistry.chemical_compoundSDG 3 - Good Health and Well-beingBetulinic acidGeneticsCardiolipinHumansBetulinic AcidCytotoxicityMolecular BiologyCell DeathbiologyCytochrome cFatty AcidsCytochromes cLipid metabolismAntineoplastic Agents PhytogenicTriterpenesMitochondriaCell biology030104 developmental biologyBiochemistrychemistryCancer cellbiology.protein/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/good_health_and_well_beingPentacyclic TriterpenesStearoyl-CoA Desaturase
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Lipid Droplets: A New Player in Colorectal Cancer Stem Cells Unveiled by Spectroscopic Imaging

2015

Abstract The cancer stem cell (CSC) model is describing tumors as a hierarchical organized system and CSCs are suggested to be responsible for cancer recurrence after therapy. The identification of specific markers of CSCs is therefore of paramount importance. Here, we show that high levels of lipid droplets (LDs) are a distinctive mark of CSCs in colorectal (CR) cancer. This increased lipid content was clearly revealed by label-free Raman spectroscopy and it directly correlates with well-accepted CR-CSC markers as CD133 and Wnt pathway activity. By xenotransplantation experiments, we have finally demonstrated that CR-CSCs overexpressing LDs retain most tumorigenic potential. A relevant con…

Colorectal cancerXenotransplantationmedicine.medical_treatmentBiologySpectrum Analysis RamanMiceCancer stem cellLipid dropletOrganelleBiomarkers TumormedicineAnimalsHumanslipid droplets colon cancer stem cellsWnt Signaling PathwaySettore MED/04 - Patologia GeneraleWnt signaling pathwayCancerLipid DropletsCell Biologymedicine.diseaseCell biologyNeoplastic Stem CellsMolecular MedicineStem cellColorectal NeoplasmsDevelopmental BiologyStem Cells
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