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RESEARCH PRODUCT
Betulinic Acid Kills Colon Cancer Stem Cells
Jan Paul MedemaLisette PotzeJan H. KesslerSimone Di FrancoGiorgio Stassisubject
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 Desaturasedescription
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 observed with inhibition of SCD-1, suggesting that SCD-1 activity is indeed a vulnerable link in colon CSCs and can be considered an ideal target for therapy in colon cancer.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-01-01 | Current stem cell research & therapy |