Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
5
pubmed:dateCreated
2010-5-5
pubmed:abstractText
Despite the presence of mutations in APC or beta-catenin, which are believed to activate the Wnt signalling cascade constitutively, most colorectal cancers show cellular heterogeneity when beta-catenin localization is analysed, indicating a more complex regulation of Wnt signalling. We explored this heterogeneity with a Wnt reporter construct and observed that high Wnt activity functionally designates the colon cancer stem cell (CSC) population. In adenocarcinomas, high activity of the Wnt pathway is observed preferentially in tumour cells located close to stromal myofibroblasts, indicating that Wnt activity and cancer stemness may be regulated by extrinsic cues. In agreement with this notion, myofibroblast-secreted factors, specifically hepatocyte growth factor, activate beta-catenin-dependent transcription and subsequently CSC clonogenicity. More significantly, myofibroblast-secreted factors also restore the CSC phenotype in more differentiated tumour cells both in vitro and in vivo. We therefore propose that stemness of colon cancer cells is in part orchestrated by the microenvironment and is a much more dynamic quality than previously expected that can be defined by high Wnt activity.
pubmed:commentsCorrections
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
May
pubmed:issn
1476-4679
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Electronic
pubmed:volume
12
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
468-76
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2010
pubmed:articleTitle
Wnt activity defines colon cancer stem cells and is regulated by the microenvironment.
pubmed:affiliation
Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology (LEXOR), Center for Experimental Molecular Medicine (CEMM), Academic Medical Center (AMC), University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't