Key to Turning off Cancer Stem Cells

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic have found that the oncogene PKCiota is essential for the production of lung cancer stem cells. An oncogene is a gene that cancer cells use to grow, and in this case it allows stem cells to be created. These self-renewing stem cells create other cells that make up tumors in the lung. PKCiota was found to be directly involved in the initial steps of cancer stem cell development, and therefore indirectly leads to the production of cancer cells that create tumors. Scientists found that a certain agent, Aurothiomalate, dramatically decreases the growth of these stem cells that are, unfortunately, resistant to chemotherapy. For any lung cancer treatment to be effective, it has to disrupt the stem cells, which require PKCiota in order to develop.

An oncogene known as Kras is believed to change regular lung stem cells into cancer stem cells in mice, leading to lung cancer. When scientists inactivated the PKCiota gene, Kras could not cause expansion and growth of lung stem cells, which is what initiates tumor formation.

This experiment demonstrated that PKCiota is necessary in order for lung tumors to form. Aurothiomalate was found to target PKCiota and is currently being tested in patients in its phase I trial. It has had significant inhibitory effects on tumors dependent on both Kras and PKCiota. There are many cancers that are believed to be dependent on either Kras or PKCiota to grow, and Aurothiomalate seems to be a drug that could effectively target the cancer stem cells and stop the growth of tumors. A phase II human trial is expected to combine this agent with other agents that are targeted at other things involved in the growth of cancer tumors, which would make Aurothiomalate even more effective. The hope is that these discoveries will lead to a better, more effective, way to treat not only lung cancer, but other cancers as well!

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