Open AccessMitochondria as therapeutic targets for cancer stem cells
Author(s) -
In Sung Song,
Jeong Yu Jeong,
Sang Hoon Jeong,
Hyoung Kyu Kim,
Kyung Soo Ko,
Byoung Doo Rhee,
Nari Kim,
Jin Han
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
world journal of stem cells
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.907
H-Index - 18
ISSN - 1948-0210
DOI - 10.4252/wjsc.v7.i2.418
Subject(s) - cancer stem cell , mitochondrion , cancer cell , cancer research , stem cell , oxidative phosphorylation , cancer , apoptosis , metastasis , microbiology and biotechnology , programmed cell death , biology , chemistry , biochemistry , genetics
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are maintained by their somatic stem cells and are responsible for tumor initiation, chemoresistance, and metastasis. Evidence for the CSCs existence has been reported for a number of human cancers. The CSC mitochondria have been shown recently to be an important target for cancer treatment, but clinical significance of CSCs and their mitochondria properties remain unclear. Mitochondria-targeted agents are considerably more effective compared to other agents in triggering apoptosis of CSCs, as well as general cancer cells, via mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondrial metabolism is altered in cancer cells because of their reliance on glycolytic intermediates, which are normally destined for oxidative phosphorylation. Therefore, inhibiting cancer-specific modifications in mitochondrial metabolism, increasing reactive oxygen species production, or stimulating mitochondrial permeabilization transition could be promising new therapeutic strategies to activate cell death in CSCs as well, as in general cancer cells. This review analyzed mitochondrial function and its potential as a therapeutic target to induce cell death in CSCs. Furthermore, combined treatment with mitochondria-targeted drugs will be a promising strategy for the treatment of relapsed and refractory cancer.