Stemming the spread of cancer

Angiogenesis

PRESS RELEASE

Source: Okayama University, Planning and Public Information
Division

For immediate release: 20 September 2012

Okayama University researchers demonstrate that cancer stem cells
can be produced from normal stem cells for new therapies to combat
cancer

(Okayama, Japan, 20 September 2012) Okayama University’s
Masaharu Seno and colleagues have demonstrated in vitro the
development of cancer stem cells (CSCs) from a type of normal stem
cell exposed to their hypothetical microenvironment of a tumor. The
findings are also described in the inaugural September issue of
Okayama University e-Bulletin:
http://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/user/kouhou/ebulletin/index.html

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been proposed as an explanation for
the spread of cancer. These cells are tumorigenic and have the
capacity of both self-renewal and differentiation into a range of
various cell types. In this concept, malignant tumors provide
heterogeneous aspects derived from CSCs as well as normal stem
cells provide tissue specific phenotype in response to their
microenvironment.

Researchers have now demonstrated in vitro the development of CSCs
from a type of normal stem cell exposed to their hypothetical
microenvironment of a tumor. The results are the work of a group of
scientists led by Masaharu Seno, a professor of Okayama University,
with his collaborators in China and the US.

The researchers cultured mouse induced pluripotent stem (miPS)
cells in a conditioned medium obtained from a number of mouse
cancer cell lines. Finally, a population of stem cells was kept
undifferentiated and proliferating while other stem cells
differentiated into specialized cells, which were incapable of
proliferation any more.

Since the survived miPS cells treated with the conditioned medium
were found malignantly tumorigenic in vivo, they concluded that the
cells could be defined as CSCs . “The model of CSCs and the
procedure of their establishment will help study the genetic
alterations and the secreted factors in the tumor microenvironment
which convert miPS cells to CSCs,” explain the authors. The
work should help breakthrough towards the development of new
therapies to combat cancer.

Further information:

Okayama University

1-1-1 Tsushima-naka , Kita-ku ,

Okayama 700-8530, Japan

Planning and Public Information Division

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: http://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/index_e.html

About Okayama University

Okayama University is one of the largest comprehensive universities
in Japan with roots going back to the Medical Training Place
sponsored by the Lord of Okayama and established in 1870. Now with
1,300 faculty and 14,000 students, the University offers courses in
specialties ranging from medicine and pharmacy to humanities and
physical sciences. Okayama University is located in the heart of
Japan approximately 3 hours west of Tokyo by Shinkansen.

Website: http://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/index_e.html