Identification of specific markers for cancer stem cells and anti-cancer therapy targeting cancer stem cells

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We examined effects of targeting Hes1 and Dcamkl1, possible cancer stem cell markers, on colonic cancer cells. Hes1-specific siRNAs significantly reduced growth of human colonic cancer cells. In addition, we also examined the effect of Hes1-siRNA to ApcMin mice. Finally, we obtained Dckl1-positive cells from both normal intestine and polyps of ApcMin mice by FACS sorting, and found several transcripts specifically expressed in Dcamkl1-positive tumor cells. The siRNAs or inhibitors specific for the molecules exclusively expressed in Dcamkl1-positive tumor cells inhibited tumor cell growth without affecting normal epithelial cells. These data suggested possible anti-cancer strategy targeting cancer stem cells without affecting normal tissue stem cells.