Role of cancer cell stemness in the development of peritoneal metastasis and drug resistance

使用来自胃癌患者的临床标本评估各种候选干细胞标志物的表达。通过这种方法，评估了干细胞在腹膜转移形成中的作用。其中一个标志物L1的表达被认为是一个重要的预测因子。此外，发现L1通过激活p-ERK增强细胞增殖和运动，并且包括DYRK 1A在内的几个基因通过siRNA介导的L1表达抑制而共同下调。另一方面，临床标本中的干细胞标志物分析不支持干细胞在腹膜转移形成中具有特定作用的观点，腹膜转移的难治性可能归因于其他因素。

Expression of various candidate stem cell markers was evaluated using clinical specimens from gastric cancer patients. Through this approach, role of stem cells in the formation of peritoneal metastasis was assessed. The expression of one of the markers, L1, was found to be a significant prognosticator. Furthermore, L1 was found to enhance cell proliferation and motility through activation of p-ERK, and several genes including DYRK1A were co-down-regulated by siRNA-mediated inhibition of the L1 expression. On the other hand, analysis of stem cell markers in the clinical specimens did not support the notion that stem cells had a particular role in the formation of peritoneal metastasis, and intractability of peritoneal metastasis may be attributed to other factors.