Wnt和Notch信号通路在肿瘤干细胞自我更新中的作用

Role of Wnt signaling pathway and Notch signaling pathway in the self-renewal of tumor stem cells

肿瘤干细胞是一类能够导致肿瘤发生的具有自我更新能力的细胞,它与干细胞具有很多相似性,其中最重要的一点是自我更新能力。它们具有相似的自我更新调节通路,如:Wnt,Notch和Shh(Sonic hedgehog)。Wnt和Notch信号通路通过其受体和配体的相互作用在自我更新的增殖和分化中都起着重要的作用,两者均能促进干细胞增殖而抑制其分化,但各自侧重不同。此外,Wnt和Notch信号通路之间相互作用、协调共同完成干细胞的自我更新。对肿瘤干细胞的Wnt和Notch信号通路研究将为未来肿瘤的靶向治疗提供新的方向。

Tumor stem cells are capable of initiating and sustaining the tumor growth, with features of self-renewal. There are many resemblances between tumor stem cells and stem cells in the self- renewal regulatory pathways, for example Wnt, Notch and Shh （Sonic hedgehog） signaling pathway. Wnt and Notch signal pathways play important roles in proliferation and differentiation of self-renewal with the interaction of acceptor and ligand. They can promote the proliferation of stem cells and restrain their differentiation, but put diverse emphasis on respective aspect. Besides, with the interaction and coordination of Wnt and Notch signal pathway stem cells accomplish their self-renewal. Study on Wnt and Notch signal pathway may help find a new direction for targeted therapy of tumor.