肿瘤干细胞与放疗抵抗的研究进展

The advances in cancer stem cells and radiation resistance

肿瘤放疗耐受和抵抗常常是导致某些肿瘤侵袭、转移和复发的重要原因之一。越来越多的研究表明,肿瘤干细胞(cancer stem cells,CSCs)是肿瘤内一群具有干细胞特性的异质细胞,可以抵抗多种抗肿瘤治疗方法。CSCs通过DNA修复、调整细胞周期、清除活性氧和维持特定的肿瘤微环境等多种途径来逃避放射治疗对其的杀伤作用,其中涉及多种基因和信号通路。研究CSCs放疗抵抗机制,可以通过改进放疗技术或设计靶向治疗药物解除放疗抵抗效应。本文对CSCs放疗抵抗机制及提高放疗敏感性的相关研究进展进行综述。

Radiation resistance is one of the important factors leading to tumor invasiveness, metastasis and recurrence. Increasing evidences have shown that cancer stem cells （CSCs） are bulk of heterogeneous cells which share similar characteristics with normal stem cells. CSCs can avoid several kinds of anti-cancer therapies. CSCs achieve radiation resistance through several mechanisms including DNA repair, adjusting cell-cycle, eliminating reactive oxygen species and maintaining specific microenvironment. The processes involve a series of genes and signaling pathways. Investigating the mechanisms of radiation resistance in CSCs enables the researchers to sensitize cancer cells to radiotherapy via improving radiotherapy techniques or targeted treatment. This review summarizes the research progress on radioresistance mechanisms in CSCs and related therapies to improve radiosensitivity.