Targeting Tumor Microenvironment Akt Signaling Represents a Potential Therapeutic Strategy for Aggressive Thyroid Cancer.

ABSTRACT: Effects of the tumor microenvironment (TME) stromal cells on progression in thyroid cancer are largely unexplored. Elucidating the effects and underlying mechanisms may facilitate the development of targeting therapy for aggressive cases of this disease. In this study, we investigated the impact of TME stromal cells on cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) in patient-relevant contexts where applying in vitro assays and xenograft models uncovered contributions of TME stromal cells to thyroid cancer progression. We found that TME stromal cells can enhance CSC self-renewal and invasiveness mainly via the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) pathway. The disruption of Akt signaling could diminish the impact of TME stromal cells on CSC aggressiveness in vitro and reduce CSC tumor

SUBMITTER: Mirshahidi S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10049397 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature