Ovarian cancer stem cell-like side populations are enriched following chemotherapy and overexpress EZH2.

ABSTRACT: Platinum-based chemotherapy, with cytoreductive surgery, is the cornerstone of treatment of advanced ovarian cancer; however, acquired drug resistance is a major clinical obstacle. It has been proposed that subpopulations of tumor cells with stem cell-like properties, such as so-called side populations (SP) that overexpress ABC drug transporters, can sustain the growth of drug-resistant tumor cells, leading to tumor recurrence following chemotherapy. The histone methyltransferase EZH2 is a key component of the polycomb-repressive complex 2 required for maintenance of a stem cell state, and overexpression has been implicated in drug resistance and shorter survival of ovarian cancer patients. We observed higher percentage SP in ascites from patients that have relapsed following chemotherapy

SUBMITTER: Rizzo S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3037846 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature