Modeling evolutionary dynamics of epigenetic mutations in hierarchically organized tumors.

ABSTRACT: The cancer stem cell (CSC) concept is a highly debated topic in cancer research. While experimental evidence in favor of the cancer stem cell theory is apparently abundant, the results are often criticized as being difficult to interpret. An important reason for this is that most experimental data that support this model rely on transplantation studies. In this study we use a novel cellular Potts model to elucidate the dynamics of established malignancies that are driven by a small subset of CSCs. Our results demonstrate that epigenetic mutations that occur during mitosis display highly altered dynamics in CSC-driven malignancies compared to a classical, non-hierarchical model of growth. In particular, the heterogeneity observed in CSC-driven tumors is considerably higher. We speculate tha

SUBMITTER: Sottoriva A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3088646 | biostudies-literature | 2011 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature