Glycogen synthase kinase-3β inhibition depletes the population of prostate cancer stem/progenitor-like cells and attenuates metastatic growth.

ABSTRACT: Cancer cells with stem or progenitor properties play a pivotal role in the initiation, recurrence and metastatic potential of solid tumors, including those of the human prostate. Cancer stem cells are generally more resistant to conventional therapies thus requiring the characterization of key pathways involved in the formation and/or maintenance of this malignant cellular subpopulation. To this end, we identified Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3β (GSK-3β) as a crucial kinase for the maintenance of prostate cancer stem/progenitor-like cells and pharmacologic inhibition of GSK-3β dramatically decreased the size of this cellular subpopulation. This was paralleled by impaired clonogenicity, decreased migratory potential and dramatic morphological changes. In line with our in vitro observations, tre

SUBMITTER: Kroon J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4253412 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature