Stemness underpinning all steps of human colorectal cancer defines the core of effective therapeutic strategies.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Despite their lethality and ensuing clinical and therapeutic relevance, circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from colorectal carcinoma (CRC) remain elusive, poorly characterized biological entities.

Methods and findings

We perfected a cell system of stable, primary lines from human CRC showing that they possess the full complement of ex- and in-vivo, in xenogeneic models, characteristics of CRC stem cells (CCSCs). Here we show how tumor-initiating, CCSCs cells can establish faithful orthotopic phenocopies of the original disease, which contain cells that spread into the circulatory system. While in the vascular bed, these cells retain stemness, thus qualifying as circulating CCSCs (cCCSCs). This is followed by the establishment of lesions in distant organs, which also c

SUBMITTER: Visioli A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6603803 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature