Calcium channel α2δ1 subunit is a functional marker and therapeutic target for tumor-initiating cells in non-small cell lung cancer.

ABSTRACT: It is hypothesized that tumor-initiating cells (TICs) with stem cell-like properties constitute a sustaining force to drive tumor growth and renew fully established malignancy. However, the identification of such a population in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) has been hindered by the lacking of reliable surface markers, and very few of the currently available surface markers are of functional significance. Here, we demonstrate that a subpopulation of TICs could be specifically defined by the voltage-gated calcium channel α2δ1 subunit from non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cell lines and clinical specimens. The α2δ1⁺ NSCLC TICs are refractory to conventional chemotherapy, and own stem cell-like properties such as self-renewal, and the ability to generate heterogeneous

SUBMITTER: Ma Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7952379 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature