Increase in Breast Cancer Stem Cells in Response to Prostaglandin E2. Revision.

摘要

Prostaglandin E2 is a powerful chemical that can cause an increase in blood stem cells. The theory that many cancers, including breast cancers, also contain cancer stem cells is being studied. Cancer stem cells are thought to be resistant to some types of cancer treatments, and allow tumors to re-grow and possibly to spread after cancer treatment. If this theory is true, understanding how breast cancer stem cells live and grow may be an important breakthrough to developing new, more effective treatments for breast cancer. This study showed that prostaglandin E2 caused an increase in breast cancer stem cells in several cell lines, identified the prostaglandin E receptor EP2 as the active receptor and determined the signaling pathway for prostaglandin E2 stimulation. These results suggest that drugs targeting the prostaglandin E2 receptor or the signaling pathway could be new ways to attack and reduce a breast cancer stem cell-like population.