Int J Stem Cells.  2017 May;10(1):21-27. 10.15283/ijsc16065.

Trending Speculations of Tumor-Initiating Cells in Squamous Cell Cancers of Head and Neck

• Kamate W
• Baad R
• Vibhute N
• Belgaumi U
• Kadashetti V
• Gugwad S

• KMID: 2384598
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.15283/ijsc16065

Abstract

Tumor-initiating cells are a diminutive subpopulation of stem cells that have ability of long term self-renewal and generation of varied traits of tumor cell population. Understanding the concept of tumor-initiating cells may have a great implicative intimation for our comprehension of cancer pathobiology and for the delineation of new therapies directed towards these stem cells. The present review is an endeavor to conceptualize the role of tumor-initiating cells in the Squamous Cell Cancers (SCC) of head and neck, their role in tumorigenesis and the possible supplementary approach in the latest treatment modalities.

Keyword

Tumor-initiating cells; Squamous cell cancer of head and neck; Malignancy; Undifferentiated cell

MeSH Terms

Carcinogenesis
Comprehension
Epithelial Cells*
Head*
Neck*
Neoplasms, Squamous Cell*
Stem Cells

Reference

References

1. Sawyers CL, Denny CT, Witte ON. Leukemia and the disruption of normal hematopoiesis. Cell. 1991; 64:337–350. DOI: 10.1016/0092-8674(91)90643-D. PMID: 1988151.

2. Singh SK, Hawkins C, Clarke ID, Squire JA, Bayani J, Hide T, Henkelman RM, Cusimano MD, Dirks PB. Identification of human brain tumour initiating cells. Nature. 2004; 432:396–401. DOI: 10.1038/nature03128. PMID: 15549107.

3. Eramo A, Lotti F, Sette G, Pilozzi E, Biffoni M, Di Virgilio A, Conticello C, Ruco L, Peschle C, De Maria R. Identification and expansion of the tumorigenic lung cancer stem cell population. Cell Death Differ. 2008; 15:504–514. DOI: 10.1038/sj.cdd.4402283.

4. Hermann PC, Huber SL, Herrler T, Aicher A, Ellwart JW, Guba M, Bruns CJ, Heeschen C. Distinct populations of cancer stem cells determine tumor growth and metastatic activity in human pancreatic cancer. Cell Stem Cell. 2007; 1:313–323. DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2007.06.002.

5. Dalerba P, Dylla SJ, Park IK, Liu R, Wang X, Cho RW, Hoey T, Gurney A, Huang EH, Simeone DM, Shelton AA, Parmiani G, Castelli C, Clarke MF. Phenotypic characterization of human colorectal cancer stem cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007; 104:10158–10163. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0703478104. PMID: 17548814. PMCID: 1891215.

6. Krishnamurthy S, Nör JE. Head and neck cancer stem cells. J Dent Res. 2012; 91:334–340. DOI: 10.1177/0022034511423393. PMCID: 3310753.

7. Wei W, Lewis MT. Identifying and targeting tumor-initiating cells in the treatment of breast cancer. Endocr Relat Cancer. 2015; 22:R135–R155. DOI: 10.1530/ERC-14-0447. PMID: 25876646. PMCID: 4447610.

8. Goldthwaite CA. Are stem cells involved in cancer. Regenerative Med. 2006; 9:89–96.

9. Gerashchenko TS, Denisov EV, Litviakov NV, Zavyalova MV, Vtorushin SV, Tsyganov MM, Perelmuter VM, Cherdyntseva NV. Intratumor heterogeneity: nature and biological significance. Biochemistry (Mosc). 2013; 78:1201–1215. DOI: 10.1134/S0006297913110011.

10. White AC, Lowry WE. Refining the role for adult stem cells as cancer cells of origin. Trends Cell Biol. 2015; 25:11–20. DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2014.08.008.

11. Ratajczak MZ, Kucia M, Dobrowolska H, Wanzeck J, Reca R, Ratajczak J. Emerging concept of cancer as a stem cell disorder. Open Life Sciences. 2006; 1:73–87. DOI: 10.2478/s11535-006-0006-6.

12. Polyak K, Weinberg RA. Transitions between epithelial and mesenchymal states: acquisition of malignant and stem cell traits. Nat Rev Cancer. 2009; 9:265–273. DOI: 10.1038/nrc2620. PMID: 19262571.

13. Kalluri R, Weinberg RA. The basics of epithelial-mesenchymal transition. J Clin Invest. 2009; 119:1420–1428. DOI: 10.1172/JCI39104. PMID: 19487818. PMCID: 2689101.

14. Scanlon CS, Van Tubergen EA, Inglehart RC, D’Silva NJ. Biomarkers of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in squamous cell carcinoma. J Dent Res. 2013; 92:114–121. DOI: 10.1177/0022034512467352. PMCID: 3545688.

15. Figueiredo ML, Kim Y, Zhou XC, Myers JN, Wong DD. Molecular mechanisms of head and neck cancer. Drug Discovery Today: Disease Mechanisms. 2004; 1:273–281. DOI: 10.1016/j.ddmec.2004.10.003.

16. Rahman M, Deleyrolle L, Vedam-Mai V, Azari H, Abd-El-Barr M, Reynolds BA. The cancer stem cell hypothesis: failures and pitfalls. Neurosurgery. 2011; 68:531–545. DOI: 10.1227/NEU.0b013e3181ff9eb5.

17. Sell S. Stem cell origin of cancer and differentiation therapy. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2004; 51:1–28. DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2004.04.007. PMID: 15207251.

18. Kondo T. Stem cell-like cancer cells in cancer cell lines. Cancer Biomark. 2007; 3:245–250. DOI: 10.3233/CBM-2007-34-508. PMID: 17917153.

19. Zhang J, Li L. Stem cell niche: microenvironment and beyond. J Biol Chem. 2008; 283:9499–9503. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.R700043200. PMID: 18272517.

20. Li L, Neaves WB. Normal stem cells and cancer stem cells: the niche matters. Cancer Res. 2006; 66:4553–4557. DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-05-3986. PMID: 16651403.

21. Plaks V, Kong N, Werb Z. The cancer stem cell niche: how essential is the niche in regulating stemness of tumor cells? Cell Stem Cell. 2015; 16:225–238. DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2015.02.015. PMID: 25748930. PMCID: 4355577.

22. Li F, Tiede B, Massagué J, Kang Y. Beyond tumorigenesis: cancer stem cells in metastasis. Cell Res. 2007; 17:3–14. DOI: 10.1038/sj.cr.7310118.

23. Hess DA, Allan AL. Migratory strategies of normal and malignant stem cells. Methods Mol Biol. 2011; 750:25–44. DOI: 10.1007/978-1-61779-145-1_2. PMID: 21618081.

24. Leirós GJ, Balañá ME. Metastatic cancer stem cells: new molecular targets for cancer therapy. Curr Pharm Biotechnol. 2011; 12:1909–1922. DOI: 10.2174/138920111798377094. PMID: 21470128.

25. Tysnes BB. Tumor-initiating and -propagating cells: cells that we would like to identify and control. Neoplasia. 2010; 12:506–515. DOI: 10.1593/neo.10290. PMID: 20651980. PMCID: 2907577.

26. Jung A, Brabletz T, Kirchner T. The migrating cancer stem cells model--a conceptual explanation of malignant tumour progression. Ernst Schering Found Symp Proc. 2006; (5):109–124.

27. Smith A, Teknos TN, Pan Q. Epithelial to mesenchymal transition in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Oral Oncol. 2013; 49:287–292. DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2012.10.009. PMCID: 3586749.

28. Bidlingmaier S, Zhu X, Liu B. The utility and limitations of glycosylated human CD133 epitopes in defining cancer stem cells. J Mol Med (Berl). 2008; 86:1025–1032. DOI: 10.1007/s00109-008-0357-8.

29. Grosse-Gehling P, Fargeas CA, Dittfeld C, Garbe Y, Alison MR, Corbeil D, Kunz-Schughart LA. CD133 as a bio-marker for putative cancer stem cells in solid tumours: limitations, problems and challenges. J Pathol. 2013; 229:355–378. DOI: 10.1002/path.4086.

30. Vander Griend DJ, Karthaus WL, Dalrymple S, Meeker A, DeMarzo AM, Isaacs JT. The role of CD133 in normal human prostate stem cells and malignant cancer-initiating cells. Cancer Res. 2008; 68:9703–9711. DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-08-3084. PMID: 19047148. PMCID: 3072758.

31. Ferrandina G, Petrillo M, Bonanno G, Scambia G. Targeting CD133 antigen in cancer. Expert Opin Ther Targets. 2009; 13:823–837. DOI: 10.1517/14728220903005616. PMID: 19530986.

32. Monroe MM, Anderson EC, Clayburgh DR, Wong MH. Cancer stem cells in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. J Oncol. 2010; 2011:PMID: 21076545. PMCID: 2976506.

33. Major AG, Pitty LP, Farah CS. Cancer stem cell markers in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Stem Cells Int. 2013; DOI: 10.1155/2013/319489. PMID: 23533441. PMCID: 3603684.

34. Knudson WA, Knudson CB. The hyaluronan receptor, CD44. Garg H, Hales C, editors. Chemistry and biology of hyaluronan. Oxford: Elsevier;2004. p. 83–124. DOI: 10.1016/B978-008044382-9/50036-4.

35. Zhu H, Mitsuhashi N, Klein A, Barsky LW, Weinberg K, Barr ML, Demetriou A, Wu GD. The role of the hyaluronan receptor CD44 in mesenchymal stem cell migration in the extracellular matrix. Stem Cells. 2006; 24:928–935. DOI: 10.1634/stemcells.2005-0186.

36. Basakran NS. CD44 as a potential diagnostic tumor marker. Saudi Med J. 2015; 36:273–279. DOI: 10.15537/smj.2015.3.9622. PMID: 25737167. PMCID: 4381009.

37. Athanassiou-Papaefthymiou M, Shkeir O, Kim D, Divi V, Matossian M, Owen JH, Czerwinski MJ, Papagerakis P, McHugh J, Bradford CR, Carey TE, Wolf GT, Prince ME, Papagerakis S. Evaluation of CD44 variant expression in oral, head and neck squamous cell carcinomas using a triple approach and its clinical significance. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol. 2014; 27:337–349. DOI: 10.1177/039463201402700304. PMID: 25280025. PMCID: 4266392.

38. Chen J, Zhou J, Lu J, Xiong H, Shi X, Gong L. Significance of CD44 expression in head and neck cancer: a systemic review and meta-analysis. BMC Cancer. 2014; 14:15. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2407-14-15. PMID: 24410905. PMCID: 3893437.

39. Faber A, Barth C, Hörmann K, Kassner S, Schultz JD, Sommer U, Stern-Straeter J, Thorn C, Goessler UR. CD44 as a stem cell marker in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Oncol Rep. 2011; 26:321–326. PMID: 21617876.

40. Clay MR, Tabor M, Owen JH, Carey TE, Bradford CR, Wolf GT, Wicha MS, Prince ME. Single-marker identification of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cancer stem cells with aldehyde dehydrogenase. Head Neck. 2010; 32:1195–1201. DOI: 10.1002/hed.21315. PMID: 20073073. PMCID: 2991066.

41. Chen YC, Chen YW, Hsu HS, Tseng LM, Huang PI, Lu KH, Chen DT, Tai LK, Yung MC, Chang SC, Ku HH, Chiou SH, Lo WL. Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 is a putative marker for cancer stem cells in head and neck squamous cancer. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2009; 385:307–313. DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2009.05.048. PMID: 19450560.

42. Visus C, Ito D, Amoscato A, Maciejewska-Franczak M, Abdelsalem A, Dhir R, Shin DM, Donnenberg VS, Whiteside TL, DeLeo AB. Identification of human aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 family member A1 as a novel CD8+ T-cell-defined tumor antigen in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Cancer Res. 2007; 67:10538–10545. DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-07-1346. PMID: 17974998.

43. Tomita H, Tanaka K, Tanaka T, Hara A. Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1A1 in stem cells and cancer. Oncotarget. 2016; 7:11018–11032. PMID: 26783961. PMCID: 4905455.

44. Rodriguez-Torres M, Allan AL. Aldehyde dehydrogenase as a marker and functional mediator of metastasis in solid tumors. Clin Exp Metastasis. 2016; 33:97–113. DOI: 10.1007/s10585-015-9755-9. PMCID: 4740561.

45. Zou B, Sun S, Qi X, Ji P. Aldehyde dehydrogenase activity is a cancer stem cell marker of tongue squamous cell carcinoma. Mol Med Rep. 2012; 5:1116–1120. PMID: 22307065. PMCID: 3493091.

46. Allahverdiyev AM, Abamor ES, Bagirova M, Oztel ON, Koc RC, Baydar SY, Elcicek S, Yaman S, Ates SC. Aldehyde dehydrogenase: cancer and stem cells. INTECH Open Access Publisher;2012.

47. Huang EH, Hynes MJ, Zhang T, Ginestier C, Dontu G, Appelman H, Fields JZ, Wicha MS, Boman BM. Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 is a marker for normal and malignant human colonic stem cells (SC) and tracks SC overpopulation during colon tumorigenesis. Cancer Res. 2009; 69:3382–3389. DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-08-4418. PMID: 19336570. PMCID: 2789401.

48. Krishnamurthy S, Dong Z, Vodopyanov D, Imai A, Helman JI, Prince ME, Wicha MS, Nör JE. Endothelial cell-initiated signaling promotes the survival and self-renewal of cancer stem cells. Cancer Res. 2010; 70:9969–9978. DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-10-1712. PMID: 21098716. PMCID: 3058885.

49. Grimm M, Krimmel M, Polligkeit J, Alexander D, Munz A, Kluba S, Keutel C, Hoffmann J, Reinert S, Hoefert S. ABCB5 expression and cancer stem cell hypothesis in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Eur J Cancer. 2012; 48:3186–3197. DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2012.05.027. PMID: 22784549.

50. Zhang P, Zhang Y, Mao L, Zhang Z, Chen W. Side population in oral squamous cell carcinoma possesses tumor stem cell phenotypes. Cancer Lett. 2009; 277:227–234. DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2008.12.015. PMID: 19185988.

51. Wu MJ, Jan CI, Tsay YG, Yu YH, Huang CY, Lin SC, Liu CJ, Chen YS, Lo JF, Yu CC. Elimination of head and neck cancer initiating cells through targeting glucose regulated protein78 signaling. Mol Cancer. 2010; 9:283. DOI: 10.1186/1476-4598-9-283. PMID: 20979610. PMCID: 2987982.

52. Luo S, Mao C, Lee B, Lee AS. GRP78/BiP is required for cell proliferation and protecting the inner cell mass from apoptosis during early mouse embryonic development. Mol Cell Biol. 2006; 26:5688–5697. DOI: 10.1128/MCB.00779-06. PMID: 16847323. PMCID: 1592753.

53. Sun S, Wang Z. Head neck squamous cell carcinoma c-Met+ cells display cancer stem cell properties and are responsible for cisplatin-resistance and metastasis. Int J Cancer. 2011; 129:2337–2348. DOI: 10.1002/ijc.25927. PMID: 21225626.

54. Chen YS, Wang JT, Chang YF, Liu BY, Wang YP, Sun A, Chiang CP. Expression of hepatocyte growth factor and c-met protein is significantly associated with the progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma in Taiwan. J Oral Pathol Med. 2004; 33:209–217. DOI: 10.1111/j.0904-2512.2004.00118.x. PMID: 15061708.

55. Galeazzi E, Olivero M, Gervasio FC, De Stefani A, Valente G, Comoglio PM, Di Renzo MF, Cortesina G. Detection of MET oncogene/hepatocyte growth factor receptor in lymph node metastases from head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 1997; 254( Suppl 1):S138–S143. DOI: 10.1007/BF02439745. PMID: 9065649.

56. Lim YC, Oh SY, Cha YY, Kim SH, Jin X, Kim H. Cancer stem cell traits in squamospheres derived from primary head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. Oral Oncol. 2011; 47:83–91. DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2010.11.011.

57. Pastrana E, Silva-Vargas V, Doetsch F. Eyes wide open: a critical review of sphere-formation as an assay for stem cells. Cell Stem Cell. 2011; 8:486–498. DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2011.04.007. PMID: 21549325. PMCID: 3633588.

58. Chiou SH, Yu CC, Huang CY, Lin SC, Liu CJ, Tsai TH, Chou SH, Chien CS, Ku HH, Lo JF. Positive correlations of Oct-4 and Nanog in oral cancer stem-like cells and high-grade oral squamous cell carcinoma. Clin Cancer Res. 2008; 14:4085–4095. DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-07-4404. PMID: 18593985.

59. Okamoto A, Chikamatsu K, Sakakura K, Hatsushika K, Takahashi G, Masuyama K. Expansion and characterization of cancer stem-like cells in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Oral Oncol. 2009; 45:633–639. DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2008.10.003.

60. Pannuti A, Foreman K, Rizzo P, Osipo C, Golde T, Osborne B, Miele L. Targeting Notch to target cancer stem cells. Clin Cancer Res. 2010; 16:3141–3152. DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-09-2823. PMID: 20530696. PMCID: 3008160.

61. Smith J, Ladi E, Mayer-Proschel M, Noble M. Redox state is a central modulator of the balance between self-renewal and differentiation in a dividing glial precursor cell. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2000; 97:10032–10037. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.170209797. PMID: 10944195. PMCID: 27662.

62. Takahashi-Yanaga F, Kahn M. Targeting Wnt signaling: can we safely eradicate cancer stem cells? Clin Cancer Res. 2010; 16:3153–3162. DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-09-2943. PMID: 20530697.

63. Takezaki T, Hide T, Takanaga H, Nakamura H, Kuratsu J, Kondo T. Essential role of the Hedgehog signaling pathway in human glioma-initiating cells. Cancer Sci. 2011; 102:1306–1312. DOI: 10.1111/j.1349-7006.2011.01943.x. PMID: 21453386.

64. Prince ME, Sivanandan R, Kaczorowski A, Wolf GT, Kaplan MJ, Dalerba P, Weissman IL, Clarke MF, Ailles LE. Identification of a subpopulation of cells with cancer stem cell properties in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007; 104:973–978. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0610117104. PMID: 17210912. PMCID: 1783424.

65. Zhao Y, Bao Q, Renner A, Camaj P, Eichhorn M, Ischenko I, Angele M, Kleespies A, Jauch KW, Bruns C. Cancer stem cells and angiogenesis. Int J Dev Biol. 2011; 55:477–482. DOI: 10.1387/ijdb.103225yz. PMID: 21732274.

66. Calabrese C, Poppleton H, Kocak M, Hogg TL, Fuller C, Hamner B, Oh EY, Gaber MW, Finklestein D, Allen M, Frank A, Bayazitov IT, Zakharenko SS, Gajjar A, Davidoff A, Gilbertson RJ. A perivascular niche for brain tumor stem cells. Cancer Cell. 2007; 11:69–82. DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2006.11.020. PMID: 17222791.

67. Pàez-Ribes M, Allen E, Hudock J, Takeda T, Okuyama H, Viñals F, Inoue M, Bergers G, Hanahan D, Casanovas O. Antiangiogenic therapy elicits malignant progression of tumors to increased local invasion and distant metastasis. Cancer Cell. 2009; 15:220–231. DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2009.01.027. PMID: 19249680. PMCID: 2874829.

68. Tang C, Ang BT, Pervaiz S. Cancer stem cell: target for anti-cancer therapy. FASEB J. 2007; 21:3777–3785. DOI: 10.1096/fj.07-8560rev. PMID: 17625071.