Signaling pathways governing the behaviors of leukemia stem cells

Shirin Azizidoost; Ava Nasrolahi; Mohadeseh Sheykhi-Sabzehpoush; Amir Anbiyaiee; Seyed Esmaeil Khoshnam; Maryam Farzaneh; Shahab Uddin

doi:10.1016/j.gendis.2023.01.008

Signaling pathways governing the behaviors of leukemia stem cells

Genes Dis. 2023 Mar 23;11(2):830-846. doi: 10.1016/j.gendis.2023.01.008. eCollection 2024 Mar.

Authors

Shirin Azizidoost¹, Ava Nasrolahi², Mohadeseh Sheykhi-Sabzehpoush³, Amir Anbiyaiee⁴, Seyed Esmaeil Khoshnam⁵, Maryam Farzaneh⁶, Shahab Uddin⁷

Affiliations

¹ Atherosclerosis Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz 6193673111, Iran.
² Infectious Ophthalmologic Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz 6193673111, Iran.
³ Department of Laboratory, Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 2193672411, Iran.
⁴ Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz 6193673111, Iran.
⁵ Persian Gulf Physiology Research Center, Medical Basic Sciences Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz 6193673111, Iran.
⁶ Fertility, Infertility and Perinatology Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz 6193673111, Iran.
⁷ Translational Research Institute and Dermatology Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar.

Abstract

Leukemia is a malignancy in the blood that develops from the lymphatic system and bone marrow. Although various treatment options have been used for different types of leukemia, understanding the molecular pathways involved in the development and progression of leukemia is necessary. Recent studies showed that leukemia stem cells (LSCs) play essential roles in the pathogenesis of leukemia by targeting several signaling pathways, including Notch, Wnt, Hedgehog, and STAT3. LSCs are highly proliferative cells that stimulate tumor initiation, migration, EMT, and drug resistance. This review summarizes cellular pathways that stimulate and prevent LSCs' self-renewal, metastasis, and tumorigenesis.

Keywords: Leukemia; Leukemia stem cells; Pathogenesis; Signaling pathways; Stem cells.

Publication types

Review