Gastric Cancer Stem Cells: Current Insights into the Immune Microenvironment and Therapeutic Targets

Lingfeng Fu; Luke Bu; Tadahito Yasuda; Mayu Koiwa; Takahiko Akiyama; Tomoyuki Uchihara; Hideo Baba; Takatsugu Ishimoto

doi:10.3390/biomedicines8010007

Gastric Cancer Stem Cells: Current Insights into the Immune Microenvironment and Therapeutic Targets

Biomedicines. 2020 Jan 6;8(1):7. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines8010007.

Authors

Lingfeng Fu^{1

2}, Luke Bu^{1

2}, Tadahito Yasuda^{1

2}, Mayu Koiwa^{1

2}, Takahiko Akiyama^{1

2}, Tomoyuki Uchihara^{1

2}, Hideo Baba², Takatsugu Ishimoto^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Gastrointestinal Cancer Biology, International Research Center of Medical Sciences (IRCMS), Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-0811, Japan.
² Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.

Abstract

Gastric cancer (GC) is a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are known to be involved in chemotherapy resistance and the development of metastases. Although CSCs harbor self-renewal and tumorigenic abilities, the immune microenvironment surrounding CSCs provides various factors and supports the maintenance of CSC properties. The current review summarizes the accumulating findings regarding the relationship between the immune microenvironment and gastric CSCs (GCSCs), which will support the possibility of developing novel therapeutic strategies for targeting GCSCs.

Keywords: cancer therapy; gastric cancer; gastric cancer stem cell; immune microenvironment.

Publication types

Review