Luo M, Li JF, Yang Q, Zhang K, Wang ZW, Zheng S, Zhou JJ. Stem cell quiescence and its clinical relevance. World J Stem Cells 2020; 12(11): 1307-1326 [PMID: 33312400 DOI: 10.4252/wjsc.v12.i11.1307]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Jiao-Jiao Zhou, MD, PhD, Doctor, Occupational Physician, Surgeon, Department of Breast Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, No. 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, China. zhoujj@zju.edu.cn
Research Domain of This Article
Oncology
Article-Type of This Article
Review
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Stem Cells. Nov 26, 2020; 12(11): 1307-1326 Published online Nov 26, 2020. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v12.i11.1307
Stem cell quiescence and its clinical relevance
Meng Luo, Jin-Fan Li, Qi Yang, Kun Zhang, Zhan-Wei Wang, Shu Zheng, Jiao-Jiao Zhou
Meng Luo, Kun Zhang, Jiao-Jiao Zhou, Department of Breast Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, China
Meng Luo, Shu Zheng, Jiao-Jiao Zhou, Cancer Institute, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, China National Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, China
Jin-Fan Li, Qi Yang, Department of Pathology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, China
Zhan-Wei Wang, Department of Breast Surgery, Huzhou Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital Huzhou University, Huzhou 313003, Zhejiang Province, China
Author contributions: Luo M, Li JF, and Yang Q wrote parts of the manuscript; Zhang K and Wang ZW prepared the table and figures; Zhou JJ and Zheng S participated in the conception and revised the manuscript.
Supported bythe National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 81702866.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors have nothing to disclose.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Jiao-Jiao Zhou, MD, PhD, Doctor, Occupational Physician, Surgeon, Department of Breast Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, No. 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, China. zhoujj@zju.edu.cn
Received: July 10, 2020 Peer-review started: July 10, 2020 First decision: July 30, 2020 Revised: August 28, 2020 Accepted: September 22, 2020 Article in press: September 22, 2020 Published online: November 26, 2020
Abstract
Quiescent state has been observed in stem cells (SCs), including in adult SCs and in cancer SCs (CSCs). Quiescent status of SCs contributes to SC self-renewal and conduces to averting SC death from harsh external stimuli. In this review, we provide an overview of intrinsic mechanisms and extrinsic factors that regulate adult SC quiescence. The intrinsic mechanisms discussed here include the cell cycle, mitogenic signaling, Notch signaling, epigenetic modification, and metabolism and transcriptional regulation, while the extrinsic factors summarized here include microenvironment cells, extracellular factors, and immune response and inflammation in microenvironment. Quiescent state of CSCs has been known to contribute immensely to therapeutic resistance in multiple cancers. The characteristics and the regulation mechanisms of quiescent CSCs are discussed in detail. Importantly, we also outline the recent advances and controversies in therapeutic strategies targeting CSC quiescence.
Core Tip: Quiescent state is very important for both adult stem cells and cancer stem cells. Quiescence of adult stem cells is regulated by multiple intrinsic mechanisms and extrinsic factors. Quiescence of cancer stem cells contributes immensely to therapeutic resistance in multiple cancers. Targeting the quiescence of cancer stem cells may be a novel strategy in clinical practice.
