Interfering with inflammation: a new strategy to block breast cancer self-renewal and progression?
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* Corresponding author: Daniela Taverna daniela.taverna@unito.it
Molecular Biotechnology Center, Dept. Oncological Sciences, University of Turin, Via Nizza, 52, 10126 Torino, Italy
Breast Cancer Research 2010, 12:305 doi:10.1186/bcr2563
Published: 28 April 2010Abstract
Two recent studies show that epigenetics and inflammation play a relevant role in the regulation of transformation and cancer cell self-renewal in breast tumours, opening up the possibility that cancer progression can be controlled by interfering with inflammation cascades. Struhl's group showed that transient activation of the Src oncoprotein induces transformation and self-renewal of immortal cells via an epigenetic switch involving NF-κB, Lin28, Let-7 microRNA and IL-6. Concomitantly, Wicha's laboratory developed a strategy to selectively target cancer stem cells, retarding tumour growth and reducing metastasis by blocking the IL-8 receptor CXCR1 using either an inhibitor, repertaxin or a specific blocking antibody.