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Review
. 2022 Sep 12:9:995882.
doi: 10.3389/fmed.2022.995882. eCollection 2022.

Mechanisms on chemotherapy resistance of colorectal cancer stem cells and research progress of reverse transformation: A mini-review

Lei Chen  1 , Funing Yang  2 , Si Chen  1 , Jiandong Tai  1
Affiliations
Review

Mechanisms on chemotherapy resistance of colorectal cancer stem cells and research progress of reverse transformation: A mini-review

Lei Chen et al. Front Med (Lausanne). .

Abstract

Tumor recurrence and chemotherapy resistance are mainly responsible for poor prognosis in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Cancer stem cell (CSC) has been identified in many solid tumors, including CRC. Additionally, CSC cannot be completely killed during chemotherapy and develops resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs, which is the main reason for tumor recurrence. This study reviews the main mechanisms of CSC chemotherapy resistance in CRC, including activation of DNA damage checkpoints, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), inhibition of the overexpression of antiapoptotic regulatory factors, overexpression of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, maintenance of reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and the dormant state of CSC. Advances in research to reverse chemotherapy resistance are also discussed. Our study can provide the promising potential for eliminating CSC and preventing tumor progression for CRC treatment.

Keywords: cancer stem cell; chemotherapy resistance; colorectal cancer; reverse; stem cells.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Mechanisms on chemotherapy resistance of CRCSCs. CRCSCs, colorectal cancer stem cells; EMT, epithelial-mesenchymal transition; ABC, ATP-binding cassette; ROS, reactive oxygen species; CSC, cancer stem cell.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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