Navegando por Palavras-chave "biotechnology"

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    Cancer stem cell genomics: the quest for early markers of malignant progression
    (Expert Reviews, 2009-09-01) Okamoto, Oswaldo Keith [UNIFESP]; Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)
    Biologically distinct populations of neoplastic stem cells have been identified in a variety of human cancers, in which they are associated with the initial steps of tumorigenesis. the intrinsic properties of self-renewal, clonogenicity and multipotency, along with a longer half-life within the body, may render normal adult stem cells more prone to accumulate genetic mutations leading to neoplastic transformation, as predicted by the cancer stem cell hypothesis. Tumor formation is also associated with the pluripotency of embryonic stem cells and may be induced as a consequence of complete dedifferentiation of mature cells, as recently reported for induced pluripotent stem cells. the tumor-initiating cell phenotype may result from genetic alterations affecting the expression of critical genes regulating typical stem cell processes such as self-renewal and pluripotency, in addition to genes determining stem cell senescence or longevity. Detailed genome-wide analysis of cancer stem cells and respective normal counterparts will help elucidate the cellular and molecular nature of tumors, providing fundamental information about the initial steps toward malignant transformation. Devising ways of detecting such genetic and epigenetic alterations and cell populations displaying them would allow medical interventions at the early phases of cancer development, thereby improving the chances of favorable clinical outcomes.
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    Targeting cancer stem cells with monoclonal antibodies: a new perspective in cancer therapy and diagnosis
    (Expert Reviews, 2008-07-01) Okamoto, Oswaldo Keith [UNIFESP]; Perez, Jose Fernando [UNIFESP]; Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)
    This review discusses some of the impacts that biotechnology, genomics and nanotechnology convergence should have on future cancer management, in particular, the development of innovative diagnostic and therapeutic approaches based on monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and cancer stem cells. Emergent therapeutic strategies in cancer have been focusing on the use of mAbs to stimulate an immune response against tumors, to block signaling pathways, or to refine delivery of cytotoxic agents. Now that cancer stem cells are being identified and characterized in different tumor types, their relevance to cancer physiopathology is becoming evident, making them natural targets for mAb development. Cancer stem cells are postulated to be responsible for tumor development, metastasis and relapse after conventional therapies. Therefore, mAbs targeting specific antigens and related pathways altered in cancer stem cells should facilitate earlier diagnosis through molecular imaging techniques and more efficient destruction of tumor initiating cells, thus improving clinical outcome.