Interferon-Alpha Decreases Cancer Stem Cell Properties and Modulates Exosomes in Malignant Melanoma.

Malignant melanoma (MM) can spread to other organs and is resistant in part due to the presence of cancer stem cell subpopulations (CSCs). While a controversial high dose of interferon-alpha (IFN-α) has been used to treat non-metastatic high-risk melanoma, it comes with undesirable side effects. In this study, we evaluated the effect of low and high doses of IFN-α on CSCs by analyzing ALDH activity, side population and specific surface markers in established and patient-derived primary cell lines.

Anti-Cancerous Potential of Polysaccharides Derived from Wheat Cell Culture.

There is a global need to discover effective anti-cancerous compounds from natural sources. Cultivated wheat cells can be a valuable source of non-toxic or low toxic plant-derived polysaccharides. In this study, we evaluated the anti-cancer ability of seven fractions of wheat cell culture polysaccharides (WCCPSs) in the HCT-116 colon cancer cell line.

The p38 MAPK Components and Modulators as Biomarkers and Molecular Targets in Cancer.

The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family is an important bridge in the transduction of extracellular and intracellular signals in different responses at the cellular level. Within this MAPK family, the p38 kinases can be found altered in various diseases, including cancer, where these kinases play a fundamental role, sometimes with antagonistic mechanisms of action, depending on several factors. In fact, this family has an immense number of functionalities, many of them yet to be discovered in terms of regulation and action in different types of cancer, being directly involved in the response to cancer therapies.

Anti-CD44-Conjugated Olive Oil Liquid Nanocapsules for Targeting Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cells.

The latest trends in cancer research and nanomedicine focus on using nanocarriers to target cancer stem cells (CSCs). Specifically, lipid liquid nanocapsules are usually developed as nanocarriers for lipophilic drug delivery. Here, we developed olive oil liquid NCs (OLNCs) functionalized by covalent coupling of an anti-CD44-fluorescein isothiocyanate antibody (αCD44).

Melanoma cancer stem-like cells: Optimization method for culture, enrichment and maintenance.

Malignant Melanoma is known for being one of the most aggressive cancers with an incidence that increases every year. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are involved in the resistance to therapeutic treatments, the metastatic process, and the patient's relapses. Thus, it is of vital importance for researchers to find the methodology that allows us to obtain enriched subpopulations that maintain their stem-like properties without differentiating over time.

Phenformin as an Anticancer Agent: Challenges and Prospects.

Currently, there is increasing evidence linking diabetes mellitus (especially type 2 diabetes mellitus) with carcinogenesis through various biological processes, such as fat-induced chronic inflammation, hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and angiogenesis. Chemotherapeutic agents are used in the treatment of cancer, but in most cases, patients develop resistance. Phenformin, an oral biguanide drug used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus, was removed from the market due to a high risk of fatal lactic acidosis.