How the interplay among the tumor microenvironment and the gut microbiota influences the stemness of colorectal cancer cells

NOVOA DÍAZ BELEN; CARRIERE PEDRO MATÍAS; GENTILI, CLAUDIA

World Journal of Stem Cells

Baishideng Publishing Group

Lugar: Pleasanton, California; Año: 2023 vol. 15

1948-0210

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains the third most prevalent cancer disease andinvolves a multi-step process in which intestinal cells acquire malignant characteristics. It is well established that the appearance of distal metastasis in CRC patients is the cause of a poor prognosis and treatment failure. Nevertheless, inthe last decades, CRC aggressiveness and progression have been attributed to a specific cell population called CRC stem cells (CCSC) with features like tumor initiation capacity, self-renewal capacity, and acquired multidrug resistance.Emerging data highlight the concept of this cell subtype as a plastic entity that has a dynamic status and can be originated from different types of cells throughgenetic and epigenetic changes. These alterations are modulated by complex anddynamic crosstalk with environmental factors by paracrine signaling. It is knownthat in the tumor niche, different cell types, structures, and biomolecules coexist and interact with cancer cells favoring cancer growth and development. Together,these components constitute the tumor microenvironment (TME). Most recently,researchers have also deepened the influence of the complex variety of microorganisms that inhabit the intestinal mucosa, collectively known as gut microbiota,on CRC. Both TME and microorganisms participate in inflammatory processesthat can drive the initiation and evolution of CRC. Since in the last decade, crucial advances have been made concerning to the synergistic interaction among the TME and gut microorganisms that condition the identity of CCSC, the dataexposed in this review could provide valuable insights into the biology of CRCand the development of new targeted therapies.