Characterization of the mechanism of cancer stem cells accumulation in head and neck squamous carcinoma after chemotherapy

• Grant number: 18/17478-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2018
• End date: September 30, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry
• Principal Investigator: Luciana Oliveira de Almeida
• Grantee: Thaís Moré Milan
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Ribeirão Preto (FORP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 17/11780-8 - Study of epigenetic modifications related to cancer stem cells accumulation in head and neck cancer: implications in chemoresistance, AP.JP

Abstract

Head and neck squamous carcinoma are solid tumors with heterogeneous properties. Inside a tumor only a few cells have the capability to self-renewal and unlimited growth. In the tumor, is well established that cancer stem cells are responsible for tumor growth and differentiated cells only contribute to the tumor bulk. There are two hypotheses to explain the origin of the cancer stem cells: (1) by the malignant transformation of normal stem cells or progenitor cells into cancer stem cells. This process occurs by the accumulation of several mutations that promote genomic instability, which contribute to the cellular transformation; (2) differentiated tumor cells progressively accumulate stem cells characteristics through ontogeny reversion process or dedifferentiation, which induce cellular plasticity driven by epigenetic modifications and oncogenic activation. Despite this, the mechanism of cancer stem cells accumulation after chemotherapy still undetermined. The aim of this project is identify and characterize the mechanism of cancer stem cells accumulation after conventional chemotherapy using Cisplatin and identifies the cellular pathways involved in this process. Characterizing the mechanism of cancer stem cells accumulation after treatment may contribute to the elaboration of new therapeutic strategies to efficiently eradicate head and neck squamous carcinoma.