TY - JOUR
T1 - Aldh as a stem cell marker in solid tumors
AU - Toledo-Guzmán, Mariel E.
AU - Ibañez Hernández, Miguel
AU - Gómez-Gallegos, Ángel A.
AU - Ortiz-Sánchez, Elizabeth
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Bentham Science Publishers.
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) is an enzyme that participates in important cellular mechanisms as aldehyde detoxification and retinoic acid synthesis; moreover, ALDH activity is involved in drug resistance, a characteristic of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Even though ALDH is found in stem cells, CSCs and progenitor cells, this enzyme has been successfully used to identify and isolate cell populations with CSC properties from several tumor origins. ALDH is allegedly involved in cell differentiation through its product, retinoic acid. However, direct or indirect ALDH inhibition, using specific inhibitors or retinoic acid, has shown a reduction in ALDH activity, along with the loss of stem cell traits, reduction of cell proliferation, invasion, and drug sensitization. For these reasons, ALDH and retinoic acid are promising therapeutic targets. This review summarizes the current evidence for ALDH as a CSCs marker in solid tumors, as well as current knowledge about the functional roles of ALDH in CSCs. We discuss the controversy of ALDH activity to maintain CSC stemness, or conversely, to promote cell differentiation. Finally, we review the advances in using ALDH inhibitors as anti-cancer drugs.
AB - Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) is an enzyme that participates in important cellular mechanisms as aldehyde detoxification and retinoic acid synthesis; moreover, ALDH activity is involved in drug resistance, a characteristic of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Even though ALDH is found in stem cells, CSCs and progenitor cells, this enzyme has been successfully used to identify and isolate cell populations with CSC properties from several tumor origins. ALDH is allegedly involved in cell differentiation through its product, retinoic acid. However, direct or indirect ALDH inhibition, using specific inhibitors or retinoic acid, has shown a reduction in ALDH activity, along with the loss of stem cell traits, reduction of cell proliferation, invasion, and drug sensitization. For these reasons, ALDH and retinoic acid are promising therapeutic targets. This review summarizes the current evidence for ALDH as a CSCs marker in solid tumors, as well as current knowledge about the functional roles of ALDH in CSCs. We discuss the controversy of ALDH activity to maintain CSC stemness, or conversely, to promote cell differentiation. Finally, we review the advances in using ALDH inhibitors as anti-cancer drugs.
KW - Aldehyde dehydrogenase
KW - All-trans-retinoic acid
KW - Cancer stem cell
KW - Isozyme
KW - Retinoic acid
KW - Stemness
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85059126019&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2174/1574888X13666180810120012
DO - 10.2174/1574888X13666180810120012
M3 - Artículo
C2 - 30095061
AN - SCOPUS:85059126019
SN - 1574-888X
VL - 14
SP - 375
EP - 388
JO - Current Stem Cell Research and Therapy
JF - Current Stem Cell Research and Therapy
IS - 5
ER -