Cancer stem/initiating cells (CSCs/CICs), which show resistance against anti-cancer drugs and irradiation and are responsible for tumor growth, have been implicated in hematological and solid cancers. Identification of these cells and their niche is critical for elucidating molecular targets to inhibit their growth and to destroy their niche. For this purpose, sorting of living CSCs/CICs is required to monitor their presence in the presumptive niche in order to establish whether a CSC candidate actually shows malignant features. We will visualize CSCs by using specific molecules expressed on CSCs and will obtain a method to destroy CSC niche. It
It has been indicated that proliferation of CSCs is induced around blood vessels and has been expected the effect of anti-angiogenic drugs for destroying vascular niche for CSCs. However, present strategy using such drugs has difficulties in destroying it because blood vessels are already maturated in vascular niche. Our studies will be able to visualize CSCs exactly and develop a new strategy to destroy vascular niche based on the molecular analysis of vascular niche formation, resulted in obtaining a treatment which is sure to effect a cure.
