Neuro-Oncological Advances in Stem Cell Research: A New Era in Brain Tumor Therapy

Dear Colleagues,

Over the last several years, there have been key advances in cell therapy, especially in the application of stem cells. Different approaches have been developed for the treatment of various diseases, including bone marrow transplants in which, after chemotherapy has destroyed hematopoietic cells, the bone marrow is repopulated with stem cells from the same patient. Other cell therapy approaches involve mesenchymal stem cells and iPSCs (induced pluripotent stem cells derived from somatic cells).

Stem cell therapy can be used to treat degenerative diseases, where the goal is to regenerate normal cells. It can also be used to treat cancer through cellular therapy approaches: here, it is necessary to combat tumor cells (firstly, the most undifferentiated cells, i.e., cancer stem cells, as they are responsible for the initiation and maintenance of the tumor, as well as being the most differentiated cells, and secondly, other tumor cells, which are very different at the molecular level). To achieve this, the first priority is, of course, to understand what cancer stem cells really are. Since the research into this concept began, it has been demonstrated that these cells are mutated versions of normal stem cells, progenitor cells, or even cells differentiated from progenitors; the latter two cases can be identified through cell dedifferentiation programs.  Cancer stem cells are more tumorigenic than the non-stem cells that make up part of the tumor (hundreds or thousands of tumor stem cells are enough to produce a tumor in nude mice xenograft experiments, while millions of non-stem tumor cells are needed to achieve the same objective). Furthermore, cancer stem cells can divide symmetrically, creating two cancer stem cells equal to the previous one, and asymmetrically, giving rise to a cancer stem cell and another more differentiated cell (the tumor progenitor cell that, with only symmetrical division, will give rise to the most differentiated tumor cells). There are specific cancer stem cell markers, such as CD133, CD44, ALDH, and nestin, that help in selecting these cells in vitro, with the aid of magnetic beads that carry antibodies against specific tumor antigens. Success in the true isolation of cancer stem cells depends on the specificity of these tumor antigens.

We invite all scientists working in brain tumors to participate in this Special Issue. We welcome original research articles, reviews, and perspective articles on all aspects related to brain tumor biology and therapy, with an emphasis on brain tumor stem cells as therapeutic targets and/or stem cell therapy as a new way to combat these tumors. We will consider different terminology for cancer stem cells: tumor stem cells, cancer stem-like cells, tumor-initiating cells, neurospheres, spheres, BTSCs (brain tumor stem cells), BTICs (brain tumor-initiating cells), and even side population (SP) cells (a small percentage of cells that can extrude Hoechst 33342 out of the cytoplasm through ABC-ATP-binding cassette transporters).

Mesenchymal stem cells, able to deliver drugs or genes to tumor cells and cancer stem cells, will also be covered in this Special Issue, together with the use of iPSC and NK cells against brain tumor stem cells and other stem cell therapy approaches to combat brain tumors. Models such as patient-derived xenografts, organoids, and organ cultures are welcome. Relevant topics include, but are not limited to, the following: the genetic and epigenetic profiles of brain tumor stem cells, cell and molecular signaling, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, angiogenesis, migration and invasion, resistance to therapy, and molecular and cellular heterogeneity.

Prof. Dr. Javier S. Castresana
Guest Editor

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• brain tumor genetics and epigenetics
• brain tumor stem cells
• stem cell therapy against brain tumors
• mesenchymal stem cells
• iPSC
• resistance to therapy

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