By constructing a gene module map, researchers successfully linked transcriptional programs of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and adult tissue stem cells, discovering that a specific ESC-like gene signature is frequently activated in aggressive human epithelial cancers and serves as a powerful predictor of metastasis and mortality. This embryonic program can be independently reactivated by the c-Myc oncogene, which acts as a molecular switch to silence adult tissue stem signatures and drive cell-autonomous tumor initiation in adult epithelial cells without causing genomic instability. Consequently, experimental induction via c-Myc substantially enriches the cancer stem cell population and increases tumor-forming efficiency by roughly 150-fold. These findings provide critical mechanistic insights into how pathologic self-renewal arises in tumors, offering promising new avenues for targeted cancer diagnosis and therapy.
References:
Wong D J, Liu H, Ridky T W, et al. Module map of stem cell genes guides creation of epithelial cancer stem cells[J]. Cell stem cell, 2008, 2(4): 333-344.
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