Monoclonal antibodies as therapeutic targets in cancer stem cells

Abstract

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) composes a different subpopulation of tumor cells that exhibit self-renewal and tumor beginning capacity and the ability to give rise to the heterogeneous lineages of cancer cells that encompass the tumor. Since current cancer therapies fail to eliminate CSCs, ultimately leading to cancer recurrence and progression, selective targeting of CSCs with mAbs and antibody constructs reviewed here in may represent a novel and promising therapeutic strategy to eradicate cancer. CSCs have been recognized from many human tumors and share many of the characteristics of normal stem cells. Targeting CSCs could be a strategy to improve the effect of cancer therapy but this is not as simple as it seems. Targets such as CD133 could confine CSCs from normal cells enabling specific interference but indirect strategies such as interfering with the establishment of a supportive niche through anti-antigenic or anti-stoma therapy could be more effective. This review will outline the recent discoveries of mAB targeting for CSCs.