01759: Disrupting the Differentiation of Cancer Stem Cells to Prevent the Spread of Hemangiosarcoma
Grant Status: Closed
Project Summary
We completed progress to achieve the aims. Our results confirm and extend the notions that interactions between the tumor and its local environment regulate hemangiosarcoma progression. Yet, variability in cells within tumors can reduce the predictability of hemangiosarcoma behavior, and possibly contribute to therapy resistance. For example, hemangiosarcomas respond to the degradation of their supporting matrix by recruiting inflammatory cells and blood vessels. But the magnitude of this effect is variable among different hemangiosarcomas, which requires us to consider that these tumors might adapt efficiently to very different microenvironments. The hemangiosarcoma microenvironment also tends to be rich in a molecule called CXCL12, which is used as a means of communication between the tumor cells and the normal supporting cells. Only some of the tumor cells have the receptors that transmit the signals from CXCL12. These cells help to support the tumor, and also can be efficient mediators of metastasis. But in their absence, other mechanisms might perform these functions. Attenuating inflammation and modulating the metabolic activity of the cells shows modest effects on hemangiosarcoma cell growth, but neither approach is completely effective to eliminate the tumor. This suggests that blocking specific pathways might have positive therapeutic effects in selected patients, but managing this disease will require combining strategies that lower the capacity of cells to simply switch their behavior to use alternate pathways to survive and thrive.
Publication(s)
Help Future Generations of Dogs
Participate in canine health research by providing samples or by enrolling in a clinical trial. Samples are needed from healthy dogs and dogs affected by specific diseases.
