Inflammation as the Primary Aetiological Agent of Human Prostate Cancer: A Stem Cell Connection? a stem cell connection?

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Abstract

Inflammation has been implicated for some time as a potential aetiological agent in human prostate cancer. Viral and bacterial infections or even chemical carcinogens such as those found in cooked meat have been proposed as the inflammatory stimuli, but the mechanism of cancer induction is unknown. Recent information about gene expression patterns in normal and malignant epithelial stem cells from human prostate provides a new hypothesis for inflammation-induced carcinogenesis. The hypothesis states that in the stem cells located in the basal cell compartment of the prostate, activated prostate epithelial stem cells acquire a survival advantage, by expressing one of more of the same cytokines such as IL6. The establishment of one or more autocrine signalling loops results in an expansion of these cells in the absence of inflammation, as a potential first stage in the development of the tumour.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)931-939
Number of pages9
JournalJOURNAL OF CELLULAR BIOCHEMISTRY
Volume105
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 11 Jan 2008

Keywords

  • PROSTATE CARCINOMA
  • CANCER STEM CELLS
  • INFLAMMATION
  • MARROW-DERIVED CELLS
  • ANDROGEN RECEPTOR
  • GENE-EXPRESSION
  • PROSPECTIVE IDENTIFICATION
  • TUMOR PROGRESSION
  • EPITHELIAL-CELLS
  • GASTRIC-CANCER
  • BREAST-CANCER
  • HUMAN BRAIN
  • BK VIRUS

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