Identification of Liver-Cancer Initiating Cells and a Method to Inhibit Their Tumorigenic Potential

Background: It is known that tumor cells are heterogeneous and it is thought that there exists a small subset of cancer cells, termed cancer stem/initiating cells (CSC), that can give rise to all cell types found in a particular cancer sample. With their ability to proliferate and self-renew, these cells are responsible for initiating and maintaining the disease. Stated simply, CSCs are tumorigenic, in contrast to other non-tumorigenic cancer cells. The existence of CSCs have important implications for future cancer treatment and therapies, including disease identification, drug targeting, metastasis prevention, and the development of novel intervention strategies.

Technology Description: Researchers from UC San Diego have developed a method to identify and isolate cancer-initiating cells (C-IC) from the livers of mice treated with a carcinogen known to induce liver cancer. The livers are pre-malignant, and while the isolated cells are not cancer cells, they will eventually give rise to malignant tumors. Additionally, the researchers have identified cell adhesion molecules that are significantly up-regulated in the C-ICs. By targeting the C-ICs in the early stages of cancer development, it may be possible to arrest cancer before it appears. It is also anticipated that the precursor C-ICs will respond better to current therapies as compared to cancer stem-cells of malignant tumors.

The technology’s morphology-based functional approach differs from existing methods that are based on the expression of cell surface markers. Limitations of the cell-surface marker approach include that no single marker is common to all cancer stem-cells. The new technology’s functional approach overcomes this obstacle, permitting an improved means of targeting cancer stem-cells.

State of Development: Mouse studies have been done and a transplant system has been developed to monitor the progression of liver-cancer initiating cells into overt cancer. A patent application has been filed on this technology.

Case Number: SD2010-115

Inquiries To: invent@ucsd.edu