Cristian Scatena
Assistant Professor of Pathology at the Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies of the University of Pisa (Italy)
Title: Targeting Breast Cancer Stem Cells with FDA approved antibiotics
Biography
Biography: Cristian Scatena
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been implicated in disease recurrence, metastatic spread and poor patient survival in multiple tumor types, breast cancer included. Under anchorage-independent growth conditions, CSCs spontaneously form 3D-spheroid structures, known as tumorspheres. Key mitochondrial-related enzymes involved in beta-oxidation and ketone metabolism are selectively over-expressed in tumorspheres as well as proteins involved in mitochondrial biogenesis. Inhibition of mitochondrial function effectively reduces tumorspheres formation, representing a new potential approach for eradication of CSCs in breast cancer patients. Because mitochondria evolved from bacteria, many classes of FDA-approved antibiotics actually target mitochondria, as a mild side-effect. In vitro and in vivo evidence supports a potential inhibitory effect on cancer growth of doxycycline, a derivate of the antibiotic tetracycline.