A major challenge in cancer treatment is related to chemoresistance and recurrence after chemotherapy.
In most cases, this resistance is associated with the presence of populations of aggressive cancer cells within tumors, which have developed chemoresistance mechanisms that are responsible for unsuccessful treatments and lead to lower survival rates for treated cancer patients.
CSC-mediated chemoresistance relies on several cellular mechanisms that include low proliferation rates and the ability to inactivate chemotherapeutic compounds intracellularly and enzymatically.
Chemotherapy destroys most highly proliferating cancer cells. Cancer stem cells are less affected by chemotherapy and can restart cancer and promote cancer progression.
MSCs have several mechanisms that counteract the effects of chemotherapy compounds such as the ATP family of transporters, higher expression of the pro-survival factor BCL2 (B-cell lymphoma 2), and higher expression of aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDHs).
