Stem cells in hepatocarcinogenesis: evidence from genomic data

Increasing evidence suggests that many, perhaps all solid tumors contain a subset of cells that possess functional properties similar to the normal tissue stem cells, including self-renewal, unlimited proliferative capacity, and pluripotency. The hierarchical cancer model that places a cancer stem cell (CSC) population at the apex of tumor formation is based on this notion. The cancer stem cell hypothesis posits that CSCs are responsible not only for tumor initiation, but also generation of metastasis and local recurrence after therapy. Current definitions of the CSC are based only on functional properties regardless of potential cellular origin. Histopathology investigations of chronic liver diseases and experimental studies support the existence of CSCs in liver cancer. In particular, recent advances in microarray technologies utilizing integrative comparative genomic analysis of human hepatocellular carcinoma specimens, cancer cell lines, and transgenic models establish the molecular similarities between CSC and normal tissue stem cells and highlight the importance of CSC for the prognosis of liver cancer patients. The results have also uncovered the key "stemness" and oncogenic pathways frequently disrupted during hepatocarcinogenesis providing the basis for identifying novel therapeutic targets against CSC.