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Updated: Feb 1, 2026

Isolation of Cancer Stem Cells From Human Prostate Cancer Samples
Published on: March 14, 2014
KLF4, A Gene Regulating Prostate Stem Cell Homeostasis, Is a Barrier to Malignant Progression and Predictor of Good
Xiaozhong Xiong1, Markus Schober2, Evelyne Tassone1
1Department of Cell Biology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
Abstract:
There is a considerable need to identify those individuals with prostate cancer who have indolent disease. We propose that genes that control adult stem cell homeostasis in organs with slow turnover, such as the prostate, control cancer fate. One such gene, KLF4, overexpressed in murine prostate stem cells, regulates their homeostasis, blocks malignant transformation, and controls the self-renewal of tumor-initiating cells. KLF4 loss induces the molecular features of aggressive cancer and converts PIN lesions to invasive sarcomatoid carcinomas; its re-expression in vivo reverses this process. Bioinformatic analysis links these changes to human cancer. KLF4 and its downstream targets make up a gene signature that identifies indolent tumors and predicts recurrence-free survival. This approach may improve prognosis and identify therapeutic targets for advanced cancer.
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