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Phenotypic Plasticity and Cancer: A System Biology Perspective
Ayalur Raghu Subbalakshmi1, Sravani Ramisetty1, Atish Mohanty1
1Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutics Research, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA.
Journal of Clinical Medicine
|August 10, 2024
Summary
Cancer cells exhibit hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal (E/M) phenotypes, crucial for metastasis and drug resistance. A systems biology approach is key to understanding and targeting this plasticity for novel cancer therapeutics.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Cell Biology
- Systems Biology
Background:
- Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) drives phenotypic plasticity in development, wound healing, and diseases like cancer metastasis and fibrosis.
- Cancer stem cell (CSC) transitions also contribute to plasticity with metastatic implications.
- Phenotypic states are not binary; cancer cells adopt hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal (E/M) phenotypes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the role of hybrid E/M phenotypes in cancer progression and therapeutic resistance.
- To advocate for a systems biology perspective in understanding cancer cell plasticity.
- To highlight the potential of interdisciplinary 'Team Medicine' in identifying novel cancer therapeutics.
Main Methods:
- Review and discussion of existing literature on EMT and cancer stem cells.
- Conceptual framework integrating systems biology and team medicine approaches.
- Analysis of the implications of hybrid E/M phenotypes in cancer.
Main Results:
- Hybrid E/M phenotypes are integral to tumor initiation, metastasis, and disease progression.
- These hybrid phenotypes significantly contribute to therapeutic resistance in various cancers.
- Phenotypic plasticity, including hybrid states, presents a complex challenge in cancer treatment.
Conclusions:
- A systems biology approach, incorporating interdisciplinary expertise, is essential for advancing our understanding of cancer cell plasticity.
- Targeting phenotypic plasticity, particularly hybrid E/M states, offers promising avenues for novel therapeutic strategies.
- Team Medicine is crucial for developing comprehensive strategies to combat cancer metastasis and resistance.
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