Background/aim: Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are considered to contribute to the poor prognosis of ovarian cancer as a major cause of fatal recurrence. Identification of effective measures to eliminate ovarian CSCs through induction of cell death and/or loss of self-renewal capacity would, therefore, be key to successful management of ovarian cancer.
Materials and methods: The effects of resveratrol on the viability and self-renewal capacity of CSCs derived from A2780 human ovarian cancer cells were examined. The involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was also investigated.
Results: At a non-toxic to normal human fibroblasts concentration, resveratrol effectively killed ovarian CSCs independently of ROS, while ROS-dependently impaired the self-renewal capacity of ovarian CSCs that survived resveratrol treatment.
Conclusion: Our findings not only shed light on a novel mechanism of action for resveratrol but also suggest that resveratrol, or its analogs, may be useful for CSC-directed therapy against ovarian cancer.
Keywords: Cancer initiating cells; chemoprevention; ovarian cancer; oxidative stress.
Copyright© 2015 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.