Title:Molecular Switch of AhR in Repression or Activation of Stem Cell Signaling
Volume: 12
Issue: 1
Author(s): Yingqiu Xie*, Xiuqing Zhang, Tomiris Atazhanova, Bindong Song and Qing Yang
Affiliation:
- Department of Biology, School of Science and Technology, Nazarbayev University, Astana 010000,Kazakhstan
Keywords:
AhR, cancer, stem cell, OCT4, TCDD, molecular switch.
Abstract: Background: Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is an exogenous ligand-activating or
constitutively active transcription factor. AhR regulates cellular differentiation, cell migration and
other molecular and cellular processes. In general, AhR is biologically a very complex molecule in
terms of its structure and functions in stemness, differentiation and clinical diseases. Here we review
the debated issue of AhR in stem cell and cancer stem cell signaling.
Methods: We searched literatures in PubMed and Google Scholar for related articles to review the
AhR function and signal transduction in stem cells and cancer stem cells. Experimental data and
results were analyzed.
Results: It has been shown that AhR is an oncogenic protein but recent studies suggest that AhR can
also inhibit cancer signaling through cancer stem cell pathways which are mostly common in OCT4.
AhR either activates or inhibits tumorigenesis possibly through regulation of stemness or differentiation.
Furthermore, how AhR can switch this function is largely unknown.
Conclusion: AhR may inhibit or promote stem cell/cancer stem cell signaling through molecular
switches of ageing, tissue specific signaling, ligand, and systems interaction networks. Targeting
these signaling would provide a new avenue for efficient therapy in precision medicine.