Single Cell Biology

Abstract

Back on Track: New Perspectives on Cancer Cell Reprogramming

Carpentieri Arianna, Diedenhofen Giacomo and Gambacurta Alessandra

The possibility to obtain induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) starting from cancer cells has revealed itself to be a major step forward in the understanding of the mechanisms able to regulate stemness, differentiation and neoplastic transformation. Our work proposes a new differentiation method using rapamycin and an amorphous bone matrix to promote the commitment of neuroblastoma cells towards the osteogenic lineage, switching to a different germ layer, without an intermediate iPSCs step. We followed the process from a morphological point of view with immunofluorescence analysis, cytochemistry and electron microscopy and from a metabolic point of view with enzyme activity tests and protein expression analysis. We believe that the morphological and metabolic changes observed are the foundations for a new type of cancer cell reprogramming.