Antagonizing RARγ Drives Necroptosis of Cancer Stem Cells

There is a need for agents that eliminate cancer stem cells, which sustain cancer and are also largely responsible for disease relapse and metastasis. Conventional chemotherapeutics and radiotherapy are often highly effective against the bulk of cancer cells, which are proliferating, but spare cancer stem cells. Therapeutics that target cancer stem cells may also provide a bona fide cure for cancer. There are two rationales for targeting the retinoic acid receptor (RAR)gamma. First, RAR gamma is expressed selectively within primitive cells. Second, RAR gamma is a putative oncogene for a number of human cancers, including cases of acute myeloid leukemia, cholangiocarcinoma, and colorectal, renal and hepatocellular carcinomas. Prostate cancer cells depend on active RAR gamma for their survival. Antagonizing all RARs caused necroptosis of prostate and breast cancer stem cell-like cells, and the cancer stem cells that gave rise to neurospheres from pediatric patients' primitive neuroectodermal tumors and an astrocytoma. As tested for prostate cancer, antagonizing RAR gamma was sufficient to drive necroptosis. Achieving cancer-selectively is a longstanding paradigm for developing new treatments. The normal prostate epithelium was less sensitive to the RAR gamma antagonist and pan-RAR antagonist than prostate cancer cells, and fibroblasts and blood mononuclear cells were insensitive. The RAR gamma antagonist and pan-RAR antagonist are promising new cancer therapeutics.

Automated summary

There is a need for agents to target cancer stem cells in order to effectively treat cancer and prevent relapse and metastasis, as conventional therapies often spare these cells. Targeting retinoic acid receptor (RAR)gamma is a promising approach, as it is selectively expressed in primitive cells and has been implicated in various human cancers. Antagonizing RAR gamma shows potential in inducing necroptosis in cancer stem cells.