Vitamin C (VC) is an essential nutrient that is vital for maintaining cellular physiology. Interestingly, it functions as either an antioxidant or a pro-oxidant, depending on the concentration used. At high-doses, VC selectively targets various cancer cell types through its pro-oxidant action, while at low-doses, VC enhances anti-tumor immunity by acting as an antioxidant. This versatility makes VC a promising anti-tumor agent for both standalone and combination therapies. Tumors consist of diverse cancer cell subtypes with distinct phenotypic and functional characteristics. In particular, cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are self-renewing multi-potent cells, are responsible for tumor recurrence, metastasis, chemoresistance, and heightened mortality. CSCs are often associated with the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), which confers increased motility and invasive capabilities that are characteristic of malignant and drug-resistant cells. Thus, eradicating CSC populations is crucial and has led to extensive efforts aimed at identifying medicines that can target them. Recent studies suggest that VC can selectively target CSCs via epigenetic and metabolic pathways in various cancers. Here, we highlight recent progress that has been made in understanding how VC effectively targets CSC evolution, providing a rationale for the use of VC either alone or in combination with other treatments to improve outcomes.
维生素C是维持细胞生理功能的关键必需营养素。有趣的是，其作用具有双重性：高浓度时通过促氧化作用选择性靶向多种癌细胞，低浓度时则通过抗氧化作用增强抗肿瘤免疫。这种多功能特性使其成为极具潜力的抗肿瘤剂，既可单独使用也可联合治疗。肿瘤由具有不同表型和功能特征的癌细胞亚群构成，其中具有自我更新能力和多向分化潜能的癌症干细胞是导致肿瘤复发、转移、化疗耐药及死亡率升高的重要因素。这类细胞常伴随上皮-间质转化过程，从而获得恶性耐药细胞特有的运动侵袭能力。因此根除癌症干细胞群体至关重要，这也推动了针对该靶点的药物研发热潮。最新研究表明，维生素C可通过表观遗传和代谢途径选择性靶向多种癌症中的干细胞。本文重点综述了维生素C靶向癌症干细胞演化机制的研究进展，为单独或联合使用维生素C改善治疗效果提供了理论依据。
Role of Vitamin C in Targeting Cancer Stem Cells and Cellular Plasticity
肿瘤(癌症)患者之家