Impact of Proteolysis on Cancer Stem Cell Functions

Cancer cells within a tumor are heterogeneous and exist in a variety of functionally distinct cell states, which are thought to be hierarchically organized. The cell on top of this hierarchy, the cancer stem cell (CSC) or, alternatively, tumor initiating cell (TIC), is responsible for initiation, maintenance, progression, and relapse of tumors. For the execution of these functions, CSC are equipped with distinct molecular tools. Although proteolytic enzymes in cancers have been extensively studied in general, relatively few studies have addressed proteases in function and fate of CSC/TICs. Here we review protease involvement in cell biological hallmarks of CSC/TICs such as cellular self-renewal, extracellular matrix remodeling and cell motility, resistance to radio- and chemotherapies, as well as evasion of the immune system. In general, CSC/TICs are characterized by a comparatively high expression and activity of proteases. It appears that CSC/TICs install a high degree of pericellular proteolysis depending on metalloproteases such as ADAMs and MMPs but also on secreted serine- and cysteine proteases. Interestingly, it turned out that not all proteases promote the malignant behavior of CSC/TICs. In fact, some proteases, such as ADAM 23, cathepsin K, and granzyme B, have been shown to negatively regulate CSC/TIC functions, thereby exhibiting anti-tumor effects. Finally, we discuss how the enhanced proteolytic signature of CSC/TICs can be used for their therapeutic targeting in order to render this clinically decisive subpopulation of cancer cells harmless.