The use of chemotherapy to treat cancer is effective, but chemoresistance reduces this efficacy. Chemotherapy resistance involves several mechanisms, including the cancer stem cell (CSC) concept. The aim of the present study was to assess whether paclitaxel-resistant epithelial ovarian carcinoma is capable of generating cells with CSC-like properties. Using the paclitaxel-resistant A2780/PTX cell line, it was demonstrated that high aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) activity identifies CSCs from diverse sources. Furthermore, the A2780/PTX cells had a strong ability to form colonies in soft agar assays. Notably, it was demonstrated that the inhibition of the PI3K signaling pathway abolished colony formation. These data suggest that there is a link between paclitaxel resistance and CSC enrichment. It is possible that therapeutic benefits, such as the restoration of chemosensitivity or the suppression of tumorigenicity, may be enabled by gaining further insights into the mechanisms underlying chemoresistance and the generation of CSCs.
Keywords: aldehyde dehydrogenase 1; cancer stem cells; chemoresistance; ovarian cancer; paclitaxel.