New Study Uncovers Key Mechanism Behind Stem Cell Function, Impacting IBD and Colorectal Cancer

Toronto (Canada), December 3: A groundbreaking study by The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the Institut Curie has revealed new insights into how stem cells sense and adapt to their surroundings, shedding light on potential treatments for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer. The research, led by Dr. Meryem Baghdadi, Dr. Tae-Hee Kim at SickKids, and Dr. Danijela Vignjevic at Institut Curie, has shown that stem cells rely on two ion channels, PIEZO1 and PIEZO2, to survive and function properly.

Stem cells are constantly adjusting to their environment, which includes responding to chemical signals and physical forces. If this process is disrupted, it can lead to serious health conditions such as IBD and colorectal cancer, where stem cells continue to divide uncontrollably, forming tumors. However, the precise mechanisms behind how stem cells sense these physical forces have remained unclear until now.

Dr. Kim, Senior Scientist in the Developmental and Stem Cell Biology program at SickKids, explained the importance of this discovery. “The physical properties of the environment around stem cells are crucial to our health. With this knowledge, we can explore ways to promote gastrointestinal regeneration to not only prevent but repair damaged stem cells,” he said.

This study builds upon previous work by Dr. Xi Huang, who in 2018 discovered that PIEZO channels influence tumor stiffening in brain cancer. Inspired by this, Dr. Kim’s team explored how PIEZO channels help stem cells in the intestines maintain their functions. Using a preclinical model, the researchers turned off PIEZO1 and PIEZO2 channels in the intestines. The result was striking: without these channels, the stem cells failed to perform their necessary functions, leading to severe illness and rapid death.

The research team found that PIEZO ion channels were essential in helping stem cells sense the physical properties of their environment, such as its stiffness or stretchiness. Without these channels, critical signaling pathways became unbalanced, causing stem cells to miss vital environmental changes and improperly differentiate.

Dr. Baghdadi emphasized the significance of the finding: “When PIEZO channels are missing, stem cells can’t stay stem cells. Instead, they turn into other cell types too quickly, leading to serious health problems.”

The findings have important implications for human health, particularly in understanding conditions involving abnormal stem cell activity such as IBD and bowel cancer. IBD is one of the fastest-growing conditions in Canada, while bowel cancer remains the third most common cancer in the country.

Dr. Kim highlighted the broader implications of the discovery: “More and more, we are finding that our cells are more than just biology. There are chemical and mechanical signals driving cell activity. How and why our body responds to these signals will open up new doors of research not just for gut health but for every aspect of human health.”

This discovery paves the way for future research aimed at better understanding stem cell behavior, and how it may be harnessed to improve treatments for gastrointestinal diseases and cancers.