Abstract 3345: Targeting the YAP1COX2SOX2 signaling axis eliminates cancer stem cells in urothelial carcinoma

Urothelial cancer stem cells (CSCs) contribute to tumor maintenance and resistance to therapy and accumulated evidence suggest that chronic carcinogen exposure induce stemness. Therapeutic targeting of CSCs could improve treatment response and prolong patient survival. Here we used our recently published in vitro chronic arsenic (As) exposed models to characterize the property of urothelial CSCs due to arsenic exposure. We hypothesized that urothelial stem cells have a survival selection advantage during carcinogen exposure such as As, and it facilitates their malignant transformation and in acquiring selective phenotypes similar to CSC.