BCSCdb

BCSCdb aggregates and annotates biomarkers associated with cancer stem cells (CSCs) to support identification, comparison, and prioritization of CSC biomarkers for research into CSC biology and therapeutic targeting.

Key Features:

• Extensive Biomarker Repository: Contains 8307 high-throughput markers (HTMs), 283 HTMs validated by low-throughput methods, 525 low-throughput markers (LTMs), and 171 clinical biomarkers from primary tissue samples.
• Confidence and Global Scoring: Assigns a confidence score to each biomarker based on the experimental detection method and a global score identifying biomarkers found across ten different cancer types.
• Therapeutic Target Genes: Includes 445 genes identified as therapeutic targets within CSCs.
• Clinical Trial Information: Lists ten biomarkers that are targeted by drugs in clinical trials.
• Interaction Data: Provides interaction data covering five types of interactions among CSC biomarkers.
• Structured Information Tables: Organizes data into three tables: experimentally validated CSC biomarkers or genes, therapeutic target genes, and interactions among CSC biomarkers.

Scientific Applications:

• Cancer Research: Supports comparative and cross-cancer studies of CSC biomarkers by consolidating experimental evidence.
• Drug Development: Facilitates identification and prioritization of therapeutic targets among the 445 annotated target genes.
• Clinical Trials: Links biomarkers to ongoing therapeutic development by reporting ten biomarkers targeted in clinical trials.

Methodology:

Information is compiled from PubMed literature; each biomarker is assigned a confidence score based on the experimental detection method (high-throughput vs low-throughput) and a global score reflecting identification across ten cancer types.