Isolation and characterization of cancer stem cell-like sphere-forming cell subpopulation from the human nasopharyngeal cell line CNE-2
10.3969/j.issn.1000-8179.2013.13.002
- VernacularTitle:鼻咽癌肿瘤干细胞样细胞亚群的分离及初步鉴定*
- Author:
Tianxing JI
;
Xin ZHANG
;
Xiangyong LI
;
Caihong LI
;
Ying HUANG
;
Keyuan ZHOU
;
Tao LI
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
nasopharyngeal carcinoma;
cancer stem cells;
sphere-forming cells;
isolation;
characterization
- From:
Chinese Journal of Clinical Oncology
2013;(13):754-757
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective: The present study aimed to isolate and characterize a cancer stem cell-like sphere-forming cell subpopula-tion. Methods: By using a spheroid culture stem cell-conditioned medium, we isolated a subgroup of cancer stem-like cells from naso-pharyngeal cancer cell lines. Chemotherapy resistance was analyzed by using methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium, and clone-forming capabili-ty was determined by using softer agar clone formation assay. Finally, we verified the expression of the stemness-specific gene andβ-catenin by using immunocytochemistry staining and RT-PCR. Results: The lower-differentiated nasopharyngeal cancer lines con-tained more sphere-forming cells, whereas sphere-forming cells were not observed in the high differentiated nasopharyngeal cancer line CNE-1. Compared with CNE-2, CNE-2S (sphere-forming cells derived from CNE-2) exhibited higher chemotherapy resistance and clone-forming ability. Interestingly, the stemness genes BMI-1, ABCG2, and ALDH1 exhibited higher expression in CNE-2S than in CNE-2. β-catenin, a vital transcription factor of the WNT pathway related to stem cells, exhibited higher expression in CNE-2s cellular nucleus and plasma than in CNE-2. Conclusion: We isolated a subgroup of stem-like nasopharyngeal cancer sphere-forming cells. This discovery paves the way for the development of therapeutic strategies aimed at eradicating tumorigenic subpopulations in nasopharyn-geal cancer.
