Fetal human neural progenitors can be the target for tumor transformation.
The hypothesis that stem cells may seed cancer has emerged from the cancer stem cells concept. However, the experimental systems necessary to provide more direct evidence to support the hypothesis have been lacking. We have used fetal neural progenitor cells (hNPC) transduced with the telomerase hTERT gene to investigate the neoplastic potential of hNPCs. The hTERT-transduced line, hNPCs-G3 lost normal diploid karyotype, showed loss of contact inhibition, anchorage independence, and formed neuroblastoma-like tumours in all of 10 mice. These data suggest that hNPCs have the potential for neoplastic transformation. These data have implications for providing a novel tool to test the feasibility of new anticancer treatment strategies and raise the possibility of a risk for the use of hNPCs in cell transplantation.
Stem Cell Research Center, Peking University Health Science Center, Peking University, Beijing, 100083 PR China.
Yajun
Y
Wang
Yun
Y
Bai
Xiaoxia
X
Li
Qikuan
Q
Hu
Changsheng
C
Lin
Zhifeng
Z
Xiao
Yinan
Y
Liu
Jinchong
J
Xu
Li
L
Shen
Linsong
L
Li
D000818:Animals; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002452:Cell Count / Q000379:methods; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D005333:Fetus / Q000166:cytology*; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000502:physiology*; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D007621:Karyotyping / Q000379:methods; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude / Q000378:metabolism; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D064231:Nestin; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D063150:Polycomb Repressive Complex 1; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D016615:Telomere / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014161:Transduction, Genetic / Q000379:methods; D014404:Tubulin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
C069077:BMI1 protein, human; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C469949:GNL3 protein, human; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; C577484:NES protein, human; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C577485:Nes protein, mouse; D064231:Nestin; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014404:Tubulin; D004247:DNA; D063150:Polycomb Repressive Complex 1; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins