Differentiation profile of brain tumor stem cells: a comparative study with neural stem cells.
Understanding of the differentiation profile of brain tumor stem cells (BTSCs), the key ones among tumor cell population, through comparison with neural stem cells (NSCs) would lend insight into the origin of glioma and ultimately yield new approaches to fight this intractable disease. Here, we cultured and purified BTSCs from surgical glioma specimens and NSCs from human fetal brain tissue, and further analyzed their cellular biological behaviors, especially their differentiation property. As expected, NSCs differentiated into mature neural phenotypes. In the same differentiation condition, however, BTSCs exhibited distinguished differences. Morphologically, cells grew flattened and attached for the first week, but gradually aggregated and reformed floating tumor sphere thereafter. During the corresponding period, the expression rate of undifferentiated cell marker CD133 and nestin in BTSCs kept decreasing, but 1 week later, they regained ascending tendency. Interestingly, the differentiated cell markers GFAP and beta-tubulinIII showed an expression change inverse to that of undifferentiated cell markers. Taken together, BTSCs were revealed to possess a capacity to resist differentiation, which actually represents the malignant behaviors of glioma.
Zhang
Quan Bin
QB
Neurosurgical Department and Brain Tumor Research Laboratory, Second Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University, Suzhou 215004, China.
Ji
Xiao Yan
XY
Huang
Qiang
Q
Dong
Jun
J
Zhu
Yu De
YD
Lan
Qing
Q
D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D053686:Fetal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005910:Glioma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D015703:Antigens, CD; D006023:Glycoproteins; C000606023:PROM1 protein, human; D010455:Peptides