title: Stem cell marker prominin-1/AC133 is expressed in duct cells of the adult human pancreas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Many efforts are spent in identifying stem cells in adult pancreas because these could provide a source of beta cells for cell-based therapy of type 1 diabetes. Prominin-1, particularly its specific glycosylation-dependent AC133 epitope, is expressed on stem/progenitor cells of various human tissues and can be used to isolate them. We, therefore, examined its expression in adult human pancreas.
  
  
  METHODS
  To detect prominin-1 protein, monoclonal antibody CD133/1 (AC133 clone), which recognizes the AC133 epitope, and the alphahE2 antiserum, which is directed against the human prominin-1 polypeptide, were used. Prominin-1 RNA expression was analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We report that all duct-lining cells of the pancreas express prominin-1. Most notably, the cells that react with the alphahE2 antiserum also react with the AC133 antibody. After isolation and culture of human exocrine cells, we found a relative increase in prominin-1 expression both at protein and RNA expression level, which can be explained by an enrichment of cells with ductal phenotype in these cultures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data show that pancreatic duct cells express prominin-1 and surprisingly reveal that its particular AC133 epitope is not an exclusive stem and progenitor cell marker.
authors.affiliation: Cell Differentiation Unit, Diabetes Research Center, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jessy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lardon
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Corbeil
authors.forename: Wieland B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Huttner
authors.forename: Zhidong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bouwens
mesh_terms: D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D010183:Pancreatic Ducts / Q000737:chemistry*; D010455:Peptides / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015703:Antigens, CD; D015415:Biomarkers; D000939:Epitopes; D006023:Glycoproteins; C000606023:PROM1 protein, human; D010455:Peptides; D012333:RNA, Messenger