SSEA-1 is an enrichment marker for tumor-initiating cells in human glioblastoma.
CD133+ populations of human glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cells are reportedly enriched for tumor stem cells (TSCs) or tumor-initiating cells (TICs). Approximately 40% of freshly isolated GBM specimens, however, do not contain CD133+ tumor cells, raising the possibility that CD133 may not be a universal enrichment marker for GBM TSCs/TICs. Here we demonstrate that stage-specific embryonic antigen 1(SSEA-1/LeX)+ GBM cells fulfill the functional criteria for TSC/TIC, since (1) SSEA-1+ cells are highly tumorigenic in vivo, unlike SSEA-1- cells; (2) SSEA-1+ cells can give rise to both SSEA-1+ and SSEA-1- cells, thereby establishing a cellular hierarchy; and (3) SSEA-1+ cells have self-renewal and multilineage differentiation potentials. A distinct subpopulation of SSEA-1+ cells was present in all but one of the primary GBMs examined (n = 24), and most CD133+ tumor cells were also SSEA-1+, suggesting that SSEA-1 may be a general TSC/TIC enrichment marker in human GBMs.
Neuro-Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Myung Jin
MJ
Son
Kevin
K
Woolard
Do-Hyun
DH
Nam
Jeongwu
J
Lee
Howard A
HA
Fine
D000818:Animals; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019070:Cell Lineage; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D016256:Lewis X Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D016256:Lewis X Antigen