title: Circulating tumor cells with a putative stem cell phenotype in peripheral blood of patients with breast cancer.
abstract: The CD44(+)/CD24(-/low) and ALDH1(+) cell phenotypes are associated with stemness and enhanced tumorigenic potential in breast cancer. We assessed the expression of CD44, CD24 and ALDH1 on tumor cells circulating in the peripheral blood (CTCs) of patients with metastatic breast cancer using triple-marker immunofluorescence microscopy. Among a total of 1439 CTCs identified in 20 (66.7%) out of 30 patients, 35.2% had the stem-like/tumorigenic phenotype CD44(+)/CD24(-/low), whereas 17.7% of the CTCs analyzed in seven patients, were ALDH1(high)/CD24(-/low). In conclusion, we report the existence of a subpopulation of CTCs with putative stem cell progenitor phenotypes in patients with metastatic breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece. takis@med.uoc.gr
authors.forename: Panayiotis A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Theodoropoulos
authors.forename: Hara
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Polioudaki
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Agelaki
authors.forename: Galatea
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kallergi
authors.forename: Zacharenia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Saridaki
authors.forename: Dimitris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mavroudis
authors.forename: Vassilis
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Georgoulias
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D000080924:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Family; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology / Q000556:secondary*; D051927:CD24 Antigen / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000097:blood; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000097:blood; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008875:Middle Aged; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D010641:Phenotype; D050697:Retinal Dehydrogenase
chemical_list: D051927:CD24 Antigen; C497889:CD24 protein, human; C497483:CD44 protein, human; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D007527:Isoenzymes; D000080924:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Family; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase; C510223:ALDH1A1 protein, human; D050697:Retinal Dehydrogenase