Nectin-3 expression is elevated in limbal epithelial side population cells with strongly expressed stem cell markers.
Corneal epithelial stem cells (CESCs) are essential for maintaining the ocular surface. However, the lack of surface markers for CESCs remains a serious obstacle in the identification of CESCs. Previously, we showed that rabbit limbal epithelial side population (rLE-SP) cells exhibited stem cell phenotypes including increased expression of CD61, a marker for mouse hematopoietic stem cells. Here, we demonstrate that nectin-3, an immunoglobulin-like cell-cell adhesion molecule, is highly expressed in rLE-SP cells. Additionally, nectin-3(+) cells were significantly enriched among CD61(+)rLE-SP cells as compared to CD61(-)rLE-SP cells. In mouse bone marrow side population cells, a correlation between expression of nectin-3 and CD61 was also observed. These data strongly suggest that nectin-3 may contribute to the identification of CESCs.
Kusanagi
Risa
R
Institute of Advanced Biomedical Engineering and Science, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 8-1 Kawada-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan.
Umemoto
Terumasa
T
Yamato
Masayuki
M
Matsuzaki
Yu
Y
Nishida
Kohji
K
Kobayashi
Yoshiro
Y
Fukai
Fumio
F
Okano
Teruo
T
D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002469:Cell Separation; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005121:Extremities; D039661:Integrin beta3 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051379:Mice; D000075983:Nectins; D011817:Rabbits; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
D015415:Biomarkers; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D039661:Integrin beta3; C000619017:Nectin3 protein, mouse; D000075983:Nectins