title: Nectin-3 expression is elevated in limbal epithelial side population cells with strongly expressed stem cell markers.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Advanced Biomedical Engineering and Science, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 8-1 Kawada-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan.
authors.forename: Risa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kusanagi
authors.forename: Terumasa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Umemoto
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamato
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsuzaki
authors.forename: Kohji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishida
authors.forename: Yoshiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Fumio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fukai
authors.forename: Teruo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okano
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D039661:Integrin beta3; C000619017:Nectin3 protein, mouse; D000075983:Nectins