title: Expression of CD133 correlates with differentiation of human colon cancer cells.
abstract: CD133 has been identified as a cancer stem cell marker in colon and several other cancers, but its function is still unknown. We examined the CD133 expression in 44 human cancer cell lines, and found five of the 8 positive lines were from colon cancer. The CD133 positive subpopulation of colon cancer cells showed more vigorous growth and lower differentiation. Induction of differentiation reduced the CD133-positive population. Knockdown of CD133 expression in colon cancer cells could not induce cellular differentiation. Care must be taken if CD133 is used as the only marker of cancer stem cells in colon cancer, especially in established cell lines. CD133 negatively correlates with cell differentiation, but it is not a regulator of differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Hai-Liang
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Yu-Qin
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Li-Juan
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xiao-Cui
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Bian
authors.forename: Zhen-Li
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Bei
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chun-Jing
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiao-Ling
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Xiao-Mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010455:Peptides / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000494:pharmacology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
chemical_list: D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D015703:Antigens, CD; D006023:Glycoproteins; C000606023:PROM1 protein, human; D010455:Peptides; C000606024:Prom1 protein, mouse; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering