ALDH(+)/CD44(+)/CD24(-) expression in cells from body cavity fluids.
BACKGROUND
Enhanced expression of aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) and phenotypic markers (CD44(+)/CD24(-)) in stem cells from breast tumors has been reported. This study was undertaken to monitor expression of these markers in cells from body cavity fluids of female patients suspected to have a malignancy.


METHODS
Cells from peritoneal and pleural fluids of 100 female patients were examined by diagnostic cytology and analyzed by laser flow cytometry for enhanced ALDH1 expression. Cells from 36 body cavity fluids with ALDH1(bright) fluorescence were then analyzed for the expression of CD44 and CD24 markers.


RESULTS
In samples positive for malignancy, ALDH1(bright) cells with both SSC(low) and SSC(high) were seen. In 15 body cavity fluids positive for malignancy, the percentage of ALDH1(bright) cells ranged from 0.26 to 6.34% of the total cells. The percentage of ALDH1(bright) cells with CD44(+)/CD24(-) expression in these samples ranged from 0.02 to 3.66%. ALDH1(bright) cells with CD44(+)/CD24(-) expression were also present in body cavity fluids of patients in whom diagnostic cytology could not detect any malignancy. However, the percentage of ALDH1(bright) and CD44(+)/CD24(-) cells amongst the 21 body cavity fluids with negative cytology was lower than that of samples with malignancy.


CONCLUSIONS
Expression of ALDH1(bright) and the CD44(+)/CD24(-) phenotype in body cavity fluids in which diagnostic cytology could not find any malignant cells suggests that this phenotype may not be restricted to the putative breast tumor stem cells. It is possible that only subsets of cells with this phenotype are the putative breast tumor stem cells.
Krishan
Awtar
A
Department of Pathology (R-71), Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida 33101, USA. akrishan@med.miami.edu
Sharma
Deepti
D
Sharma
Siddharth
S
Hamelik
Ronald M
RM
Ganjei-Azar
Parvin
P
Nadji
Mehrdad
M
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D000080924:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Family; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D051927:CD24 Antigen / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D035422:Pleural Cavity / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D050697:Retinal Dehydrogenase; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D051927:CD24 Antigen; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D007527:Isoenzymes; D000080924:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Family; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase; C510223:ALDH1A1 protein, human; D050697:Retinal Dehydrogenase