title: Alpha-fetoprotein-producing pancreatic cancer cells possess cancer stem cell characteristics.
abstract: We aimed to demonstrate the existence of cancer stem cells in human pancreatic cancer, and to clarify that they are alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) producing cells. Six cell lines derived from human pancreatic cancers were examined, and AsPC-1 and PANC-1 were noted to express AFP. Single cell culture assays and xenotransplantation revealed that the AFP-producing cells had the capacity for self-renewal and differentiation, and that these cells were tumorigenic. Furthermore, they were resistant to anti-cancer agents. The ABCA12 transporter was expressed in the AFP-producing cells at a level more than twice as high as that in the non-AFP-producing cells. The AFP-producing cells were shown to be putative pancreatic cancer stem cells. Furthermore, the expression of ABCA12 appears to be associated with drug resistance.
authors: Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Japan.
authors: Naoya
authors: N
authors: Sasaki
authors: Takamichi
authors: T
authors: Ishii
authors: Ryo
authors: R
authors: Kamimura
authors: Masatoshi
authors: M
authors: Kajiwara
authors: Takafumi
authors: T
authors: Machimoto
authors: Norio
authors: N
authors: Nakatsuji
authors: Hirofumi
authors: H
authors: Suemori
authors: Iwao
authors: I
authors: Ikai
authors: Kentaro
authors: K
authors: Yasuchika
authors: Shinji
authors: S
authors: Uemoto