title: CD133 and CD44 cell surface markers do not identify cancer stem cells in primary human gastric tumors.
abstract: Emerging evidence suggests that tumors contain and are driven by a cellular component that displays stem cell properties, the so-called cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs have been identified in several solid human cancers; however, there are no data about CSCs in primary human gastric cancer (GC). By using CD133 and CD44 cell surface markers we investigated whether primary human GCs contain a cell subset expressing stem-like properties and whether this subpopulation has tumor-initiating properties in xenograft transplantation experiments. We examined tissues from 44 patients who underwent gastrectomy for primary GC. The tumorigenicity of the cells separated by flow cytometry using CD133 and CD44 surface markers was tested by subcutaneous or intraperitoneum injection in NOD/SCID and nude mice. GCs included in the study were intestinal in 34 cases and diffuse in 10 cases. All samples contained surface marker-positive cells: CD133(+) mean percentage 10.6% and CD133(+)/CD44(+) mean percentage 27.7%, irrespective of cancer phenotype or grade of differentiation. Purified CD133(+) and CD133(+)/CD44(+) cells, obtained in sufficient number only in 12 intestinal type GC cases, failed to reproduce cancer in two mice models. However, the unseparated cells produced glandular-like structures in 70% of the mice inoculated. In conclusion, although CD133(+) and CD133(+)/CD44(+) were detectable in human primary GCs, they neither expressed stem-like properties nor exhibited tumor-initiating properties in xenograft transplantation experiments.
authors: Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
authors: Alba
authors: A
authors: Rocco
authors: Eleonora
authors: E
authors: Liguori
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Pirozzi
authors: Virginia
authors: V
authors: Tirino
authors: Debora
authors: D
authors: Compare
authors: Renato
authors: R
authors: Franco
authors: Fabiana
authors: F
authors: Tatangelo
authors: Raffaele
authors: R
authors: Palaia
authors: Francesco Paolo
authors: FP
authors: D'Armiento
authors: Giorgia
authors: G
authors: Pollastrone
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Affuso
authors: Enrico Coppola
authors: EC
authors: Bottazzi
authors: Stefania
authors: S
authors: Masone
authors: Giovanni
authors: G
authors: Persico
authors: Gerardo
authors: G
authors: Nardone
mesh_terms: D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D008819:Mice, Nude; D016513:Mice, SCID; D008875:Middle Aged; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D015703:Antigens, CD; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C497483:CD44 protein, human; D006023:Glycoproteins; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; C000606023:PROM1 protein, human; D010455:Peptides; C000606024:Prom1 protein, mouse