title: Comparative evaluation of cancer stem cell markers in normal pancreas             and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
abstract: Chemoresistance and self-renewal of cancer stem cells (CSC), found in many             tumors including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), are believed to underlie             tumor mass regrowth. The distribution of cells carrying the putative stem-cell             markers CD133, Nestin, Notch1-4, Jagged1 and 2, ABCG2 and aldehyde dehydrogenase             (ALDH1) was assessed immunohistochemically using PDAC and normal pancreas tissue             microarrays. The immunoreactivity was semi-quantitatively graded against the normal             pancreas and was correlated with the differentiation grade and disease stage.             No statistical significant differences were found between normal pancreas and             PDAC in the expression of Nestin, Notch1, 3 and 4, ABCG2 or ALDH1. Notch2 and             Jagged1 and 2 expression were increased in PDAC. CD133-positive cells were above-normal             in PDAC, but the difference was not statistically significant. Nestin, Notch1-4,             Jagged1, ABCG2 and ALDH1 immunostaining scores were not correlated with tumor             grade or disease stage. CD133 and Notch2 expression was significantly inversely             correlated with tumor grade, but not disease stage. Notch3 immunostaining positively             correlated with tumor stage, but not with differentiation grade. Jagged2 protein             expression correlated inversely with disease stage, but not with tumor grade.             From the clinical standpoint, improved delineation of the tumor CSC signature,             putatively responsible for tumor initiation and recurrence after initial response             to chemotherapy, may offer novel therapeutic targets for this highly lethal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Physiopathology, University of Turin, and Department of Medical Oncology, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria San Giovanni Battista, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vizio
authors.forename: Francesco A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Mauri
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prati
authors.forename: Pritesh
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Trivedi
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giacobino
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Novarino
authors.forename: Maria Antonietta
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Satolli
authors.forename: Libero
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ciuffreda
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Camandona
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gasparri
authors.forename: Graziella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bellone
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010179:Pancreas / Q000378:metabolism; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor