title: Isolation and characterization of cancer stem cells from cervical cancer HeLa cells.
abstract: Cervical cancer is one of the most common gynecologic malignancies and poses a serious health problem worldwide. Identification and characterization of cervical cancer stem cells may facilitate the development of novel strategies for the treatment of advanced and metastatic cervical cancer. Breast cancer-resistance protein (Bcrp1)-positive cells were selected from a population of parent HeLa cells using flow cytometry. The invasion capacity of Bcrp1-positive and -negative cells was analyzed with a Boyden chamber invasion test. The tumorigenicity of these cells was determined by in vivo transplantation in non-obesity diabetes/severe combined immunodeficiency (NOD/SCID) mice. The Bcrp1-positive subpopulation accounted for about 7% of the parent HeLa cell population. The proliferative capacity of the Bcrp1-positive cells was greater than that of the Bcrp1-negative cells (P < 0.05). In the invasion assay, the Bcrp1-positive cells demonstrated a greater invasive capacity through the artificial basement membrane than their Bcrp1-negative counterparts. Following transplantation of 10(4) cells, only the Bcrp1-positive cells formed tumors in NOD/SCID mice. When 10(5) or 10(6) cells were transplanted, the tumor incidence and the tumor mass were greater in the Bcrp1-positive groups than those in the Bcrp1-negative groups (P < 0.05). The Bcrp1-positive subpopulation cervical cancer stem cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, First Hospital of Jilin University, Xinmin Street 71-1, Changchun, 130021, People's Republic of China, slzhangsl@yahoo.com.cn.
authors.forename: Song-Ling
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yi-Shu
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Tong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xiao-Wei
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Zhen-Tong
authors.initials: ZT
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Yu-Lin
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Li