title: Cancer stem-like side population cells in the human nasopharyngeal carcinoma             cell line cne-2 possess epithelial mesenchymal transition properties in association             with metastasis.
abstract: It has been recently reported that side population (SP) cells in nasopharyngeal             carcinoma (NPC) cell lines display characteristics of cancer stem-like cells.             However, the biological behavior and the significance of these cells for NPC progression             remain unclear. In this study, we isolated SP cells from the NPC cell line CNE-2             by flow cytometry and investigated their biological characteristics. We discovered             that SP cells had stronger colony forming abilities compared to the non-side population             (NSP) cells, and observed that some SP cells looked more like the shape of mesenchymal             cells when cultured in the common polyHEMA-coated flask. When checked by quantitative             real-time PCR, the SP cells expressed higher levels of stemness-related genes             Oct4, Sox2 and Nanog, and mesenchymal cell-related genes N-cadherin, vimentin             and Snail, while they expressed lower levels of the epithelial cell-related gene,             E-cadherin. Western blot and immunofluorescence staining methods further verified             that SP cells expressed higher vimentin and expressed lower E-cadherin levels.             Finally, Transwell invasion assay results indicated that the SP cells had higher             invasive potential compared to NSP cells. Collectively, our data reveal that SP             cells in the CNE-2 cell line not only possess the properties of cancer stem cells,             but also have more mesenchymal cell characteristics which are associated with             epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer cell invasion and metastasis.             These findings are helpful for developing novel targets for effective clinical             treatment of NPC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, PR China.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Ben-Ling
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xu-Hua
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ming-Min
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Dong
mesh_terms: D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002277:Carcinoma; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement; D048430:Cell Shape; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D000077274:Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D058985:Side-Population Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014746:Vimentin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D015820:Cadherins; D014746:Vimentin