title: Wnt pathway activity confers chemoresistance to cancer stem-like cells in a neuroblastoma cell line.
abstract: Neuroblastoma is the most common solid tumor in infancy. We have shown that the neuroblastoma cell line SK-N-SH contains CD133+ cells that are more resistant than 133- cells to Doxorubicin (DOX), a common chemotherapeutic agent. We hypothesize that activation of wnt signaling pathway in CD133+ cells contributes to their chemoresistance. To test this hypothesis, CD133+ cells were positively selected using magnetic micro-beads. Subsequently, CD133+ and negatively selected CD133- cells were treated with 100 ng/ml of DOX for up to 72 h. Then, cells were either lysed for total RNA extraction or fixed for immunostaining. Wnt "SIGNATURE" PCR Array was used to determine if changes in wnt related gene expression levels occurred and to estimate a pathway activity score. Expression of wnt pathway proteins β-Catenin and p-GSK3β (S-9) was determined by immunocytochemistry. Two wnt pathway inhibitors were used to determine the changes in cell viability, using the MTT assay. Results showed that wnt related genes were differentially expressed in CD133+ cells as compared to CD133- cells, both with and without DOX treatment. Pathway activity scores showed that DOX treatment significantly suppressed the wnt pathway activity in CD133- cells. Expression of β-catenin and p-GSK3β (S-9) was significantly greater in DOX treated and untreated CD133+ cells. The presence of wnt inhibitors with DOX decreased the number of live cells in CD133+ group and the percentage of live cells in both groups were equal. These data suggest that higher wnt pathway activity could be responsible for the chemoresistance of CD133+ cells in neuroblastoma cell lines.
authors.affiliation: Children's Research Center of Michigan, The Carman and Ann Adams Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA. svangipuram@med.wayne.edu
authors.forename: Sharada D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Vangipuram
authors.forename: Steven A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Buck
authors.forename: William D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Lyman
mesh_terms: D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000494:pharmacology; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic / Q000494:pharmacology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006575:Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D011744:Pyrimidinones / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D060449:Wnt Signaling Pathway / Q000187:drug effects*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D015703:Antigens, CD; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; D006023:Glycoproteins; D006575:Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring; C492448:ICG 001; C000606023:PROM1 protein, human; D010455:Peptides; D011744:Pyrimidinones; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051153:Wnt Proteins; C544261:XAV939; D051176:beta Catenin; D004317:Doxorubicin; C000605506:GSK3B protein, human; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3