title: Identification of CD24 as a cancer stem cell marker in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: Cancer stem cells (CSCs) represent a unique sub-population of tumor cells with the ability to initiate tumor growth and sustain self-renewal. Although CSC biomarkers have been described for various tumors, only a few markers have been identified for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). In this study, we show that CD24+ cells isolated from human NPC cell lines express stem cell genes (Sox2, Oct4, Nanog, Bmi-1, and Rex-1), and show activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. CD24+ cells possess typical CSC characteristics that include enhanced cell proliferation, increased colony and sphere formation, maintenance of cell differentiation potential in prolonged culture, and enhanced resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. Notably, CD24+ cells produce tumors following inoculation of as few as 500 cells in immunodeficient NOD/SCID mice. CD24+ cells further show increased invasion ability in vitro, which correlates with enhanced expression of matrix metalloproteinase 2 and 9. In summary, our results suggest that CD24 represents a novel CSC biomarker in NPC.
authors: Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China; Division of Applied Toxicology, Taiwan Agricultural Chemicals and Toxic Substances Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors: Chun-Hung
authors: CH
authors: Yang
authors: Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors: Hui-Ling
authors: HL
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors: Yi-Sheng
authors: YS
authors: Lin
authors: Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors: K P Shravan
authors: KP
authors: Kumar
authors: Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China; Division of Applied Toxicology, Taiwan Agricultural Chemicals and Toxic Substances Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors: Hung-Chi
authors: HC
authors: Lin
authors: Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors: Chih-Jung
authors: CJ
authors: Chang
authors: Department of Respiratory Therapy, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors: Chia-Chen
authors: CC
authors: Lu
authors: Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China; Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China; Research Center of Bacterial Pathogenesis, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors: Tsung-Teng
authors: TT
authors: Huang
authors: Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors: Jan
authors: J
authors: Martel
authors: Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China; Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Health Sciences Research Institute, University of California Merced, Merced, California, United States of America.
authors: David M
authors: DM
authors: Ojcius
authors: Molecular Medicine Research Center, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors: Yu-Sun
authors: YS
authors: Chang
authors: Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China; Laboratory of Cellular Physiology and Immunology, Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America; Biochemical Engineering Research Center, Ming Chi University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors: John D
authors: JD
authors: Young
authors: Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China; Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China; Research Center of Bacterial Pathogenesis, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors: Hsin-Chih
authors: HC
authors: Lai
mesh_terms: D000070997:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 2; D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D051927:CD24 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*; D002277:Carcinoma; D002452:Cell Count; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002469:Cell Separation; D002999:Clone Cells; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D016513:Mice, SCID; D000077274:Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D018874:Spheroids, Cellular / Q000473:pathology; D060449:Wnt Signaling Pathway
chemical_list: C116614:ABCG2 protein, human; D000070997:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 2; D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D051927:CD24 Antigen; C497889:CD24 protein, human; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9