title: Effect of CD133 overexpression on the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in oral cancer cell lines.
abstract: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common cancers in the world. In OSCC, CD133 promotes tumor invasion and metastasis by inducing the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). A small subset of cancer cells known as cancer stem cells (CSCs) are thought to give rise to differentiated tumor cells and to predict tumor recurrence and metastases, i.e., CSCs may be metastatic precursors. In this study, we show that ectopic overexpression of CD133 in OSCC cell lines KB, YD9, and YD10B cells significantly promotes the EMT and acquisition of stemness properties. CSC properties were analyzed by colony-formation assay and measurement of OCT4, SOX2, and NANOG expression, and the EMT was monitored by cell migration, a cell invasion assay, and analysis of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and vimentin expression. CD133 overexpression led to formation of irregular spheroid colonies consistent with a stem cell phenotype and increased the expression of OCT4, SOX2, NANOG, N-cadherin, and vimentin. Taken together, these findings show that elevated levels of CD133 lead to OSCC invasiveness and metastasis, associated with the upregulation of EMT and stemness markers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Hygiene, Chodang University, Muan County, Jeollanam-do, South Korea.
authors.forename: YeonHee
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Chosun University Hospital, Dong-Gu, Gwangju, South Korea.
authors.forename: Donghwi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Chosun University Hospital, Dong-Gu, Gwangju, South Korea.
authors.forename: HongMoon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Chosun University Hospital, Dong-Gu, Gwangju, South Korea. wonbong@chosun.ac.kr.|Department of Premedical Science, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Dong-Gu, Gwangju, 501-759, South Korea. wonbong@chosun.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Wonbong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lim
mesh_terms: D000071916:AC133 Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000235:genetics; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / Q000235:genetics*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
keywords: CD133; Cancer stem cell; Carcinogenesis; Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition