CD24+ tumor-initiating cells from oral squamous cell carcinoma induce initial angiogenesis in vivo.
In oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), a minor subset of cancer stem cells has been identified using the surface marker CD24. The CD24+ cell population is involved in initiating, maintaining, and expanding tumor growth, but has not been reported to be involved in angiogenesis to date.



NOD/SCID mice were equipped with dorsal skinfold chambers and gelatin sponges seeded with CD24+, CD24-, and unsorted cancer cells suspended in Matrigel® were implanted. Following intravital fluorescence microscopy, specimens were examined by immunohistology.



Sponges seeded with CD24+ cells showed a significantly higher functional capillary density than those seeded with CD24- cells. The presence of endothelial cells was confirmed by immunohistochemistry for CD31.



For the first time, CD24+ tumorigenic cells with angiogenic potential, which were isolated from OSCC, were characterized. Our findings provide a promising in vivo model to facilitate the development of therapeutic agents against cancer stem cells and their angiogenic pathways.
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany. Electronic address: zimmerer.ruediger@mh-hannover.de.
Rüdiger M
RM
Zimmerer
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
Nils
N
Ludwig
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
Andreas
A
Kampmann
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Freiburg Medical School, Hugstetter-Str. 55, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
Gido
G
Bittermann
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
Simon
S
Spalthoff
Department of Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
Michael
M
Jungheim
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
Nils-Claudius
NC
Gellrich
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
Frank
F
Tavassol
D000818:Animals; D051927:CD24 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*; D002196:Capillaries / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D064593:Heterografts; D036904:Leukocyte Rolling; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D016513:Mice, SCID; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D019899:Paracrine Communication; D015398:Signal Transduction; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply*; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; D013997:Time Factors; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D051927:CD24 Antigen; C497889:CD24 protein, human
Angiogenesis; CD24; Cancer stem cells; Head and neck cancer; Oral cancer; Oral squamous cell carcinoma