Research article summary (published 30 Oct 2009):

In vitro propagation and characterization of neoplastic stem/progenitor-like cells from human prostate cancer tissue.

Full Abstract

BACKGROUND: According to the cancer stem cell hypothesis, tumor growth is sustained by a subpopulation of cancer stem/progenitor-like cells. Self-renewal and high clonogenic potential are characteristics shared by normal stem and neoplastic stem/progenitor-like cells. We investigated whether human prostate cancer specimens contain cells with these properties. METHODS: Self-renewal and clonogenic potential were assessed by serial passaging of spheres and colony formation, respectively. Gene expression was analyzed by real time PCR. Protein expression was detected by immunocytochemistry. The neoplastic nature of the cells was verified by detection of the TMPRSS2/ERG gene fusion expression. RESULTS: The epithelial fraction isolated from surgical specimens generated colonies in 68% (19/28) of the patients. Laminin adhesion selected for cells with high clonogenic potential. The epithelial fraction from 85% (42/49) of the patients generated primary prostaspheres. Serial passaging of prostaspheres demonstrated their self-renewal capacity, which is also supported by their expression of the stem cell markers Oct-4, Nanog, Bmi-1, and Jagged-1 mRNA. Cells derived from prostaspheres were more clonogenic than the parental epithelial fraction. The pattern of mRNA expression in prostaspheres resembled that of the basal compartment of the prostate (CK5(+)/CK14(+)/CK19(high)/CK18(-/low)/c-met(+)/AR(-/low)/PSA(-/low)), but also included stem cell markers (CD49b(+)/CD49f(+)/CD44(+)/DeltaNp63(+)/Nestin(+)/CD133(+)). The distribution of marker expression in prostaspheres suggests their heterogeneous cell composition. Prostaspheres expressed significantly higher PSCA mRNA levels than the epithelial fraction. CONCLUSION: Human prostate cancer specimens contain neoplastic cells with self-renewal and clonogenic potential, which can be enriched and perpetuated in prostaspheres. Prostaspheres should prove valuable for the identification of prostate cancer stem/progenitor-like cells.

Author information

Author/s: Guzmán-Ramírez, Natalia (N); Völler, Maureen (M); Wetterwald, Antoinette (A); Germann, Markus (M); Cross, Neil A (NA); Rentsch, Cyrill A (CA); Schalken, Jack (J); Thalmann, George N (GN); Cecchini, Marco G (MG);

Affiliation: Departments of Urology and Clinical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: The Prostate (Prostate), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Nov; vol 69 (issue 15) : pp 1683-93

Dates: Created 2009/09/28; Completed 2009/10/15;

PMID: 19644960, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 10/15/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Antigens, CD - biosynthesis; genetics Calcium-Binding Proteins - biosynthesis; genetics Cell Growth Processes - physiology Clone Cells - pathology Gene Expression Profiling Homeodomain Proteins - biosynthesis; genetics Humans Immunohistochemistry Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins - biosynthesis; genetics Intermediate Filament Proteins - biosynthesis; genetics Keratin-14 - biosynthesis; genetics Male

Membrane Glycoproteins - biosynthesis; genetics Membrane Proteins - biosynthesis; genetics Neoplasm Proteins - biosynthesis; genetics Neoplastic Stem Cells - metabolism; pathology Nerve Tissue Proteins - biosynthesis; genetics Octamer Transcription Factor-3 - biosynthesis; genetics Prostatic Neoplasms - genetics; metabolism; pathology Proto-Oncogene Proteins - biosynthesis; genetics Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met - biosynthesis; genetics RNA, Messenger - biosynthesis; genetics Retrospective Studies Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Associated Chemicals: Antigens, CD (0) ; CKAP4 protein, human (0) ; Calcium-Binding Proteins (0) ; Homeodomain Proteins (0) ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins (0) ; Intermediate Filament Proteins (0) ; Keratin-14 (0) ; Membrane Glycoproteins (0) ; Membrane Proteins (0) ; NANOG protein, human (0) ; Neoplasm Proteins (0) ; Nerve Tissue Proteins (0) ; Octamer Transcription Factor-3 (0) ; PSCA protein, human (0) ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins (0) ; RNA, Messenger (0) ; nestin (0) ; Serrate proteins (134324-36-0) ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met (EC 2.7.1.112)

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