Putative Stem Cell Markers CD44 Research Articles

Computational analysis of the mesenchymal signature landscape in gliomas

BackgroundEpithelial to mesenchymal transition, and mimicking processes, contribute to cancer invasion and metastasis, and are known to be responsible for resistance to various therapeutic agents in many cancers. While a number of studies have proposed molecular signatures that characterize the spectrum of such transition, more work is needed to understand how the mesenchymal signature (MS) is regulated in non-epithelial cancers like gliomas, to identify markers with the most prognostic significance, and potential for therapeutic targeting.ResultsComputational analysis of 275 glioma samples from “The Cancer Genome Atlas” was used to identify the regulatory changes between low grade gliomas with little expression of MS, and high grade glioblastomas with high expression of MS. TF (transcription factor)-gene regulatory networks were constructed for each of the cohorts, and 5 major pathways and 118 transcription factors were identified as involved in the differential regulation of the networks. The most significant pathway - Extracellular matrix organization - was further analyzed for prognostic relevance. A 20-gene signature was identified as having prognostic significance (HR (hazard ratio) 3.2, 95% CI (confidence interval) = 1.53–8.33), after controlling for known prognostic factors (age, and glioma grade). The signature’s significance was validated in an independent data set. The putative stem cell marker CD44 was biologically validated in glioma cell lines and brain tissue samples.ConclusionsOur results suggest that the differences between low grade gliomas and high grade glioblastoma are associated with differential expression of the signature genes, raising the possibility that targeting these genes might prolong survival in glioma patients.

A self-enforcing CD44s/ZEB1 feedback loop maintains EMT and stemness properties in cancer cells.

Invasion and metastasis of carcinomas are often activated by induction of aberrant epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). This is mainly driven by the transcription factor ZEB1, promoting tumor-initiating capacity correlated with increased expression of the putative stem cell marker CD44. However, the direct link between ZEB1, CD44 and tumourigenesis is still enigmatic. Remarkably, EMT-induced repression of ESRP1 controls alternative splicing of CD44, causing a shift in the expression from the variant CD44v to the standard CD44s isoform. We analyzed whether CD44 and ZEB1 regulate each other and show that ZEB1 controls CD44s splicing by repression of ESRP1 in breast and pancreatic cancer. Intriguingly, CD44s itself activates the expression of ZEB1, resulting in a self-sustaining ZEB1 and CD44s expression. Activation of this novel CD44s-ZEB1 regulatory loop has functional impact on tumor cells, as evident by increased tumor-sphere initiation capacity, drug-resistance and tumor recurrence. In summary, we identified a self-enforcing feedback loop that employs CD44s to activate ZEB1 expression. This renders tumor cell stemness independent of external stimuli, as ZEB1 downregulates ESRP1, further promoting CD44s isoform synthesis.

Role for Putative Hepatocellular Carcinoma Stem Cell Subpopulations in Biological Response to Incomplete Thermal Ablation: In Vitro and In Vivo Pilot Study

To investigate the potential role for CD44(+) and CD90(+) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cellular subpopulations in biological response to thermal ablation-induced heat stress. This study was approved by the institutional animal care committee. The N1S1 rat HCC cell line was subjected to sublethal heat stress (45 °C) or control (37 °C) for 10 min, costained with fluorescent-labeled antibodies against CD44, CD90, and 7-AAD after a 48-h recovery and analyzed by flow cytometry to assess the percentage of live CD44(+) and CD90(+) HCC cells (n = 4). Experiments were repeated with pretreatment of N1S1 cells with a dose titration of the dual PI3K-mTOR inhibitor BEZ235 or vehicle control (n = 3). Rats bearing orthotopic N1S1 tumors were subjected to ultrasound-guided partial laser ablation (n = 5) or sham ablation (n = 3), euthanized 24 h after ablation, and liver/tumor analyzed for immunohistochemical staining of CD44 and CD90. Differences between groups were compared with an unpaired t test. Sublethal heat stress induced a significant increase in the relative proportion of live CD44(+) and CD90(+) HCC cells compared to the control group: CD44(+)CD90(-) (5.3-fold; p = 0.0001), CD44(-)CD90(+) (2.4-fold; p = 0.003), and CD44(+)CD90(+) (22.0-fold; p < 0.03). Inhibition of PI3K-mTOR prevented heat stress-induced enrichment of the population of live CD44(+) HCC cells (p < 0.01), but not CD90(+) cells (p > 0.10). Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated preferential localization of clusters of CD44(+) cells at both the tumor margin and ablation margin. These studies provide experimental evidence supporting a role for HCC cells expressing the putative stem cell marker CD44 in HCC response to heat stress.

Abstract 254: Expression of the putative stem cell marker CD44 in prostate biopsies correlates with Gleason score in radical prostatectomies in patients with prostate cancer.

Abstract AIM: Prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of death among male oncology patients. There is growing evidence to support the hypothesis that cancer cells in the prostate are of stem cell origin. In this study we used CD44, as one of the most promising putative stem cell markers, to evaluate the prevalence of prostate cancer cells with stem cell like features in prostate biopsies and in radical prostatectomy specimens. We tested both types of specimen for the existence of a correlation between the expression of CD44 and commonly used prostate cancer prognostic factors such as Gleason grade, pathological stage (pT) according to TNM, patient age and preoperative plasma PSA levels. M&amp;M: Formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue samples from fifty two prostate biopsies and matched radical prostatectomy specimens were retrieved from the archives of the Pathology Department at the City Hospital, Poznan, Poland or from a collection of cases sent for consultation in the private laboratory of one of the authors (JB). Immunohistochemistry was performed on sections from all paraffin blocks using an anti-CD44 primary antibody (Abcam) according to the manufacturer's protocol. Using an OLYMPUS BX41 microscope, we counted at least 100 cancer cells from core biopsies and 500 cancer cells from radical prostatectomy specimens. Only cells with clearly visible membranous staining at 10x magnification were called positive for the expression of CD44. The percentage of cancer cells expressing CD44 was used for further analysis. The statistical analysis was based on Spearman and Person correlations performed in Microsoft Office Excel 2007. RESULTS: CD44 positive cancer cells were identified in forty three prostate biopsies (82%) and forty seven radical prostatectomy specimens (90%). There was a positive correlation between the expression of CD44 in cancer cells from prostate biopsies and in radical prostatectomy specimens. We also observed a negative correlation between CD44 expression in cancer cells and Gleason score, both in prostate biopsies and in radical prostatectomy material. When other clinical data were analysed, such as patient age, preoperative PSA serum levels or tumour stage (pT), only the first parameter was found to correlate positively with CD44 expression in prostate biopsies. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge this study showed for the first time, that the level of CD44 expression in prostate biopsies correlates with that observed in matched radical prostatectomy specimens. Additionally, we confirmed the results of other authors which show that the percentage of CD44 expressing cancer cells in prostate biopsies negatively correlates with Gleason grade of tumours, both in prostate biopsies and in radical prostatectomy material. Citation Format: Konstanty Korski, Anna Malicka, Jan Breborowicz. Expression of the putative stem cell marker CD44 in prostate biopsies correlates with Gleason score in radical prostatectomies in patients with prostate cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 254. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-254

The Spatial Distribution of LGR5+ Cells Correlates With Gastric Cancer Progression

In this study we tested the prevalence, histoanatomical distribution and tumour biological significance of the Wnt target protein and cancer stem cell marker LGR5 in tumours of the human gastrointestinal tract. Differential expression of LGR5 was studied on transcriptional (real-time polymerase chain reaction) and translational level (immunohistochemistry) in malignant and corresponding non-malignant tissues of 127 patients comprising six different primary tumour sites, i.e. oesophagus, stomach, liver, pancreas, colon and rectum. The clinico-pathological significance of LGR5 expression was studied in 100 patients with gastric carcinoma (GC). Non-neoplastic tissue usually harboured only very few scattered LGR5+ cells. The corresponding carcinomas of the oesophagus, stomach, liver, pancreas, colon and rectum showed significantly more LGR5+ cells as well as significantly higher levels of LGR5-mRNA compared with the corresponding non-neoplastic tissue. Double staining experiments revealed a coexpression of LGR5 with the putative stem cell markers CD44, Musashi-1 and ADAM17. Next we tested the hypothesis that the sequential changes of gastric carcinogenesis, i.e. chronic atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia and invasive carcinoma, are associated with a reallocation of the LGR5+ cells. Interestingly, the spatial distribution of LGR5 changed: in non-neoplastic stomach mucosa, LGR5+ cells were found predominantly in the mucous neck region; in intestinal metaplasia LGR5+ cells were localized at the crypt base, and in GC LGR5+ cells were present at the luminal surface, the tumour centre and the invasion front. The expression of LGR5 in the tumour centre and invasion front of GC correlated significantly with the local tumour growth (T-category) and the nodal spread (N-category). Furthermore, patients with LGR5+ GCs had a shorter median survival (28.0±8.6 months) than patients with LGR5− GCs (54.5±6.3 months). Our results show that LGR5 is differentially expressed in gastrointestinal cancers and that the spatial histoanatomical distribution of LGR5+ cells has to be considered when their tumour biological significance is sought.

A Multi-Cancer Mesenchymal Transition Gene Expression Signature Is Associated with Prolonged Time to Recurrence in Glioblastoma

A stage-associated gene expression signature of coordinately expressed genes, including the transcription factor Slug (SNAI2) and other epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers has been found present in samples from publicly available gene expression datasets in multiple cancer types, including nonepithelial cancers. The expression levels of the co-expressed genes vary in a continuous and coordinate manner across the samples, ranging from absence of expression to strong co-expression of all genes. These data suggest that tumor cells may pass through an EMT-like process of mesenchymal transition to varying degrees. Here we show that, in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), this signature is associated with time to recurrence following initial treatment. By analyzing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we found that GBM patients who responded to therapy and had long time to recurrence had low levels of the signature in their tumor samples (P = 3×10−7). We also found that the signature is strongly correlated in gliomas with the putative stem cell marker CD44, and is highly enriched among the differentially expressed genes in glioblastomas vs. lower grade gliomas. Our results suggest that long delay before tumor recurrence is associated with absence of the mesenchymal transition signature, raising the possibility that inhibiting this transition might improve the durability of therapy in glioma patients.

Slug-based epithelial-mesenchymal transition gene signature is associated with prolonged time to recurrence in glioblastoma

Abstract Background We previously identified a precise stage-associated gene expression signature of coordinately expressed genes, including the transcription factor Slug (SNAI2) and other epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers, present in samples from publicly available gene expression datasets in multiple cancer types. The expression levels of the co-expressed genes vary in a continuous and coordinate manner across the samples, ranging from absence of expression to strong co-expression of all genes. These data suggest that tumor cells may pass through an EMT like process of mesenchymal transition to varying degrees.Findings Here we show that this signature in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is associated with time to recurrence following initial treatment. By analyzing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we found that GBM patients who responded to therapy and had long time to recurrence had low levels of the signature in their tumor samples (P = 3x10^-7^). We also found that the signature is strongly correlated in gliomas with the putative stem cell marker CD44, and is highly enriched among the differentially expressed genes in glioblastomas vs. lower grade gliomas. Conclusions Our results suggest that long delay before tumor recurrence is associated with absence of the mesenchymal transition signature, raising the possibility that inhibiting this transition might improve the durability of therapy in glioma patients.

CD44 Expression Predicts Local Recurrence after Radiotherapy in Larynx Cancer

To find molecular markers from expression profiling data to predict recurrence of laryngeal cancer after radiotherapy. We generated gene expression data on pre-treatment biopsies from 52 larynx cancer patients. Patients developing a local recurrence were matched for T-stage, subsite, treatment, gender and age with non-recurrence patients. Candidate genes were then tested by immunohistochemistry on tumor material from a second series of 76 patients. Both series comprised early stage cancer treated with radiotherapy alone. Finally, gene expression data of eight larynx cancer cell lines with known radiosensitivity were analyzed. Nineteen patients with a local recurrence were matched with 33 controls. Gene sets for hypoxia, proliferation and intrinsic radiosensitivity did not correlate with recurrence, whereas expression of the putative stem cell marker CD44 did. In a supervised analysis, probes for all three splice variants of CD44 on the array appeared in the top 10 most significantly correlated with local recurrence. Immunohistochemical analysis of CD44 expression on the independent validation series confirmed CD44's predictive potential. In 8 larynx cancer cell lines, CD44 gene expression did not correlate with intrinsic radiosensitivity although it did correlate significantly with plating efficiency, consistent with a relationship with stem cell content. CD44 was the only biological factor tested which significantly correlated with response to radiotherapy in early stage larynx cancer patients, both at the mRNA and protein levels. Further studies are needed to confirm this and to assess how general these findings are for other head and neck tumor stages and sites.

Stem cell patterns in cell lines derived from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

The initiation, growth, recurrence and metastasis of solid tumours, including squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck region, have been related to the behaviour of a small subpopulation of 'tumour-initiating' cells. Cells with stem cell characteristics have also been identified in cell lines derived from cancers and the aim of the present work was to extend examination of such cells. Established cell lines were examined for their patterns of colony morphologies and staining, the presence of a Hoechst dye-excluding 'side population', expression of the putative stem cell markers CD44, CD133 and CD29, and their ability to grow as 'cancer spheroids'. Two cell lines, CaLH2 and CaLH3, recently generated from HNSCC tumour biopsies, were similarly examined. All cell lines showed a holoclone/meroclone/paraclone series of colony morphologies and cell sorting indicated that CD44 marker expression was related to clonogenicity. FACS analysis after exposure to Hoechst dye indicated that the CA1, H357 and UK1 cell lines contain a dye-excluding 'side population', a property associated with stem-like subpopulations. When held in suspension, all cell lines formed spheroids that could be re-passaged. These observations indicate that cell lines derived from HNSCC contain cells with stem cell properties and that such cell lines may provide experimental systems relevant to the behaviour of stem cells present in the tumours of origin and to their responses to therapy.