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Evidence of distinct tumour-propagating cell populations with different properties in primary human hepatocellular carcinoma.

ABSTRACT: Increasing evidence that a number of malignancies are characterised by tumour cell heterogeneity has recently been published, but there is still a lack of data concerning liver cancers. The aim of this study was to investigate and characterise tumour-propagating cell (TPC) compartments within human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).After long-term culture, we identified three morphologically different tumour cell populations in a single HCC specimen, and extensively characterised them by means of flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy, karyotyping and microarray analyses, single cell cloning, and xenotransplantation in NOD/SCID/IL2R?/? mice.The primary cell populations (hcc-1, -2 and -3) and two clones generated by means of limiting dilutions from hcc-1 (clone-1/7 and -1/8) differently expressed a number of tumour-associated stem cell markers, including EpCAM, CD49f, CD44, CD133, CD56, Thy-1, ALDH and CK19, and also showed different doubling times, drug resistance and tumorigenic potential. Moreover, we found that ALDH expression, in combination with CD44 or Thy-1 negativity or CD56 positivity identified subpopulations with a higher clonogenic potential within hcc-1, hcc-2 and hcc-3 primary cell populations, respectively. Karyotyping revealed the clonal evolution of the cell populations and clones within the primary tumour. Importantly, the primary tumour cell population with the greatest tumorigenic potential and drug resistance showed more chromosomal alterations than the others and contained clones with epithelial and mesenchymal features.Individual HCCs can harbor different self-renewing tumorigenic cell types expressing a variety of morphological and phenotypical markers, karyotypic evolution and different gene expression profiles. This suggests that the models of hepatic carcinogenesis should take into account TPC heterogeneity due to intratumour clonal evolution.

SUBMITTER: Colombo F

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3121782 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Evidence of distinct tumour-propagating cell populations with different properties in primary human hepatocellular carcinoma.

Colombo Federico F Baldan Francesca F Mazzucchelli Silvia S Martin-Padura Ines I Marighetti Paola P Cattaneo Alessandra A Foglieni Barbara B Spreafico Marta M Guerneri Silvana S Baccarin Marco M Bertolini Francesco F Rossi Giorgio G Mazzaferro Vincenzo V Cadamuro Massimiliano M Maggioni Marco M Agnelli Luca L Rebulla Paolo P Prati Daniele D Porretti Laura L

PloS one 20110623 6

<h4>Background and aims</h4>Increasing evidence that a number of malignancies are characterised by tumour cell heterogeneity has recently been published, but there is still a lack of data concerning liver cancers. The aim of this study was to investigate and characterise tumour-propagating cell (TPC) compartments within human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).<h4>Methods</h4>After long-term culture, we identified three morphologically different tumour cell populations in a single HCC specimen, and ...[more]

PMID: 21731718

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Project description:Increasing evidences have been recently reported on tumor cells heterogeneity within several malignancies, but data on liver tumours are still lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate and characterize tumor initiating cell (TIC) compartments within human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). After long term culture, we were able to identify 3 morphologically different tumor cell populations from an individual HCC specimen. These cell populations were extensively characterized by flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy, single cell cloning, xenotransplantation in NOD/SCID IL2Rgamma -/- mice, karyotyping and microarray analyses. The 3 primary cell populations, hcc-1, -2 and -3, and the 2 clones (clone-1/7 and -1/8) generated by limiting dilution from hcc-1 showed different expression profiles for several tumor associated stem cell markers, including EpCAM, CD49f, CD44, CD133, CD56, Thy-1, ALDH and CK19. Moreover, they showed different doubling time and drug resistance. The tumorigenic potential was higher for hcc-1 and clone-1/7. Karyotyping analyses revealed a clonal evolution of cell populations and clones within the primary tumor. Importantly, we noticed that the primary tumor cell population with a higher tumorigenic potential and drug resistance was that showing more chromosomal alterations and containing different clones with both epithelial and mesenchymal features. Individual HCC can harbor different self-renewing tumorigenic cell types expressing a variety of morphology and phenotypic markers, karyotypic evolution and different gene expression profiles. This finding suggests that the therapeutic approach for HCC eradication should take into account the possible TIC heterogeneity due to intratumor clonal evolution. The aim was to analyse the whole genome expression profile of 3 HCC cell lines (Hcc-1, Hcc-2 and Hcc-3) and two clones (Clone-1/7 and Clone-1/8) cells obtained from one patient. Tumor sample was dissociated and cells cultured on collagen coated Petri dishes. When cell colonies appeared in culture, they were detached and cultured separately; clones were obtained fron HCC-1 cell lines by means of limiting dilution. Total Five independent total RNA extractions were performed for each cell line and clone and after checked the quality, concentration and integrity of the purified RNA, only samples showing the better results were chosen to be further processed. After the acquisition of the raw intensity data matrix with the corresponding annotations, probes corresponding to "predicted" genes or not associated to a Entrez ID were discarded from the analysis; moreover, different probe signals corresponding to the same Entrez ID were converted into unique intensity signal, corresponding to the median of the values for each array, in order to obtain a single signal for each Entrez ID. After this process, we generated a boxplot of 16964 intensity signals whose values were log2-transformed and quantile normalized using the aroma.light package for Bioconductor. Genes with a differential expression value of at least 2 fold (on log2 transformed scale) were considered differentially expressed.

Project description:BackgroundDespite advances in therapeutics, outcomes for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain poor and there is an urgent need for efficacious systemic therapy. Unfortunately, drugs that are successful in preclinical studies often fail in the clinical setting, and we hypothesize that this is due to functional differences between primary tumors and commonly used preclinical models. In this study, we attempt to answer this question by comparing tumor morphology and gene expression profiles between primary tumors, xenografts and HCC cell lines.MethodsHep G2 cell lines and tumor cells from patient tumor explants were subcutaneously (ectopically) injected into the flank and orthotopically into liver parenchyma of Mus Musculus SCID mice. The mice were euthanized after two weeks. RNA was extracted from the tumors, and gene expression profiling was performed using the Gene Chip Human Genome U133 Plus 2.0. Principal component analyses (PCA) and construction of dendrograms were conducted using Partek genomics suite.ResultsPCA showed that the commonly used HepG2 cell line model and its xenograft counterparts were vastly different from all fresh primary tumors. Expression profiles of primary tumors were also significantly divergent from their counterpart patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models, regardless of the site of implantation. Xenografts from the same primary tumors were more likely to cluster together regardless of site of implantation, although heat maps showed distinct differences in gene expression profiles between orthotopic and ectopic models.ConclusionsThe data presented here challenges the utility of routinely used preclinical models. Models using HepG2 were vastly different from primary tumors and PDXs, suggesting that this is not clinically representative. Surprisingly, site of implantation (orthotopic versus ectopic) resulted in limited impact on gene expression profiles, and in both scenarios xenografts differed significantly from the original primary tumors, challenging the long-held notion that orthotopic PDX model is the gold standard preclinical model for HCC.

Dataset Information

Evidence of distinct tumour-propagating cell populations with different properties in primary human hepatocellular carcinoma.

Publications

Evidence of distinct tumour-propagating cell populations with different properties in primary human hepatocellular carcinoma.

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