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The side population of human pancreatic cancer expresses cancer stem cell-associated genes

ABSTRACT: Purpose: To explore the side population (SP) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) for its gene expression profile and its association to cancer stem cells (CSC) and to evaluate the value of genes from its gene signature on patient survival. Experimental design: Side and main population (MP) cells were isolated from 11 human PDAC resection specimens using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) after Hoechst incubation. Total RNA was extracted for whole-genome analysis. A gene signature for the purified SP (pSP; depleted from immune/endothelial CD45+/CD31+ cells) was developed and validated with the nCounter system on expression data of 78 primary PDAC using Cox regression analyses for disease-free and overall survival. Results: An SP was identified in all PDAC samples. Whole-genome expression profiling of pSP revealed upregulation of genes related to therapy-resistance and of CSC-associated genes and pathways. A pSP signature of 32 up- or downregulated genes was capable of discriminating SP from MP in an independent set of 10 PDAC samples, and some contributing genes had a prognostic value in a separate series of 78 patients who underwent surgery for PDAC. Conclusion: Pancreatic cancer contains an SP with chemo-resistant and CSC-associated molecular characteristics. Genes from a newly defined pSP gene signature are related to survival of patients who undergo surgical resection for pancreatic cancer, and might therefore represent potential therapeutic targets. Microarray analysis was performed on SP and MP samples from 11 different human PDAC samples.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

SUBMITTER: Van den Broeck A

PROVIDER: S-ECPF-GEOD-42404 | biostudies-other | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Project description:BackgroundA major challenge in the treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is the failure of chemotherapy, which is likely due to the presence of the cancer stem cells (CSCs).ObjectiveTo identify side population (SP) cells and characterize s-like properties in human pancreatic cancer cell lines (h-PCCLs) and to exploit the efficacy of concomitant targeting of multiple key transcription factors governing the stemness of pancreatic CSCs in suppressing CSC-like phenotypes.MethodsFlow cytometry and Hoechst 33342 DNA-binding dye efflux assay were used to sort SP and non-SP (NSP) cells from three h-PCCLs: PANC-1, SW1990, and BxPc-3. The self-renewal ability, invasiveness, migration and drug resistance of SP cells were evaluated. Expression of CSC marker genes was analyzed. Tumorigenicity was assessed using a xenograft model in nude mice. Effects of a complex decoy oligonucleotide (cdODN-SCO) designed to simultaneously targeting Sox2, Oct4 and c-Myc were assessed.ResultsCSCs were enriched in the side proportion (SP) cells contained in the h-PCCLs and they possessed aggressive growth, invasion, migration and drug-resistance properties, compared with NSP cells. SP cells overexpressed stem cell markers CD133 and ALDH1, pluripotency maintaining factors Nanog, Sox2 and Oct4, oncogenic transcription factor c-Myc, signaling molecule Notch1, and drug resistant gene ABCG2. Moreover, SP cells consistently demonstrated significantly greater tumorigenicity than NSP cells in xenograft model of nude mice. CdODN-SOC efficiently suppressed all CSC properties and phenotypes, and minimized the tumorigenic capability of the SP cells and the resistance to chemotherapy. By comparison, the negative control failed to do so.ConclusionThe findings indicate that targeting the key genes conferring the stemness of CSCs can efficiently eliminate CSC-like phenotypes, and thus may be considered a new approach for cancer therapy. Specifically, the present study establishes the combination of Sox2/Oct4/c-Myc targeting as a potential anti-pancreatic cancer agent worthy of further studies in preclinical settings.

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The side population of human pancreatic cancer expresses cancer stem cell-associated genes

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