Evidence of Distinct Tumor Initiating Cells with Different Properties in Primary Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: 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.
ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens
PROVIDER: GSE24482 | GEO | 2010/10/02
SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA132515
REPOSITORIES: GEO
ACCESS DATA