Project description:To understand the differentiation of ovarian cancer stem cells (CSCs), We derived two phenotypes of CSCs and identified the gene expression profiling. The CSCs were derived from Cp70 ovarian cancer cells and cultured in suspension and examined every day for sphere formation. Spheres were then dissociated and passaged at least eight times in 2 months to generate spheres, which are henceforth referred to as SR cells. The surface of SR-I was smooth regardless of the size, whereas SR-II was morula. SR-I could differentiate into multiple-lineage cell types under specific induction conditions. SR-I spheroids could differentiate to SR-II spheroids through epithelial-mesenchymal transition.The self-renewal was slower for SR-I than for SR-II.
Project description:<h4>Background</h4>Cancer metabolism is emerging as an important focus area in cancer research. However, the in vitro cell culture conditions under which much cellular metabolism research is performed differ drastically from in vivo tumor conditions, which are characterized by variations in the levels of oxygen, nutrients like glucose, and other molecules like chemotherapeutics. Moreover, it is important to know how the diverse cell types in a tumor, including cancer stem cells that are believed to be a major cause of cancer recurrence, respond to these variations. Here, in vitro environmental perturbations designed to mimic different aspects of the in vivo environment were used to characterize how an ovarian cancer cell line and its derived, isogenic cancer stem cells metabolically respond to environmental cues.<h4>Results</h4>Mass spectrometry was used to profile metabolite levels in response to in vitro environmental perturbations. Docetaxel, the chemotherapeutic used for this experiment, caused significant metabolic changes in amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism in ovarian cancer cells, but had virtually no metabolic effect on isogenic ovarian cancer stem cells. Glucose deprivation, hypoxia, and the combination thereof altered ovarian cancer cell and cancer stem cell metabolism to varying extents for the two cell types. Hypoxia had a much larger effect on ovarian cancer cell metabolism, while glucose deprivation had a greater effect on ovarian cancer stem cell metabolism. Core metabolites and pathways affected by these perturbations were identified, along with pathways that were unique to cell types or perturbations.<h4>Conclusions</h4>The metabolic responses of an ovarian cancer cell line and its derived isogenic cancer stem cells differ greatly under most conditions, suggesting that these two cell types may behave quite differently in an in vivo tumor microenvironment. While cancer metabolism and cancer stem cells are each promising potential therapeutic targets, such varied behaviors in vivo would need to be considered in the design and early testing of such treatments.
Project description:The identification and characterization of subpopulations of cancer stem cells (CSCs) provide new understandings and possible therapeutic implications in cancer biology. We found the ovarian cancer sphere cells possessed CSCs properties maintained self renewal, drug resistance, and tumorigenesis. Using high-throughput microarray system, we identified common GO terms and pathway signatures significantly enriched in ovarian and breast cancer stem cells. Ovarian and breast cancer cells were cultured in sphere formation conditions, and total RNA from those spheres and conresponding adhered cell was hybridized on Affymetrix microarrays.
Project description:In order to evaluate pathways that drive the development of ovarian cancer, we compared Affymetrix expression profiles from normal ovarian surface epithelium to those from primary ovarian carcinomas. mRNA expression profiles for 57 ovarian carcinomas and 12 ovarian normal samples.
Project description:In order to evaluate pathways that drive the development of ovarian cancer, we compared Affymetrix expression profiles from normal ovarian surface epithelium to those from primary ovarian carcinomas.
Project description:To identify genes that are regulated during differentiation of ovarian cancer stem cells, we performed whole genome micrroarray expression profiling. Human ovarinan cancer stem cell were cultivated in vitro under sphere-forming conditions, and induced to differentiate in the presence of serum upon attached plates. Total RNA extracted from cells were used for single-color microarray analyses with Agilent Whole Human Genome Oligo Microarrays. Gene expression in human ovarian cancer stem cells was measured before and after their differentiation in vitro
Project description:In contrast to epithelial derived carcinomas that arise in most human organs, ovarian surface epithelial cells become more rather than less differentiated as the malignancy progresses. To test the hypothesis that ovarian surface epithelial cells retain properties of relatively uncommitted pluripotent cells until undergoing neoplastic transformation, we conducted gene expression profiling analysis (Affymetrix, U133 Plus 2.0) of 12 ovarian surface epithelial cells and 12 laser capture microdissected serous papillary ovarian cances. We find that over 2000 genes are significantly differentially expressed between the surface epithelial and cancer samples. Network analysis implicates key signaling pathways and pathway interactions in ovarian cancer development. Genes previously associated with adult stem cell maintenance are expressed in ovarian surface epithelial cells and significantly down-regulated in ovarian cancer cells. Our results indicate that the surface of the ovary is an adult stem cell niche and that deregulation of genes involved in maintaining the quiescence of ovarian surface epithelial cells is instrumental in the initiation and development of ovarian cancer.
Project description:Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are considered to play a central role in the cancer progression, metastasis and the development of drug resistance. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have important roles in regulating CSC properties and are considered to be potential therapeutic targets. Diverse aberrantly expressed miRNAs have been reported in ovarian cancer cells. However, there have been few reports about miRNAs that were associated with stemness and progression of ovarian cancer. In this study, we enriched ovarian CSCs by using sphere culture of two ovarian cancer cell lines Kuramochi and SKOV3, and screened crucial miRNAs associated with characteristics and maintenance of CSCs by using miRNA nanoString nCounter assay.