miR-429对乳腺癌干细胞干性维持和体内成瘤能力的影响

目的:探究miR-429在乳腺癌干性维持中所发挥的作用,并探索miR-429对乳腺癌干细胞体内成瘤能力的影响。方法:无血清悬浮培养法用于培养经流式细胞仪分选得到的CD44~+CD24~-表型乳腺癌细胞系干细胞MCF-7-S、SKBR3-S、MDA-MB-231-S及乳腺正常上皮干细胞MCF-10A-S,实时荧光定量聚合酶链式反应(qRT-PCR)用于检测miR-429在上述4株干细胞中的表达。将包含miR-429的重组慢病毒质粒及其阴性对照空载体质粒vector分别以病毒:细胞数量为15:1的比例感染MDA-MB-231细胞,经2.0μg/m L嘌呤霉素筛选,成功构建稳定表达miR-429或vector的MDA-MB-231细胞,经流式分选出上述两株稳转细胞株的CD44~+CD24~-表型干细胞MDA-MB-231-Svector和MDA-MB-231-SmiR-429。无血清悬浮培养后,镜下观察过表达miR-429对肿瘤球形成能力的影响,流式细胞术检测过表达miR-429对CD44~+CD24~-表型细胞亚群比例的影响,Western Blot检测过表达miR-429对乳腺癌干细胞干性相关因子ALDH1、SOX2和Bmi1蛋白表达的影响,将MDA-MB-231-Svector和MDA-MB-231-SmiR-429干细胞分别注射到BALB/c裸鼠右侧胸壁第二对乳腺脂肪垫中,构建乳腺癌干细胞裸鼠移植瘤模型,观察过表达miR-429对裸鼠体内成瘤能力的影响。结果:与MCF-10A-S相比,miR-429在MCF-7-S、SKBR3-S和MDA-MB-231-S细胞系中的表达水平均异常降低,其中,miR-429在MDA-MB-231-S细胞中表达最低(P0.05)。与MDA-MB-231-Svector细胞相比,经流式分选后的CD44~+CD24~-表型MDA-MB-231-SmiR-429干细胞形成的肿瘤球的大小和数量、分选时CD44~+CD24~-表型细胞亚群的比例、ALDH1、SOX2和Bmi1的蛋白表达水平以及裸鼠体内成瘤的体积和重量均显著降低(P0.05)。结论:miR-429可降低乳腺癌干细胞的干性和体内成瘤能力,其可能是抑制乳腺癌转移和耐药的关键分子。     

三阴乳腺癌CD44~+/CD24~(-/LOW)细胞与CXCR4表达的临床意义

目的探讨CD44+/CD24-/low表型在三阴乳腺癌中的临床病理意义以及与CXCR4表达的相关性。方法根据ER、PR、Her-2表达情况将118例乳腺癌分为三阴及非三阴组,应用免疫组织化学检测其CD44、CD24及CXCR4表达情况,分析CD44+/CD24-/low表型及CXCR4在三阴乳腺癌中表达情况及其与临床病理的关系。结果 34例三阴乳腺癌肿瘤细胞CD44+/CD24-/low表型阳性率为55.9%,CD44+/CD24-/low阳性与一般临床特征不相关,但与远处转移或复发密切相关。CXCR4的表达与CD44+/CD24-/low阳性细胞成正相关。结论三阴乳腺癌的复发和远处转移可能与CD44+/CD24-/low较高的表达率有关,并且可能是由CXCR4介导的。     

人间充质干细胞对乳腺癌细胞生长的影响研究

目的通过构建间充质干细胞(MSC)与乳腺癌细胞间相互作用的共培养模型,探讨MSC对乳腺癌细胞生长的影响。方法用含荧光基因第三代自身失活慢病毒载体感染人类脐带分离提取的MSC和乳腺癌细胞MDA-MB-231、MCF-7,以单独培养的乳腺癌细胞MDA-MB-231和MCF-7分别设立对照,2种乳腺癌细胞分别与MSC共培养,检测乳腺癌细胞在MSC作用下增生能力的改变,流式细胞术检测共培养后细胞表面标记物表达。两组间比较采用独立样本t检验,多组间比较采用单因素方差分析,多重比较采用Dunnet-t检验。结果MSC在与乳腺癌细胞共培养过程中促进肿瘤细胞生长,第3天共培养组乳腺癌MDA-MB-231细胞数高于单独MDA-MB-231培养组[(5.50±0.71)×10^3个比(1.63±0.41)×10^3个],培养至第7天,两组间MDA-MB-231细胞数差异进一步增大[(81.25±7.40)×10^3个比(26.25±4.15)×10^3个],差异具有统计学意义(P均<0.001);共培养后MSC促进乳腺癌细胞表达干细胞特有标记物CD90,MCF-7从共培养第2天CD90表达率(1.38±0.30)﹪升高至第9天(92.45±2.04)﹪。在共培养中MSC围绕肿瘤细胞集落方式生长,在形态上变长,并发现一种新型混合细胞(hybrid融合细胞)同时表达绿色和红色荧光,且对化疗药物更敏感。结论MSC促进乳腺癌细胞的生长,伴随MSC形态学改变和hybrid融合细胞出现,乳腺癌细胞获得MSC特有CD90表达。     

CD44~+CD24~(-/low)与ALDH1~+作为乳腺癌干细胞标志物之异同

越来越多的研究表明,CD44+CD24-/low与ALDH1+都是乳腺癌干细胞标志物。CD44+CD24-/low细胞与ALDH1+细胞具有很多相同的性质,但又有不同的性质和特点。该文主要就CD44+CD24-/low与ALDH1+之间的相同点、两者在乳腺癌干细胞特性方面的差异及其与乳腺癌基因亚型、预后、转移和耐药之间的不同关系等方面作一综述。     

两种不同密度分离液分离的脐血CD34+、CD34-细胞造血活性比较

目的:比较两种不同密度的ficoll-泛影葡胺分离造血干细胞群的效果,找出更适合分离脐血造血干、祖细胞的分离密度,为脐血造血干细胞的医学研究及临床应用提供一定依据。方法:采集脐血6份,根据密度梯度离心法,用质量分数为(1.068±0.001)g/m L、(1.077±0.001)g/m L ficoll-泛影葡胺分离液等量分离同一份脐血,分别计数这两种分离液的单个核细胞获得率及细胞存活率,得到的单个核细胞再分别经免疫磁珠分选法获得高纯度的CD34~+细胞及除去了CD34~+的单个核细胞(CD34~(-depleted) MNCs),统计分析这两种不同密度分离液获得的CD34~+细胞、CD34~(-depleted)MNCs在甲基纤维素中形成CFU-GM集落数。结果:1(1.068±0.001)g/m L、(1.077±0.001)g/m L两种分离液分离的单个核细胞平均密度分别为(1.52±1.0)×10~6个/m L、(2.84±0.98)×10~6个/m L,(P0.05);经免疫磁珠纯化后的CD34~+细胞占单个核细胞(MNCs)的比率分别是(1.26±0.47)%、(1.07±0.15)%,(P0.05);2(1.068±0.001)g/m L分离的单个核细胞经免疫磁珠纯化后1.5×10~3个CD34~+细胞形成CFU-GM的集落(140.5±14.5)显著多于(1.077±0.001)g/m L的集落数(118.3±13.8)(P0.05);(1.068±0.001)g/m L分离的5×10~4个CD34~(-depleted) MNCs形成的CFU-GM集落数(132.0±5.1)也显著多于(1.077±0.001)g/m L的集落数(101.3±9.4),(P0.05)。结论:与1.077 g/m L Ficoll相比,1.068g/m L Ficoll-泛影葡胺分离液分离的单个核细胞中的CD34~+、CD34~-细胞造血活性更强,更适合用来分离脐血中造血干细胞群。     

CD44+CD24-/low乳腺癌干细胞的流式分选及其肿瘤干细胞特性的初步鉴定

目的:通过表面标志分选法富集乳腺癌干细胞,并初步鉴定其肿瘤干细胞特性。方法:采用流式细胞分选术从人乳腺癌细胞系MCF-7中分选CD44+CD24-/low乳腺癌干细胞,并进行干细胞比例分析;用免疫荧光法检测、比较分选获得的细胞和对照细胞的干性和分化标记物Oct-4、SOX-2、CK-18和α-SMA的表达状态。结果:分选获得的CD44+CD24-/low乳腺癌干细胞阳性比例达90%以上;免疫荧光检测结果显示,CD44+CD24-/low细胞亚群比non-CD44+CD24-/low细胞亚群高表达干细胞转录因子Oct-4、SOX-2,低表达分化因子CK-18、α-SMA;体外实验表明,CD44+CD24-/low细胞亚群具有更强的成球生长能力,并具有双向分化潜能。结论:CD44+CD24-/low表面标记物分选的方法可以富集高纯度的乳腺癌干细胞,且呈现干性因子Oct-4和SOX-2高表达。     

非贴壁微球体培养法分离T-淋巴细胞瘤干细胞及鉴定

通过非贴壁微球体无血清培养法,体外构建并鉴定了T-淋巴细胞瘤干细胞。采用细胞球悬浮培养方法富集T-淋巴细胞肿瘤干细胞,利用抑制分化作用的抑制剂CHIR99021和PD173074(2i)进行肿瘤干细胞的筛选,采用RT-PCR法检测Sox2、Oct4、Nanog、Klf4、Bmi1、C-Myc干细胞特征基因的表达,进一步采用Western blot验证Oct4蛋白水平表达,流式细胞术分析CD34、CD44抗体表达情况,用PI检测细胞周期,用CFSE观察细胞增殖能力,并将富集的T-淋巴细胞肿瘤干细胞进行裸鼠异体移植实验。在细胞球悬浮培养法基础上,利用具有抑制分化作用的抑制剂CHIR99021和PD173074,成功富集出Hut-102干细胞球。经RT-PCR鉴定,Hut-102干细胞球的其干细胞特征基因Sox2、Oct4、Nanog、Klf4、Bmi1、C-Myc表达均显著性高于Hut-102细胞并且高表达Oct4蛋白;经流式细胞术分析CD34、CD44抗体表达,有74.20%的Hut-102干细胞球表现为CD34+,有90.82%的Hut-102干细胞球表现为CD44+,证明抑制分化药物应用于细胞球悬浮培养方法中,能够有效富集出具有CD34+CD44+表型特征的Hut-102干细胞球;用PI检测细胞周期,富集的Hut-102干细胞球中处于G1/G0期的细胞为64%,处于S期的细胞为30.56%,表明该细胞暂不增殖或处于休止状态;用CFSE检测到富集的Hut-102干细胞球分化增殖能力显著高于Hut-102细胞。在NON/SCID裸鼠中,分别移植Hut-102细胞球和Hut-102细胞,结果显示,前者检测到67.74%±5.32%的淋巴细胞表达Hut-102细胞特异性标记物(CD3),而后者的裸鼠中未检测到,说明Hut102细胞球在NON/SCID裸鼠体内表现了T-淋巴细胞肿瘤干细胞特点和移植能力。首次在传统的非黏连微球体无血清培养法中加入两种抑制剂(CHIR99021和PD173074),富集出大量的微球体,通过干细胞特征鉴定及裸鼠移植实验,证明Hut-102细胞球具有T-淋巴细胞肿瘤干细胞特性。     

人CD137抗体促进NK细胞对乳腺癌细胞特异性杀伤作用的体外研究

目的探讨人自然杀伤(NK)细胞在CD137抗体作用下通过抗体依赖性细胞毒性作用(ADCC)介导对乳腺癌细胞的杀伤作用。方法NK细胞表型和细胞因子检测实验分组:阴性对照组(未用人CD137抗体处理的NK细胞)、CD137抗体处理组(10μg/mL人CD137抗体处理4 h的NK细胞);NK细胞毒性检测实验分组:根据体系中是否添加NK细胞、人CD137抗体和西妥昔单抗分为8组。流式细胞术检测两组NK细胞表面CD16分子的表达情况,酶联免疫吸附测定(ELISA)法检测两组NK细胞培养上清液中干扰素(IFN)-γ和肿瘤坏死因子(TNF)-α的浓度,乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)法检测8组反应体系中表皮生长因子受体(EGFR)高表达乳腺癌细胞系MDA-MB-231和EGFR低表达乳腺癌细胞系MDA-MB-453的杀伤比例,并采用t检验或析因分析进行统计学分析。结果与阴性对照组比较,CD137抗体处理组CD16+NK细胞比例(79.57﹪±0.92﹪比90.43﹪±0.67﹪)、细胞因子IFN-γ浓度[(388.90±7.02)pg/mL比(523.90±1.90)pg/mL]和TNF-α浓度[(20.59±4.09)pg/mL比(47.22±2.14)pg/mL]均升高,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);MDA-MB-231细胞杀伤的三因素析因分析结果显示:NK细胞、人CD137抗体和西妥昔单抗3个因素分别对MDA-MB-231细胞的杀伤都有作用(F=5227.276、201.473、1792.242,P均<0.001),3个因素两两之间的交互作用对MDA-MB-231细胞的杀伤也都有作用(F=183.903、1517.187、33.483,P均<0.001),3个因素的二级交互作用差异有统计学意义(F=41.505,P<0.001)。结论人CD137抗体可增强NK细胞分泌细胞毒性因子IFN-γ和TNF-α的能力,同时可上调NK细胞表面CD16分子的表达,从而使得NK细胞可能通过西妥昔单抗介导的ADCC作用增强对表皮生长因子受体(EGFR)高表达乳腺癌细胞的杀伤作用。     

BMP9/PI3K/Akt信号通路抑制乳腺癌MDA-MB-231细胞生长

探讨骨形态发生蛋白9是否可通过其它非经典BMPs/SMAD信号通路来抑制人乳腺癌癌细胞MDA-MB-231的生长。本研究采用免疫组化方法检测临床乳腺癌患者癌组织和癌旁组织中BMP9、Akt总蛋白和Akt磷酸化蛋白表达,采用Western blot检测过表达BMP9或靶向干扰BMP9后,对乳腺癌细胞中PI3K/Akt信号通路中Akt总蛋白和Akt磷酸化蛋白表达的影响,通过裸鼠异位移植瘤动物模型证实BMP9可抑制乳腺癌生长,及其对细胞增殖核抗原PCNA表达改变。结果显示,临床乳腺癌患者癌组织中BMP9表达明显低于癌旁组织,癌组织中存在BMP9表达,Akt磷酸化蛋白表达明显降低;BMP9腺病毒感染MDA-MB-231后,MDA-MB-231/BMP9组的Akt磷酸化蛋白表达明显低于MDA-MB-231/GFP,干扰掉MCF7中内源性BMP9后,MCF7/si BMP9组Akt磷酸化蛋白表达明显高于MVF7/si NC组;裸鼠移植瘤动物模型在成瘤后的第21天,MDA-MB-231/BMP9瘤体大小为(0.329±0.047)明显小于MDA-MB-231/GFP(3.102±0.027),PCNA染色显示MDA-MB-231/BMP9的PCNA阳性率为(26.3±3.1)%,明显低于MDA-MB-231/GFP(57.8±5.3)%。由此得出结论,BMP9抑制乳腺癌MDA-MB-231细胞生长还可以通过抑制PI3K/Akt信号通路激活来发挥作用。     

血小板第四因子对脐血CD34+细胞趋化作用的研究

目的 :研究PF4及其小肽PF417 70对新鲜脐血CD34+细胞的趋化作用及对粘附分子表达的影响。方法 :采用免疫磁珠法 (MACS)分选CD34+细胞 ,利用Transwell穿孔板测定PF4对CD34+细胞的趋化作用 ;流式细胞仪检测免疫荧光标记的粘附分子及CXCR4的表达。结果 :①PF4对脐血CD34+细胞有趋化作用 ,PF4组的趋化百分比为 15 7.43%± 5 0 .0 6 %(P <0 .0 5 ) ,PF417 70组为 187.0 2 %± 10 .6 9%(P <0 .0 5 )。②PF4作用于CD34+细胞时 ,CD49d和CXCR 4表达增加 ,对其它粘附分子CD31,CD44 ,CD11a ,CD6 2 p ,CD6 2E的表达没有影响。 结论 :PF4对脐血CD34+细胞有趋化作用 ,促进整合素CD49d及CXCR4的表达 ,PF4有助于脐血干细胞的归巢。     

Mammosphere Formation in Breast Carcinoma Cell Lines Depends upon Expression of E-cadherin

Tumors are heterogeneous at the cellular level where the ability to maintain tumor growth resides in discrete cell populations. Floating sphere-forming assays are broadly used to test stem cell activity in tissues, tumors and cell lines. Spheroids are originated from a small population of cells with stem cell features able to grow in suspension culture and behaving as tumorigenic in mice. We tested the ability of eleven common breast cancer cell lines representing the major breast cancer subtypes to grow as mammospheres, measuring the ability to maintain cell viability upon serial non-adherent passage. Only MCF7, T47D, BT474, MDA-MB-436 and JIMT1 were successfully propagated as long-term mammosphere cultures, measured as the increase in the number of viable cells upon serial non-adherent passages. Other cell lines tested (SKBR3, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-435) formed cell clumps that can be disaggregated mechanically, but cell viability drops dramatically on their second passage. HCC1937 and HCC1569 cells formed typical mammospheres, although they could not be propagated as long-term mammosphere cultures. All the sphere forming lines but MDA-MB-436 express E-cadherin on their surface. Knock down of E-cadherin expression in MCF-7 cells abrogated its ability to grow as mammospheres, while re-expression of E-cadherin in SKBR3 cells allow them to form mammospheres. Therefore, the mammosphere assay is suitable to reveal stem like features in breast cancer cell lines that express E-cadherin.     

In Vitro Analysis of Breast Cancer Cell Line Tumourspheres and Primary Human Breast Epithelia Mammospheres Demonstrates Inter- and Intrasphere Heterogeneity

Mammosphere and breast tumoursphere culture have gained popularity as in vitro assays for propagating and analysing normal and cancer stem cells. Whether the spheres derived from different sources or parent cultures themselves are indeed single entities enriched in stem/progenitor cells compared to other culture formats has not been fully determined. We surveyed sphere-forming capacity across 26 breast cell lines, immunophenotyped spheres from six luminal- and basal-like lines by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry and compared clonogenicity between sphere, adherent and matrigel culture formats using in vitro functional assays. Analyses revealed morphological and molecular intra- and inter-sphere heterogeneity, consistent with adherent parental cell line phenotypes. Flow cytometry showed sphere culture does not universally enrich for markers previously associated with stem cell phenotypes, although we found some cell-line specific changes between sphere and adherent formats. Sphere-forming efficiency was significantly lower than adherent or matrigel clonogenicity and constant over serial passage. Surprisingly, self-renewal capacity of sphere-derived cells was similar/lower than other culture formats. We observed significant correlation between long-term-proliferating-cell symmetric division rates in sphere and adherent cultures, suggesting functional overlap between the compartments sustaining them. Experiments with normal primary human mammary epithelia, including sorted luminal (MUC1⁺) and basal/myoepithelial (CD10⁺) cells revealed distinct luminal-like, basal-like and mesenchymal entities amongst primary mammospheres. Morphological and colony-forming-cell assay data suggested mammosphere culture may enrich for a luminal progenitor phenotype, or induce reversion/relaxation of the basal/mesenchymal in vitro selection occurring with adherent culture. Overall, cell line tumourspheres and primary mammospheres are not homogenous entities enriched for stem cells, suggesting a more cautious approach to interpreting data from these assays and careful consideration of its limitations. Sphere culture may represent an alternative 3-dimensional culture system which rather than universally ‘enriching’ for stem cells, has utility as one of a suite of functional assays that provide a read-out of progenitor activity.     

Hyaluronan promotes signaling interaction between CD44 and the transforming growth factor beta receptor I in metastatic breast tumor cells

In this study we have examined the interaction between CD44 (a hyaluronan (HA) receptor) and the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) receptors (a family of serine/threonine kinase membrane receptors) in human metastatic breast tumor cells (MDA-MB-231 cell line). Immunological data indicate that both CD44 and TGF-beta receptors are expressed in MDA-MB-231 cells and that CD44 is physically linked to the TGF-beta receptor I (TGF-betaRI) (and to a lesser extent to the TGF-beta receptor II (TGF-betaRII)) as a complex in vivo. Scatchard plot analyses and in vitro binding experiments show that the cytoplasmic domain of CD44 binds to TGF-betaRI at a single site with high affinity (an apparent dissociation constant (K(d)) of approximately 1.78 nm). These findings indicate that TGF-betaRI contains a CD44-binding site. Furthermore, we have found that the binding of HA to CD44 in MDA-MB-231 cells stimulates TGF-betaRI serine/threonine kinase activity which, in turn, increases Smad2/Smad3 phosphorylation and parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTH-rP) production (well known downstream effector functions of TGF-beta signaling). Most importantly, TGF-betaRI kinase activated by HA phosphorylates CD44, which enhances its binding interaction with the cytoskeletal protein, ankyrin, leading to HA-mediated breast tumor cell migration. Overexpression of TGF-betaRI by transfection of MDA-MB-231 cells with TGF-betaRIcDNA stimulates formation of the CD44.TGF-betaRI complex, the association of ankyrin with membranes, and HA-dependent/CD44-specific breast tumor migration. Taken together, these findings strongly suggest that CD44 interaction with the TGF-betaRI kinase promotes activation of multiple signaling pathways required for ankyrin-membrane interaction, tumor cell migration, and important oncogenic events (e.g. Smad2/Smad3 phosphorylation and PTH-rP production) during HA and TGF-beta-mediated metastatic breast tumor progression.     

Adipose-derived stem cells and cancer cells fuse to generate cancer stem cell-like cells with increased tumorigenicity

Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are a type of mesenchymal stem cells isolated from adipose tissue and have the ability to differentiate into adipogenic, osteogenic, and chondrogenic lineages. Despite their great therapeutic potentials, previous studies showed that ADSCs could enhance the proliferation and metastatic potential of breast cancer cells (BCCs). In this study, we found that ADSCs fused with BCCs spontaneously, while breast cancer stem cell (CSC) markers CD44⁺CD24^-/lowEpCAM⁺ were enriched in this fusion population. We further assessed the fusion hybrid by multicolor DNA FISH and mouse xenograft assays. Only single nucleus was observed in the fusion hybrid, confirming that it was a synkaryon. In vivo mouse xenograft assay indicated that the tumorigenic potential of the fusion hybrid was significantly higher than that of the parent tumorigenic triple-negative BCC line MDA-MB-231. We had compared the fusion efficiency between two BCC lines, the CD44-rich MDA-MB-231 and the CD44-poor MCF-7, with ADSCs. Interestingly, we found that the fusion efficiency was much higher between MDA-MB-231 and ADSCs, suggesting that a potential mechanism of cell fusion may lie in the dissimilarity between these two cell lines. The cell fusion efficiency was hampered by knocking down the CD44. Altogether, our findings suggest that CD44-mediated cell fusion could be a potential mechanism for generating CSCs.     

Salinomycin Promotes Anoikis and Decreases the CD44+/CD24- Stem-Like Population via Inhibition of STAT3 Activation in MDA-MB-231 Cells

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive tumor subtype with an enriched CD44⁺/CD24^- stem-like population. Salinomycin is an antibiotic that has been shown to target cancer stem cells (CSC); however, the mechanisms of action involved have not been well characterized. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of salinomycin on cell death, migration, and invasion, as well as CSC-like properties in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Salinomycin significantly induced anoikis-sensitivity, accompanied by caspase-3 and caspase-8 activation and PARP cleavage, during anchorage-independent growth. Salinomycin treatment also caused a marked suppression of cell migration and invasion with concomitant downregulation of MMP-9 and MMP-2 mRNA levels. Notably, salinomycin inhibited the formation of mammospheres and effectively reduced the CD44⁺/CD24^- stem-like population during anchorage-independent growth. These observations were associated with the inhibition of STAT3 phosphorylation (Tyr705). Furthermore, interleukin-6 (IL-6)-induced STAT3 activation was strongly suppressed by salinomycin challenge. These findings support the notion that salinomycin may be potentially efficacious for targeting breast cancer stem-like cells through the inhibition of STAT3 activation.     

Phenotypic characterization of mammosphere-forming cells from the human MA-11 breast carcinoma cell line

The phenotypic diversity of breast carcinoma may be explained by the existence of a sub-population of breast cancer cells, endowed with stem cell-like properties and gene expression profiles, able to differentiate along different pathways. A stem cell-like population of CD44⁺CD24^−/low breast cancer cells was originally identified using cells from metastatic pleural effusions of breast carcinoma patients. We have previously reported that upon in vitro culture as mammospheres under stem cell-like conditions, human MA-11 breast carcinoma cells acquired increased tumorigenicity and lost CD24 expression compared with the parental cell line. We now report that upon passage of MA-11 mammospheres into serum-supplemented cultures, CD24 expression was restored; the rapid increase in CD24 expression was consistent with up-regulation of the antigen, and not with in vitro selection of CD24⁺ cells. In tumors derived from subcutaneous injection of MA-11 mammospheres in athymic nude mice, 76.1 ± 9.7% of cells expressed CD24, vs. 0.5 ± 1% in MA-11 cells dissociated from mammospheres before injection. The tumorigenicity of sorted CD44⁺CD24⁻ and CD44⁺CD24^high MA-11 cells was equal. Single cell-sorted CD24⁻ and CD24^high MA-11 gave rise in vitro to cell populations with heterogeneous CD24 expression. Also, subcutaneous tumors derived from sorted CD24⁻ sub-populations and single-cell clones had levels of CD24 expression similar to the unsorted cells. To investigate whether the high expression of CD24 contributed to the tumorigenic potential of MA-11 cells, we silenced CD24 by shRNA. CD24 silencing (95%) resulted in no difference in tumorigenicity upon s.c. injection in athymic nude mice compared with mock-transduced MA-11 cells. Since CD24 silencing was maintained in vivo, our data suggest that the level of expression of CD24 is associated with but does not contribute to tumorigenicity. We then compared the molecular profile of the mammospheres with the adherent cell fraction. Gene expression profiling revealed that the increased tumorigenicity of MA-11 mammospheres was associated with changes in 10 signal transduction pathways, including MAP kinase, Notch and Wnt, and increased expression of aldehyde dehydrogenase, a cancer-initiating cell-associated marker. Our data demonstrate that (i) the level of CD24 expression is neither a stable feature of mammosphere-forming cells nor confers tumorigenic potential to MA-11 cells; (ii) cancer-initiating cell-enriched MA-11 mammospheres have activated specific signal transduction pathways, potential targets for anti-breast cancer therapy.     

CD44v4 is a major E-selectin ligand that mediates breast cancer cell transendothelial migration

Background

Endothelial E-selectin has been shown to play a pivotal role in mediating cell–cell interactions between breast cancer cells and endothelial monolayers during tumor cell metastasis. However, the counterreceptor for E-selectin and its role in mediating breast cancer cell transendothelial migration remain unknown.

Methodology/Principal Findings

By assessing migration of various breast cancer cells across TNF-α pre-activated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), we found that breast cancer cells migrated across HUVEC monolayers differentially and that transmigration was E-selectin dependent. Cell surface labeling with the E-selectin extracellular domain/Fc chimera (exE-selectin/Fc) showed that the transmigration capacity of breast cancer cells was correlated to both the expression level and localization pattern of E-selectin binding protein(s) on the tumor cell surface. The exE-selectin/Fc strongly bound to metastatic MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-435 and MDA-MB-468 cells, but not non-metastatic MCF-7 and T47D cells. Binding of exE-selectin/Fc was abolished by removal of tumor cell surface sialyl lewis x (sLe^x) moieties. Employing an exE-selectin/Fc affinity column, we further purified the counterreceptor of E-selectin from metastatic breast cancer cells. The N-terminal protein sequence and cDNA sequence identified this E-selectin ligand as a ∼170 kD human CD44 variant 4 (CD44v4). Purified CD44v4 showed a high affinity for E-selectin via sLe^x moieties and, as expected, MDA-MB-231 cell adhesion to and migration across HUVEC monolayers were significantly reduced by down-regulation of tumor cell CD44v4 via CD44v4-specific siRNA.

Conclusions/Significance

We demonstrated, for the first time, that breast cancer cell CD44v4 is a major E-selectin ligand in facilitating tumor cell migration across endothelial monolayers. This finding offers new insights into the molecular basis of E-selectin–dependent adhesive interactions that mediate breast cancer cell transendothelial metastasis.