Characterization and functional analysis of a slow cycling stem cell-like subpopulation in pancreas adenocarcinoma

Evidence suggests that multiple tumors, including pancreatic adenocarcinoma, display heterogeneity in parameters that are critical for tumor formation, progression and metastasis. Understanding heterogeneity in solid tumors is increasingly providing a plethora of new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. In this study, a particular focus was put on identifying a subpopulation of stem cell-like, slow cycling tumor cells in a pancreas adenocarcinoma cell lines. Using a label retention technique a subpopulation of slow cycling cells (DiI+/SCC) was identified and further evaluated in the BxPC-3 and Panc03.27 cell lines. These slowly cycling cells managed to retain the lipophilic labeling dye DiI, while the bulk of the cells (>94%) did not. The DiI+/SCC population, showed only a partial overlap with the CSC markers CD24+/CD44+, CD133+ and ALDH but they survived chemotherapeutic treatment, and were able to recreate the initial heterogeneous tumor cell population. DiI+/SCCs exhibited an increased invasive potential as compared with their non-label retaining, faster cycling cells (DiI−/FCC). They also had increased tumorigenic potential and morphological changes resembling cells that have undergone an epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). Analysis of DiI+/SCC cells by real time PCR revealed a selective up-regulation of tell tale components of the Hedgehog/TGFβ pathways, as well as a down-regulation of EGFR, combined with a shift in crucial components implied in EMT. The presented findings offer an expanded mechanistic understanding that associates tumor initiating potential with cycling speed and EMT in pancreatic cancer cell lines

Costimulatory Effects of Steel Factor, the C-Kit Ligand, On Purified Human Hematopoietic Progenitors in Low Cell-Density Culture

Steel factor (SF), the ligand for the c-kit, also called kit ligand, stem cell factor, or mast cell growth factor, was evaluated on colony formation alone or in combination with other cytokines, from purified human hematopoietic CD34+ cells in low density cell culture. SF alone had a slight effect on granulocyte (G) and macrophage (M) colony formation. It synergized with other cytokines on colony formation from colon-forming unit-granulocyte, erythroid, macrophage, megakaryocyte (CFU-GEMM), erythroid and granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM) progenitors. However, combination of SF with lineage-specific factors, such as erythropoietin (Epo) or/and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) was not sufficient for the proliferation of multipotential progenitors (CFU-GEMM). These multipotential progenitors required the presence of multi-lineage factors, such as interleukin 3 (IL3) or granulocytic-macrophage CSF(GM-CSF) for their development

Purification and Release From Quiescence of Umbilical-Cord Blood Early Progenitors Reveal Their Potential to Engraft Adults

Steel factor (SF) increases the frequency of colony formation by CD34(+) CD38(-) cycling cells, but it does not reverse the effect of an autocrine production of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta(1) by early progenitors of the stem cell compartment. We have used optimal culture conditions supplemented with SF and anti-TGF-beta serum to estimate the proliferative capacity and ability to generate early progenitors in long-term cultures of bone marrow and umbilical cord blood cells. We estimate that the CD34(+) CD38(-) cells from a typical umbilical cord blood sample produce equivalent numbers of granulocyte erythrocyte macrophage megakaryocyte colony-forming units (CFU), twice as many granulocyte-macrophage (GM) CFU, and three times as many erythroid burst-forming units as the same population from an average bone marrow sample used in adult transplantation. These results suggest that umbilical cord blood is a suitable source of cells for adult transplantation

Release from quiescence of CD34+ CD38- human umbilical cord blood cells reveals their potentiality to engraft adults.

Using optimal culture conditions in which the transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) inhibitory loop has been interrupted by antisense TGF-beta 1 oligonucleotides or anti-TGF-beta serum, we have compared the proliferative capacities and the abilities of the CD34+ CD38- cell populations from bone marrow and umbilical cord blood to generate early progenitors in long-term cultures. The CD34+ CD38- fraction of umbilical cord blood accounts for 4% of the CD34+ fraction compared to only 1% in bone marrow, indicating that umbilical cord blood may be relatively enriched in stem cells. We estimate that the CD34+ CD38- cells from a typical umbilical cord blood sample produce equivalent numbers of colony-forming units (CFU)-granulocyte/erythrocyte/macrophage/megakaryocyte, twice as many CFU-granulocyte/macrophage (GM) and 3 times as many burst-forming units-erythroid as the same population from an average bone marrow sample used in adult transplantation. In addition, the colonies resulting from the umbilical cord blood samples were significantly larger than those from bone marrow, indicating a greater growth potential. However, the content of later progenitors, which may be important for short-term reconstitution, was less in umbilical cord blood-derived than in bone marrow-derived cell preparations, as estimated by a 4-fold lower production of CFU-GM in long-term cultures of CD34+ CD38+ cells. This deficit is partially compensated by the higher growth capacity of the resulting CFU-GM. These studies suggest that umbilical cord blood is a suitable source of cells for adult transplantation

The role of circumstances of diagnosis and access to dermatological care in early diagnosis of cutaneous melanoma: a population-based study in France

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