Ovarian carcinoma tumor-initiating cells have a mesenchymal phenotype

• DOI: 10.4161/cc.20308
• Publication Date: 2012-05-15T17:20:25Z
• Authors: Francesca Ricci; Sergio Bernasconi; Patrizia Perego; Monica Ganzinelli; Giorgio Russo; Francesca Bono; Costantino Mangioni; Robert Fruscio; Mario Signorelli; Massimo Broggini; Giovanna Damia
• Keywords: Ovarian tumor

Solid tumors appear to contain a subpopulation of cells (tumor-initiating cells, TICs) that not only drives and sustains tumor growth, but is possibly responsible for recurrence. We isolated, after enzymatic digestion primary ovarian carcinoma samples, propagating as non-adherent spheres in medium suitable stem cells. These were able self-renew vitro, suggested by PKH-26 staining studies, tumorigenic acquired an epithelial morphology when grown FBS-supplemented medium, losing their potential. Interestingly, the potential PKH-26high- PKH-26neg-sorted was similar. TIC-enriched cultures showed higher levels genes involved stemness than differentiated derived from them more resistant cytotoxic effects some drugs equally sensitive others. The level ABCG2 efflux pump could explain increased resistance taxol VP16, nucleotide excision repair partially cisplatin. express mesenchymal markers, transition be induced cultured differentiating conditions, with loss invasive data suggest cancer cell disease should help elucidate role these aggressive phenotype this find new therapeutic strategies reduce current chemotherapeutic drugs.