Prostate cancer cells with stem cell characteristics reconstitute the original human tumor in vivo

Cancer Res. 2007 May 15;67(10):4807-15. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-06-4608.

Abstract

Cancer may arise from a cancer stem/progenitor cell that shares characteristics with its normal counterpart. We report the reconstitution of the original human prostate cancer specimen from epithelial cell lines (termed HPET for human prostate epithelial/hTERT) derived from this sample. These tumors can be described in terms of Gleason score, a classification not applied to any of the transgenic mouse models currently developed to mimic human disease. Immunohistochemical and Western blot analyses indicate that they do not express androgen receptor or p63, similar to that reported for prostate stem cells. These cell lines also express embryonic stem markers (Oct4, Nanog, and Sox2) as well as early progenitor cell markers (CD44 and Nestin) in vitro. Clonally derived HPET cells reconstitute the original human tumor in vivo and differentiate into the three prostate epithelial cell lineages, indicating that they arise from a common stem/progenitor cell. Serial transplantation experiments reconstitute the tumors, suggesting that a fraction of parental or clonally derived HPET cells have self-renewal potential. Thus, this model may enhance our understanding of human tumor development and provide a mechanism for studying cancer stem/progenitor cells in differentiation, tumorigenesis, preclinical testing, and the development of drug resistance.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • AC133 Antigen
  • Animals
  • Antigens, CD / biosynthesis
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Clone Cells
  • Embryonic Stem Cells / cytology
  • Embryonic Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Epithelial Cells / metabolism
  • Epithelial Cells / pathology
  • Female
  • Glycoproteins / biosynthesis
  • Humans
  • Hyaluronan Receptors / biosynthesis
  • Intermediate Filament Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Male
  • Membrane Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Multipotent Stem Cells / cytology
  • Multipotent Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / pathology*
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Nestin
  • Peptides
  • Pregnancy
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Receptors, Androgen / biosynthesis
  • Telomerase / biosynthesis

Substances

  • AC133 Antigen
  • Antigens, CD
  • CKAP4 protein, human
  • Glycoproteins
  • Hyaluronan Receptors
  • Intermediate Filament Proteins
  • Membrane Proteins
  • NES protein, human
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Nes protein, mouse
  • Nes protein, rat
  • Nestin
  • Peptides
  • Receptors, Androgen
  • TERT protein, human
  • Telomerase