Brain tumor stem-like cells (BTSLCs) have been implied to play an important role in genesis and development of
glioma. However, their characteristics on proliferation and drug-resistance are uncertain thoroughly. In this experiment, some of the
biological characteristics about BTSLCs were explored. Twenty cases of different grades of human
glioma tissues were obtained from clinic. The primary
glioma cells were collected and CD133(+) cells from them were purified by magnetic cell sorting assay. The BTSLCs were identified by testing the expression of CD133,
Nestin, NSE, and GFAP, along with the culture process.
WST-8 assay kit was used to evaluate the proliferating situation of CD133(+) cells in the different grade
gliomas, and to compare the drug-resistance between the CD133(+) and CD133( - ) cells in the medium containing different concentrations of
teniposide (VM-26). The results showed that the CD133(+) cells could regenerate by self-renewal, then generate and different into NSE(+) and GFAP(+) cells, respectively. CD133(+) cells in the high grade of
gliomas showed the faster generation than the ones in the low grade. The number of survived CD133(+) cells in the medium containing
VM-26 was much more than the CD133(-) ones in it. Therefore, it was implied that the CD133(+) BTSLCs existed in the
glioma tissues possessed the more tolerant ability to the
VM-26, and could proliferate much more easily in the high-grade
glioma.