Abstract | BACKGROUND: Although Sox2 expression has been found in several types of cancer, it has not yet been used to identify or isolate CSCs in somatic carcinoma. METHODS: SiHa and C33A cells stably transfected with a plasmid containing human Sox2 transcriptional elements driving the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) reporter were sorted into the Sox2-positive and the Sox2-negative populations by FACS, and Sox2 expression was detected by western blot and immunohistochemistry. The differentiation, self-renewal and tumor formation abilities, as well as the expression of the stemness and the EMT related genes of the Sox2-positive and the Sox2-negative cervical cancer cells were characterized in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: A pSox2/EGFP system was used to separate the Sox2-positive and the Sox2-negative cells from cervical cancer cell lines, SiHa and C33A cells. Compared with the Sox2-negative cells, the Sox2-positive SiHa and C33A cells exhibited greater capacities for self-renewal, differentiation and tumor formation. Furthermore, Sox2-positive SiHa and C33A cells expressed higher levels of stemness-related genes, such as Sox2/Bmi-1/Oct4/ALDH1, and EMT-related genes, such as vimentin/snail/β- catenin. Taken together, all these results indicated that cells expressing endogenous Sox2 are CSCs in cervical carcinomas. CONCLUSION: This study is the first to establish a functional link between endogenous Sox2 expression and CSCs in cervical carcinomas. Additionally, this study demonstrated that it is feasible to develop a tool to isolate CSCs from somatic tumors based on the expression of the endogenous nuclear protein Sox2 instead of cell surface markers.
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Authors | Xiao-Fang Liu, Wen-Ting Yang, Rui Xu, Jun-Tian Liu, Peng-Sheng Zheng |
Journal | PloS one
(PLoS One)
Vol. 9
Issue 1
Pg. e87092
( 2014)
ISSN: 1932-6203 [Electronic] United States |
PMID | 24489842
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
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Chemical References |
- Biomarkers, Tumor
- Nuclear Proteins
- SOX2 protein, human
- SOXB1 Transcription Factors
- enhanced green fluorescent protein
- Green Fluorescent Proteins
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Topics |
- Biomarkers, Tumor
(metabolism)
- Carcinogenesis
(metabolism, pathology)
- Cell Differentiation
(genetics)
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Cell Proliferation
- Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
(genetics)
- Female
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
- Genes, Reporter
- Green Fluorescent Proteins
(metabolism)
- Humans
- Neoplastic Stem Cells
(metabolism, pathology)
- Nuclear Proteins
(metabolism)
- Plasmids
(metabolism)
- SOXB1 Transcription Factors
(genetics, metabolism)
- Transcription, Genetic
- Transplantation, Heterologous
- Uterine Cervical Neoplasms
(genetics, metabolism, pathology)
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