Mohammed Al Mohaini, Fatima Al Hejji, Zahrah Al Hamar, Salah A. Abohelaika, Fadhel A. Al Omar, Nasir Al Awwad, Ali H. Al Turaifi and Hussain R. Al Turaifi*
Cancer in childhood ages have significant differences from adult cancer in the incidence rate, type and location of cancer, pathophysiology, progression of tumor, management plan and recurrence rate. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) theory hypothesize the presence of small subset of cells within tumor mass that have the ability to renew them cells and differentiate to multiple cell types. In addition, these cells resist conventional chemotherapy and give rise new tumor cells causing relapse and metastasis. We tried to study the expression of pluripotent transcription factors in childhood cancer cell lines.
The pediatric cell line, SJ-GBM2 and LAN-5, were obtained from the Children's Oncology Group Cell Culture and Xenograft Repository. RNA is extracted from confluent cultured cells. RT-PCR reaction from both cDNA was done for embryonic and adult stem cell markers. Proteins are separated and western blotting of specific markers was carried out. In addition, immuncytostaining was performed for some of these markers.
The main pluripotent stem cell markers OCT4, SOX2, Nanog and CXCR4 were detected in all samples. Adult stem cell markers were tested as well. HGFR and CD117 were detected in both cell lines. While, heamopiotic stem cell markers, CD133, CD31 and CD34 were expressed by SJ-GBM2 cell line only.
Embryonic pluripotent stem cell markers could be used to identify pediatric cancer stem cells. Selection of these cells will enable us to treat them with targeted therapy to prevent or decrease the recurrence rate.
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