Detection of putative stem cell markers, CD44/CD133, in primary and lymph node metastases in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. A preliminary immunohistochemical and in vitro study. (August 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mannelli, G.; Magnelli, L.; Deganello, A.; Busoni, M.; Meccariello, G.; Parrinello, G.; Gallo, O.
• Is Part Of: Clinical otolaryngology. Volume 40:Number 4(2015:Aug.)
• Page Start: 312
• Page End: 320
• Publication Date: 2015-08
• Subjects: Otolaryngology -- Periodicals; 617.51005
• DOI: 10.1111/coa.12368
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1749-4478

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="coa12368-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="coa12368-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Objectives</title> <p>Investigators hypothesized that cancer stem cells (CSCs) could play a role in determining cancer progression by metastasizing to cervical lymph node (N+) and then influencing prognosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) patients.</p> </sec> <sec id="coa12368-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Design</title> <p>To identify CSCs in HNSCCs and their clonogenic capacity.</p> </sec> <sec id="coa12368-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Setting</title> <p> <italic>In vitro</italic> study.</p> </sec> <sec id="coa12368-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Participants</title> <p>Putative CSCs from 29 primary HNSCCs and 19 corresponding node metastases were analyzed.</p> </sec> <sec id="coa12368-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Main outcome measures</title> <p>Immunohistochemical (IHC) was performed, and CSCs' clonogenic <italic>in vitro</italic> capacity was tested; ones epithelial nature of cancer cells forming colonies was confirmed by a second IHC, fluorescence‐activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis helped in counting CD44/CD133‐CSCs markers percentage expression in HNSCC tumour‐derived cultures.</p> </sec> <sec id="coa12368-sec-0006" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Immunohistochemical showed CD44 (93.1%) and CD133 (10.34%) expression; FACS‐analysis showed the enrichment of CD44/CD133 cancer cells, with the highest clonogenic capacity of CD44+‐subpopulation; a higher CD44 rates were documented from N+ subcultures than from original tumours (<italic>P</italic> < 0.05).</p> </sec> <sec id="coa12368-sec-0007" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>A putative cancer stem‐like cell population is detectable in HNSCCs, and our findings show their <italic>in vitro</italic> clonogenic capacity by demonstrating that CD44+‐cultured cells are the main population proliferating obtained by N+ HNSCC metastases, emphasizing their possible role in tumour progression.</p> </sec> </abstract>