A CD24⁺CD271⁺ melanoma cancer stem cell possesses hybrid characteristics of its single marker counterparts and promotes invasion and therapeutic resistance.

ABSTRACT:

Background

An important role for phenotype switching has been demonstrated in metastasis and therapeutic resistance of both melanoma and epithelial tumours. Phenotype switching in epithelial tumours is driven by a minority cancer stem cell (CSC) sub-population with lineage plasticity, but such a sub-population has not been identified in melanoma. We investigated whether cell surface markers used to identify CSCs in epithelial tumours could identify a CSC sub-population with lineage plasticity in melanoma.

Results

We identified a CD24⁺CD271⁺ minority sub-population in melanoma that possesses the stem cell characteristics of lineage plasticity and self-renewal. This population displayed hybrid characteristics, combining the attributes of discrete CD24

SUBMITTER: Knowles O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12320275 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature