Activation of the PTEN/mTOR/STAT3 pathway in breast cancer stem-like cells is required for viability and maintenance.

ABSTRACT: Side-population (SP) cells within cancers and cell lines are rare cell populations known to enrich cancer stem-like cells. In this study, we characterized SP cells from the human breast cancer cell line MCF7 as a model for cancer stem-like cells. Compared with non-SP cells, MCF7 SP cells had higher colony-formation ability in vitro and greater tumorigenicity in vivo, suggesting that MCF7 SP cells enrich cancer stem-like cells. cDNA microarray analysis of the SP cells indicated higher expression of ATP-binding cassette transporters and genes involved in quiescence, which were confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR and flow cytometry cell cycle analysis. To identify signal pathways important for cancer stem-like cells, we analyzed cDNA microarray data and identified nine pathways that were altered

SUBMITTER: Zhou J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2042178 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature