Medullary thyroid carcinoma cell lines contain a self-renewing CD133+ population that is dependent on ret proto-oncogene activity.

ABSTRACT:

Context

Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a cancer of the parafollicular C cells commonly caused by an inherited or acquired RET proto-oncogene mutation. Therapeutic resistance and recurrence of the disease imply the presence of cancer stem cells in MTC.

Objective

In this study, we sought to identify and characterize cancer stem cell-like cells in MTC.

Main outcome measures

The characterization of stem cell properties was performed using immunostaining, flow cytometry, sphere formation assay, rederivation assay, Western blotting, and quantitative RT-PCR of defined markers of neural stem and progenitor cells. The role of ret proto-oncogene activation was assessed through RNA interference knockdown.

Results

CD133 positivity was identified by immunostaining pat

SUBMITTER: Zhu W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2805480 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature