Notch signaling contributes to the maintenance of both normal neural stem cells and patient-derived glioma stem cells.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) play an important role in the development and recurrence of malignant tumors including glioma. Notch signaling, an evolutionarily conserved pathway mediating direct cell-cell interaction, has been shown to regulate neural stem cells (NSCs) and glioma stem cells (GSCs) in normal neurogenesis and pathological carcinogenesis, respectively. However, how Notch signaling regulates the proliferation and differentiation of GSCs has not been well elucidated.

Methods

We isolated and cultivate human GSCs from glioma patient specimens. Then on parallel comparison with NSCs, we inhibited Notch signaling using γ-secretase inhibitors (GSI) and assessed the potential functions of Notch signaling in human GSCs.

Results

Similar to the GSI-treated NSC

SUBMITTER: Hu YY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3052197 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature