Functional heterogeneity within the CD44 high human breast cancer stem cell-like compartment reveals a gene signature predictive of distant metastasis.

ABSTRACT: The CD44(hi) compartment in human breast cancer is enriched in tumor-initiating cells; however, the functional heterogeneity within this subpopulation remains poorly defined. We used a triple-negative breast cancer cell line with a known bilineage phenotype to isolate and clone CD44(hi) single cells that exhibited mesenchymal/basal B and luminal/basal A features, respectively. Herein, we demonstrate in this and other triple-negative breast cancer cell lines that, rather than CD44(hi)/CD24(-) mesenchymal-like basal B cells, the CD44(hi)/CD24(lo) epithelioid basal A cells retained classic cancer stem cell features, such as tumor-initiating capacity in vivo, mammosphere formation and resistance to standard chemotherapy. These results complement previous findings using oncogene-transformed nor

SUBMITTER: Leth-Larsen R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3474436 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature