A gene expression profile of stem cell pluripotentiality and differentiation is conserved across diverse solid and hematopoietic cancers.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Understanding the fundamental mechanisms of tumorigenesis remains one of the most pressing problems in modern biology. To this end, stem-like cells with tumor-initiating potential have become a central focus in cancer research. While the cancer stem cell hypothesis presents a compelling model of self-renewal and partial differentiation, the relationship between tumor cells and normal stem cells remains unclear.

Results

We identify, in an unbiased fashion, mRNA transcription patterns associated with pluripotent stem cells. Using this profile, we derive a quantitative measure of stem cell-like gene expression activity. We show how this 189 gene signature stratifies a variety of stem cell, malignant and normal tissue samples by their relative plasticity and state of

SUBMITTER: Palmer NP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3491371 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature