Nestin delineates pancreatic cancer stem cells in metastatic foci of NOD/Shi-scid IL2Rγ(null) (NOG) mice.

ABSTRACT: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is associated with a high incidence of hepatic metastases, as well as occasional pulmonary metastases. To delineate the potential role of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in PDAC metastasis, human PDAC cells were injected into the spleen of mice. The characteristics and expression of markers associated with CSC and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of metastatic cells that developed in the liver and lung were then compared with parental cells. The metastatic cells were polygonal, and larger than parental cells. Metastatic cells also exhibited decreased proliferation and increased adhesion to extracellular matrices, as well as enhanced migration and invasion in vitro and increased metastatic capacity in vivo. The CSC markers ALDH1A1, ABCG2, and nestin w

SUBMITTER: Matsuda Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3936308 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature