The Notch pathway promotes the cancer stem cell characteristics of CD90+ cells in hepatocellular carcinoma.

ABSTRACT: CD90 has been identified as a marker for liver cancer stem cells (CSCs) that are responsible for tumorigenic activity, but it is not known how CD90+ cells contribute to tumor initiation and progression. Our data demonstrated that high expression of CD90 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) tissues correlated with venous filtration in HCC patients. CD90+ cells isolated from HCC cell lines exhibited increased tumorigenicity, chemoresistance, tumor invasion and metastasis. Notch pathway was activated in CD90+ cells and we found that inhibition of Notch pathway in CD90+ CSCs decreased tumorigenicity, cell invasion, migration and expression of stem cell related genes. Activation of Notch pathway in CD90- cells induced self-renewal, invasion and migration. Furthermore, we observed that cancer stem

SUBMITTER: Luo J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4891057 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature