Hepatic cancer stem cell marker granulin-epithelin precursor and β-catenin expression associate with recurrence in hepatocellular carcinoma.

ABSTRACT: Granulin-epithelin precursor (GEP) has been demonstrated to confer enhanced cancer stem-like cell properties in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell line models in our previous studies. Here, we aimed to examine the GEP-expressing cells in relation to the stem cell related molecules and stem-like cell properties in the prospective HCC clinical cohort. GEP protein levels were significantly higher in HCCs than the paralleled non-tumor liver tissues, and associated with venous infiltration. GEPhigh cells isolated from clinical HCC samples exhibited higher levels of stem cell marker CD133, pluripotency-associated signaling molecules β-catenin, Oct4, SOX2, Nanog, and chemodrug transporter ABCB5. In addition, GEPhigh cells possessed preferential ability to form colonies and spheroids, and enhance

SUBMITTER: Cheung PF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5008312 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature