Cell surface galectin-3 defines a subset of chemoresistant gastrointestinal tumor-initiating cancer cells with heightened stem cell characteristics.

ABSTRACT: Recurrence of gastrointestinal adenocarcinomas after surgery and chemotherapy may be attributed, in part, to the presence of a small population of tumor-initiating cancer stem cells (CSC). The expression of galectin-3 (Gal3), a multifunctional oncolectin, has been associated with biological behaviors associated with CSC. We examined the ability of Gal3 to characterize the CSC phenotype, and to identify a clinically important gastrointestinal cancer CSC population. Human colorectal and pancreatic cancer cell lines were sorted to identify subpopulations expressing commonly used CSC markers, and Gal3-positive CSC subpopulations. The association of Gal3 with the stem cell properties and alterations of these phenotypes by manipulation of Gal3 expression was examined. Gastrointestinal cancer cel

SUBMITTER: Ilmer M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5108324 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature