Pancreatic cancer stem cells: features and detection methods

• Published in: Pathology oncology research Vol. 24; no. 4; pp. 797 - 805
• Main Authors: Ishiwata, Toshiyuki, Matsuda, Yoko, Yoshimura, Hisashi, Sasaki, Norihiko, Ishiwata, Shunji, Ishikawa, Naoshi, Takubo, Kaiyo, Arai, Tomio, Aida, Junko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.10.2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma; Biomarkers, Tumor - analysis; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cancer Research; Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal - diagnosis; Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal - pathology; CD44 antigen; Cell proliferation; Chemotherapy; CXCR4 protein; Humans; Immunology; Malignancy; Metastases; Metastasis; Neoplastic Stem Cells - pathology; Nestin; Oncology; Pancreatic cancer; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Pancreatic Neoplasms - diagnosis; Pancreatic Neoplasms - pathology; Pathology; Pluripotency; Radiation; Review; Stem cells; Tumors; Sphere; Pancreatic cancer; Cancer stem cell/CSC; Cancer stem cell marker; Side population
• ISSN: 1219-4956; 1532-2807
• DOI: 10.1007/s12253-018-0420-x

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive malignancy with a high incidence of distant metastasis and recurrence. Cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are pluripotent, self-renewable, and capable of forming tumors, contribute to PDAC initiation and metastasis and are responsible for resistance to chemotherapy and radiation. Three types of experimental methods are commonly used to identify CSCs: CSC-specific marker detection, a sphere-formation assay that reveals cell proliferation under non-adherent conditions, and detection of side-population (SP) cells that possess high intracellular-to-extracellular pump functions. Several CSC-specific markers have been reported in PDACs, including CD133, CD24, CD44, CXCR4, EpCAM, ABCG2, c-Met, ALDH-1, and nestin. There remains controversy regarding which markers are specific to PDAC CSCs and which are expressed alone or in combination in CSCs. Examining characteristics of isolated CSCs and discovering CSC-specific treatment options are important to improve the prognosis of PDAC cases. This review summarizes CSC-detection methods for PDAC, including CSC-marker detection, the sphere-formation assay, and detection of SP cells.