The CD133+ subpopulation of the SW982 human synovial sarcoma cell line exhibits cancer stem-like characteristics

• Published in: International journal of oncology Vol. 42; no. 4; pp. 1399 - 1407
• Main Authors: LIU, AIGUO, FENG, BAOHUA, GU, WENGUANG, CHENG, XIANGYANG, TONG, TIEJUN, ZHANG, HONGZHI, HU, YONGZHEN
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Greece D.A. Spandidos 01.04.2013; Spandidos Publications UK Ltd
• Subjects: AC133 Antigen; Animals; Antigens, CD - metabolism; Antigens, Differentiation - metabolism; Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology; ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Sub-Family G, Member 2; ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters - metabolism; Base Sequence; Cancer; cancer stem cell; CD133; Cell cycle; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Separation; Cell Survival - drug effects; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic - pathology; Chemotherapy; Chromosomes; Cisplatin - pharmacology; DNA Primers - genetics; Doxorubicin - pharmacology; Drug resistance; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; Epidermal growth factor; Female; Flow Cytometry; Genes; Glycoproteins - metabolism; Humans; Medical prognosis; Mice; Mice, Nude; Neoplasm Proteins - metabolism; Neoplasm Transplantation; Neoplastic Stem Cells - drug effects; Neoplastic Stem Cells - metabolism; Peptides - metabolism; Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 - metabolism; Prostate; Proteins; Sarcoma; Sarcoma, Synovial - metabolism; Sarcoma, Synovial - pathology; Spheroids, Cellular - drug effects; Spheroids, Cellular - metabolism; Stem cells; SW982; synovial sarcoma; Transcription factors; United States > US
• ISSN: 1019-6439; 1791-2423
• DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2013.1826

Several soft tissues sarcomas have been reported to contain cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) or tumor-initiating cells, based on their ability to initiate and sustain tumor growth. However, these cells have not yet been identified in the human synovial sarcoma cell line SW982. CD133, a surface glycoprotein specific to stem and progenitor cells, has been described as a CSC marker in different tumor types. In the present study, we identified a CSC subpopulation in SW982 cells using the CD133 cell surface marker. CD133-positive (CD133+) cells were identified in SW982 cells (8.59%); these cells showed an increased ability to form spherical colonies and could self-renew in serum-starved culture conditions, compared to CD133-negative (CD133−) cells. Real-time PCR analysis of stemness genes revealed that the CD133+ subpopulation expresses higher levels of Bmi1, c-Myc, Nanog, Oct3/4 and Sox2. CD133+ cells showed increased resistance to cisplatin (CDDP) and doxorubicin (DXR), possibly due to upregulation of the ABCG2 drug transporter gene. In vivo studies revealed that the CD133+ subpopulation is highly tumorigenic. These findings indicate that CD133+ SW982 cells have characteristics similar to CSCs. This discovery may lead to the development of novel therapies that specifically target CD133+ synovial sarcoma CSCs.