The rBC2LCN-positive subpopulation of PC-3 cells exhibits cancer stem-like properties

Shuuji Mawaribuchi; Yasuko Onuma; Yasuhiko Aiki; Yukiko Kuriyama; Michihiro Mutoh; Gen Fujii; Yuzuru Ito

doi:10.1016/j.bbrc.2019.05.108

The rBC2LCN-positive subpopulation of PC-3 cells exhibits cancer stem-like properties

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2019 Jul 12;515(1):176-182. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2019.05.108. Epub 2019 May 24.

Authors

Shuuji Mawaribuchi¹, Yasuko Onuma¹, Yasuhiko Aiki¹, Yukiko Kuriyama¹, Michihiro Mutoh², Gen Fujii³, Yuzuru Ito⁴

Affiliations

¹ Biotechnology Research Institute for Drug Discovery, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Central 5, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8565, Japan.
² Division of Prevention, Center for Public Health Sciences, National Cancer Center, Tsukiji 5-1-1, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan.
³ Central Radioisotope Division, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tsukiji 5-1-1, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan.
⁴ Biotechnology Research Institute for Drug Discovery, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Central 5, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8565, Japan. Electronic address: yuzu-itou@aist.go.jp.

PMID: 31133376
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2019.05.108

Abstract

The recombinant lectin rBC2LCN is a useful marker for discriminating the undifferentiated status of human induced or embryonic stem cells. Recently, rBC2LCN has also been used for detecting some cancers and niche cells. However, the generality of which types of cells are detected by rBC2LCN is unclear. In this study, we demonstrated the potential of rBC2LCN as a probe for detecting and isolating cancer stem-like cells. Interestingly, flow cytometric analysis of various human cell lines indicated that the human prostate cancer cell line PC-3 consisted of rBC2LCN-positive and -negative subpopulations. Compared with the rBC2LCN-negative subpopulation, the rBC2LCN-positive subpopulation possessed representative features of cancer stem cells and malignancy, such as slow proliferation, increased cell motility, anchorage-independent growth, and drug resistance. The comprehensive expression profiles revealed that the rBC2LCN-positive subpopulation expressed higher levels of cancer stem cell markers. These findings indicate that rBC2LCN is useful for detecting not only pluripotent stem cells but also the cancer stem-like subpopulation of PC-3 cells. Pluripotent and cancer cells with rBC2LCN positivity would be important for future stem cell research.

Keywords: Cancer; Cancer stem-like cells; Lectin; PC-3 cells; rBC2LCN.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics
Cell Line
Cell Line, Tumor
Gene Expression Profiling / methods
Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
Human Embryonic Stem Cells / metabolism
Humans
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / metabolism
Lectins / genetics
Lectins / metabolism*
MCF-7 Cells
Male
Molecular Probes / genetics
Molecular Probes / metabolism*
Neoplastic Stem Cells / metabolism*
Neoplastic Stem Cells / pathology
PC-3 Cells
Prostatic Neoplasms / genetics
Prostatic Neoplasms / metabolism*
Prostatic Neoplasms / pathology
Recombinant Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

Biomarkers, Tumor
Lectins
Molecular Probes
Recombinant Proteins