Identification of Chemo and Radio-Resistant Sub-Population of Stem Cells in Human Cervical Cancer HeLa Cells

Abstract

Background

Cervical cancer ranks the second female malignancy after breast cancer. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are hard to be eradicated, so can recur. We aim to isolate and characterize CSCs from HeLa cells.

Methods

These cells express clusters of differentiation (CDs), 44 and 24, to be sorted by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS).

Results

CD44⁺CD24⁺ cells showed potential to form spheres, tumorigenicity, stemness genes and higher resistance to cisplatin, X-ray.

Conclusion

CD44⁺CD24⁺ HeLa cells hold characteristics of CSCs, in vitro, in vivo studies, suggesting that targeting may lead to screening of new anti-cancer therapies.

Keywords:

• Cancer stem cells
• HeLa cells
• CD44
• CD24
• stemness markers
• tumorigenicity
• chemoresistance
• radio-resistance

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Ms. Etsuko Furuichi and Mr. Masahiko Kawahara for their technical support.　

Ethics approval

All the work was reviewed by the Research Committee of Regenerative Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.

Author contributions

MF carried out most of the research, performed statistical analysis and wrote the paper draft. CK participated in RT-PCR and colony assay. MO participated in cell sorting. TY participated in staining and performed the in vivo experiments. MAZ, MF, KZ, NM and TN were involved in drafting the manuscript and conceived the study and design research. NM revised the whole laboratory results, prepared EndNoting of text and references, was in charge of submission, review and comments and correspondence. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. AMM helped in the revision of the manuscript for submission.

Disclosure statement

There are no conflicts of interest.