CD133+EpCAM+ phenotype possesses more characteristics of tumor initiating cells in hepatocellular carcinoma Huh7 Cells

Abstract

Background: EpCAM or CD133 has been used as the tumor initiating cells (TICs) marker in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We investigated whether cells expressing with both Ep-CAM and CD133 surface marker were more representative for TICs in hepatocellular car-cinoma Huh7 cells. Methods: Four different phenotypes of CD133+EpCAM+, CD133+EpCAM-, CD133-EpCAM+ and CD133-EpCAM- in Huh7 cells were sorted by flow cytometry. Then cell differentiation, self-renewal, drug-resistance, spheroid formation and the levels of stem cell-related genes were detected to compare the characteristics of TICs. The ability of tumorigenicity was measured in nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient (NOD/SCID) mice to verify TICs. Results: CD133+EpCAM+ cells have many characteristics of TICs in Huh7 cells compared with CD133+EpCAM-, CD133-EpCAM+, CD133-EpCAM- cells, including enrichment in side population cells, higher differentiation capacity, increased colony-formation ability, preferential expression of stem cell-related genes, appearance of drug-resistant to some chemo-therapeutics, more spheroid formation of culture cells and stronger tumorigenicity in NOD/SCID mice. Conclusion: CD133+EpCAM+ phenotype is precisely represented TICs in Huh7 cells. It might be useful for studying biology mechanism of TICs in hepatocellular carcinoma and screening new targets for cancer therapy. © Ivyspring International Publisher.