Identification of Gastric Cancer Stem Cells Using the Cell Surface Marker CD44

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been defined as a unique subpopulation in tumors that possess the ability to initiate tumor growth and sustain tumor self-renewal. Although the evidence has been provided to support the existence of CSCs in various solid tumors, the identity of gastric CSCs has not been reported. In this study, we have identified gastric cancer-initiating cells from a panel of human gastric cancer cell lines using cell surface marker CD44. Among six gastric cancer cell lines, three lines MKN-45, MKN-74, and NCI-N87 had a sizeable subpopulation of CD44(+) cells, and these cells showed spheroid colony formation in serum-free media in vitro as well as tumorigenic ability when injected into stomach…

• UM
  Uehara Memorial Foundation
• MO
  Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

  Award: 19390356
• CS
  China Scholarship Council
• NI
  National Institutes of Health