Open Access

Distribution of cancer stem cells in two human brain gliomas

  • Authors:
    • Lilei Peng
    • Jie Fu
    • Weijun Wang
    • Florence M. Hofman
    • Thomas C. Chen
    • Ligang Chen
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: December 12, 2018     https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2018.9824
  • Pages: 2123-2130
  • Copyright: © Peng et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License [CC BY_NC 4.0].

Metrics: Total Views: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )
Total PDF Downloads: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )


Abstract

There is compelling evidence that brain tumors, particularly glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), harbor a small population of cancer stem cells (CSCs). These CSCs have the ability to undergo self‑renewal, initiate tumors in vivo, and are resistant to chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The present study determined the spatial distribution of CSCs within the donated brains of two deceased patients affected by glioblastoma multiforme. The following six grossly visible functional regions were identified: Necrotic tumor, viable solid tumor, infiltrating tumor edge, peritumoral normal brain, normal brain close to the tumor and normal brain distant from the tumor. Each region was snap‑frozen, sectioned and immunostained for the CSC biomarkers prominin‑1 (CD133) and sex‑determining region Y‑box 2 (SOX2). The percentages of CD133+ and SOX2+ cells within each region were determined. Different percentages of CD133+ and SOX2+ cells were identified in different regions. Significantly higher percentages of CD133+ and SOX2+ cells were indicated at the infiltrating tumor edge when compared with other areas. In summary, the spatial distributions of CSCs in these two brains with glioblastoma multiforme were similar, with the highest concentration being at the infiltrating tumor edge. This suggests that the edge of the tumor is the moving front for tumor progression and invasion, and should be targeted for therapeutic intervention.
View Figures
View References

Related Articles

Journal Cover

February-2019
Volume 17 Issue 2

Print ISSN: 1792-1074
Online ISSN:1792-1082

Sign up for eToc alerts

Recommend to Library

Copy and paste a formatted citation
x
Spandidos Publications style
Peng L, Fu J, Wang W, Hofman FM, Chen TC and Chen L: Distribution of cancer stem cells in two human brain gliomas. Oncol Lett 17: 2123-2130, 2019
APA
Peng, L., Fu, J., Wang, W., Hofman, F.M., Chen, T.C., & Chen, L. (2019). Distribution of cancer stem cells in two human brain gliomas. Oncology Letters, 17, 2123-2130. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2018.9824
MLA
Peng, L., Fu, J., Wang, W., Hofman, F. M., Chen, T. C., Chen, L."Distribution of cancer stem cells in two human brain gliomas". Oncology Letters 17.2 (2019): 2123-2130.
Chicago
Peng, L., Fu, J., Wang, W., Hofman, F. M., Chen, T. C., Chen, L."Distribution of cancer stem cells in two human brain gliomas". Oncology Letters 17, no. 2 (2019): 2123-2130. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2018.9824