Journal
CELL RESEARCH
Volume 21, Issue 10, Pages 1470-1486Publisher
INST BIOCHEMISTRY & CELL BIOLOGY
DOI: 10.1038/cr.2011.38
Keywords
neuroblastoma; vascular mimicry; tumor-derived endothelium; progenitor cells; Tenascin C
Categories
Funding
- Fondazione Italiana Neuroblastoma, Fondazione
- Ministero della Salute Progetto Strategico Oncologico
- Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro (AIRC)
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Neuroblastoma (NB)-associated endothelial microvessels (EMs) may be lined by tumor-derived endothelial cells (TECs), that are genetically unstable and chemoresistant. Here we have addressed the identification of TEC progenitors in NB by focusing on Octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (Oct-4) as a putative marker. Oct-4(+) cells were detected in primary NB samples (n = 23), metastatic bone marrow aspirates (n = 10), NB cell lines (n = 4), and orthotopic tumors (n = 10) formed by the HTLA-230 NB cell line in immunodeficient mice. Most Oct-4(+) cells showed a perivascular distribution, with 5% of them homing in perinecrotic areas. All Oct-4(+) cells were tumor-derived since they shared amplification of MYCN oncogene with malignant cells. Perivascular Oct-4(+) cells expressed stem cell-related, neural progenitor-related and NB-related markers, including surface Tenascin C (TNC), that was absent from perinecrotic Oct-4(+) cells and bulk tumor cells. TNC+ but not TNC-HTLA-230 cells differentiated in vitro into endothelial-like cells expressing vascular-endothelial-cadherin, prostate-specific membrane antigen and CD31 upon culture in medium containing vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). TNC+ but not TNC-HTLA-230 cells formed neurospheres when cultured in serum-free medium. Both cell fractions were tumorigenic, but only tumors formed by TNC+ cells contained EMs lined by TECs. In conclusion, we have identified in NB tumors two putative niches containing Oct-4(+) tumor cells. Oct-4(+)/TNC+ perivascular NB cells displayed a high degree of plasticity and served as progenitors of TECs. Therapeutic targeting of Oct4(+)/TNC+ progenitors may counteract the contribution of NB-derived ECs to tumor relapse and chemoresistance.
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