CD24+tumor-initiating cells from oral squamous cell carcinoma induce initial angiogenesis in vivo

Background: In oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), a minor subset of cancer stem cells has been identified using the surface marker CD24. The CD24+ cell population is involved in initiating, maintaining, and expanding tumor growth, but has not been reported to be involved in angiogenesis to date. Methods: NOD/SCID mice were equipped with dorsal skinfold chambers and gelatin sponges seeded with CD24 +, CD24-, and unsorted cancer cells suspended in Matrigel (R) were implanted. Following intravital fluorescence microscopy, specimens were examined by immunohistology. Results: Sponges seeded with CD24+ cells showed a significantly higher functional capillary density than those seeded with CD24- cells. The presence of endothelial cells was confirmed by immunohistochemistry for CD31. Conclusion: For the first time, CD24 + tumorigenic cells with angiogenic potential, which were isolated from OSCC, were characterized. Our findings provide a promising in vivo model to facilitate the development of therapeutic agents against cancer stem cells and their angiogenic pathways. (C) 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.