Self-maintenance of rat C6 glioma stem cells (GSCs) by their non-GSC progenies

Analysis of Hoechst 33342 dye-effluxing side population cells (SP cells defined as glioma stem cells, GSCs) and dye-retaining main population cells (MP cells defined as non-GSCs) that were FACS-sorted from the C6 glioma cell line stably expressing EGFP (C6-eGFP). ECM-related genes, such as Col4a1 and Col4a2, and the iron carrier gene Tf are upregulated in MP cells. Results provide the insight into molecular basis underlying the maintenance of GSCs by non-GSCs.本研究对从稳定表达增强绿色荧光蛋白（enhanced green fluorescent protein, EGFP）的C6胶质瘤细胞系（C6-eGFP）中经荧光激活细胞分选（fluorescence-activated cell sorting, FACS）获取的两类细胞展开分析：一类为赫斯特33342染料（Hoechst 33342 dye）外排型侧群细胞（side population cells, SP），该类细胞被定义为胶质瘤干细胞（glioma stem cells, GSCs）；另一类为染料滞留型主群细胞（main population cells, MP），该类细胞被定义为非胶质瘤干细胞（non-GSCs）。研究发现，MP细胞中细胞外基质（extracellular matrix, ECM）相关基因Col4a1、Col4a2以及铁载体基因Tf均呈上调表达。本研究结果为解析非胶质瘤干细胞维持胶质瘤干细胞的分子基础提供了新的认知视角。