Gene expression profile of Dclk1+ murine normal intestinal and tumor cells

Accumulating evidence has shown the existence of tumor stem cells, and many researchers and clinicians are focusing on the therapeutic potential of targeting tumor stem cells. Previously, we reported that doublecortin like kinase 1 (Dclk1) marks tumor stem cells but not normal stem cells in ApcMin/+ mouse intestine, and that selective ablation of Dclk1+ cells results in collapse of the intestinal tumors without any apparent damages in the normal mucosa. Here, we sought to clarify gene expresion profile of Dclk1+ cells by microarray analyses in mouse normal intestinal epithelium and ApcMin/+ mouse intestinal tumors. Microarray analyses demonstrated that genes related to microtubules and actin cytoskeleton (e.g., Rac2) were highly expressed in Dclk1+ normal intestinal and tumor cells. We found the expression of Src family kinases (i.e., Hck, Lyn, Csk, and Ptpn6) in Dclk1+ normal intestinal and tumor cells. Dclk1- Tumor was extracted from intestinal tumors of a Dclk1CreERT2/+; ApcMin/+ mouse at the age of 17 weeks. Dclk1+ Tumor was extracted from intestinal tumors of seven Dclk1CreERT2/+; ApcMin/+ mice at the age of more than 16 weeks. Dclk1- Normal was extracted from normal small intestine of a Dclk1CreERT2/+ mouse at the age of 26 weeks. Dclk1+ Normal was extracted from normal small intestines of two Dclk1CreERT2/+ mice at the age of 26 weeks.