Lgr5+tuft marker+ intestinal tumor cells

We previously identified Dclk1, a tuft cell marker, marks tumor stem cells (TSCs) in mouse intestinal tumors. In this study, we have identified IL17RB as a cell surface marker distinctively expressed by Dclk1+ tuft-like tumor cells in mouse intestinal tumors. Using this tuft cell marker, we compared and analyzed the transcriptome of Lgr5-tuft marker-, Lgr5+tuft marker-, Lgr5-tuft marker+, and Lgr5+tuft marker+ tumor cells. These analyses revealed that tuft-like tumor cells in the intestinal tumors comprise two distinct subsets: highly differentiated tuft-like tumor cells (Lgr5-tuft marker+ cells) and tuft-like tumor cells with TCS potential (Lgr5+tuft marker+ cells). Lgr5-tuft marker(IL17RB)-, Lgr5+tuft marker(IL17RB)-, Lgr5-tuft marker(IL17RB)+, and Lgr5+tuft marker(IL17RB)+ tumor cells were sorted from the EpCAM+ intestinal tumor epithelial cells of Lgr5CreERT2/+; Ctnnb1lox(ex3)/ox(ex3) mice 14 days after tamoxifen administration. Total RNA was extracted from the sorted cells and gene expression profiles were compared.