Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2015, Vol. 19 ›› Issue (19): 3005-3009.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2015.19.009

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Dynamic changes of liver cancer stem cell markers and inflammatory factors during the induction of liver cancer in rats 

Zheng Fei1, Zhou Wen-ping1, Zhang Wei1, Zhao Zheng-wei2   

  1. 1Shenyang Military Region General Hospital of Chinese PLA, Shenyang 110016, Liaoning Province, China; 2Tangdu Hospital of the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710038, Shaanxi Province, China
  • Online:2015-05-06 Published:2015-05-06
  • Contact: Zhao Zheng-wei, M.D., Attending physician, Lecturer, Tangdu Hospital of the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710038, Shaanxi Province, China
  • About author:Zheng Fei, Master, Associate chief physician, Shenyang Military Region General Hospital of Chinese PLA, Shenyang 110016, Liaoning Province, China

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Many liver cancer stem cell markers have been found in liver cancer tissues and cell lines such as CD133, acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), CD90, CD44, EpcAM, CD13, OV6, K19, c-kit and ABCG2. Of them, CD133, CD90 and CD44 have been shown to be strongly associated with the recurrence and metastasis of liver cancer.
OBJECTIVE: To explore the dynamic changes of liver cancer stem cell markers and inflammatory factors during the induction of liver cancer in rats and their correlation.
METHODS: Diethyl nitrosamine solution was given to Sprague-Dawley rats for 24 hours to induce rat models of liver cancer. Rats that were given common water were considered as the healthy control group.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Immunohistochemical staining revealed that Kupffer cells-related ED2 expression showed a gradual increase in the model group. Compared with the healthy control group, ED2 expression was significantly higher at 12, 16, 20 and 24 weeks after induction in the model group (P < 0.05). Quantitative PCR demonstrated that CD90 showed a gradually increased trend during induction (P < 0.05). Compared with healthy tissue, CD90 increased significantly in the liver cancer tissue (P < 0.05). CD133 showed an increased trend, but one-way analysis of variance did not show significant differences (P > 0.05). During induction, no significant change was found in other liver cancer stem cell markers (P > 0.05). During the induction, tumor necrosis factor α, transforming growth factor β, MCP-1 and interleukin-6 expression levels were significantly increased (P < 0.05). Compared with healthy tissue, transforming growth factor β, MCP-1 and interleukin-6 expression levels were significantly higher in the liver cancer tissue (P < 0.05). Other inflammatory factors did not exhibit significant alterations during the induction (P > 0.05). Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated that MCP-1, transforming growth factor β and interleukin-6 expression levels were significantly positively correlated with CD90 expression (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that partial inflammatory factors released from Kupffer cells have a certain correlation with liver cancer stem cells. Kupffer cells can promote the occurrence of liver cancer.

Key words: Neoplastic Stem Cells, Liver Neoplasms, Tumor Markers, Biological

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