Authors: JingMing Zhai XiaoYu Yin Xun Hou XiaoYi Hao JianPeng Cai LiJian Liang LongJuan Zhang
Publish Date: 2013/04/27
Volume: 58, Issue: 7, Pages: 1934-1947
Abstract
To investigate the genomewide DNA methylation profile of side population SP cells of HCC a special subpopulation of cells enriched with cancer stem cells by DNA methylation microarray analysis and to analyze the functions and signal pathways of the aberrantly methylated genes in SP cellsSide population cells were isolated from HCC cell lines Huh7 and PLC/PRF/5 using flow cytometry and the tumorigenicity of these SP cells was assessed in NOD/SCID mice The genomewide DNA methylation status of SP cells and nonSP NSP cells was detected and compared by DNA methylation microarray analysis Genes with differential methylation between SP and NSP cells were further analyzed for their functions and roles in related signaling pathwaysSubcutaneous inoculation of 1 × 103 SP cells yielded tumors in 60 NOD/SCID mice whereas no tumor was developed after the inoculation of 1 × 106 NSP cells Genomewide DNA methylation microarray analysis showed that 72 and 181 genes were hypermethylated and hypomethylated respectively in both Huh7 and PLC/PRF/5 SP cells as compared with their corresponding NSP cells Analyses of signaling pathways revealed that hypermethylated and hypomethylated genes were related to four and eight pathways respectivelyHepatocellular carcinoma SP cells possessed a differential DNA methylation status compared with NSP cells and the differentially methylated genes in SP cells were involved in 12 signaling pathways Our results provide valuable clues for further investigations in elucidating the importance of epigenetic regulation in sustaining HCC SP cells and tumorigenesis
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