[Biological characteristics of cells expressing high level of aldehyde dehydrogenase subpopulation in tongue squamous cell carcinoma Tca8113 cell line].

OBJECTIVE

To detect the expression of aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) in tongue squamous cell carcinoma Tca8113 cell line and observe the biological characteristics of tumor cells expressing high level of ALDH (ALDH(hig)).

METHODS

The expression of ALDH in tongue squamous cell carcinoma Tca8113 cell line was detected by the flow cytometry. The ALDH(hig) and ALDH(low) subpopulation cells were isolated and cultured in vitro respectively. The ability of differentiation, proliferation and tumorsphere formation were detected. Suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) was employed to screen the genes overexpressed in ALDH(hig) subpopulation cells.

RESULTS

The ALDH(hig) cells in tongue squamous cell carcinoma Tca8113 cell line was rarely 1.3%. Compared with ALDH(low) cells and unsorted cells, ALDH(hig) cells demonstrated increased proliferation capacity. After culture in vitro, the percentage of ALDH(hig) cells decreased gradually to the level of that in unsorted tumor cells. The ALDH(hig) subpopulation cells could survive in serum free medium and generate tumorspheres. SSH analysis revealed these tumor cells also expressed stem cell related genes.

CONCLUSION

There is a rare subpopulation cells expressing ALDH highly, which displays characteristics similar to stem cells. ALDH may be one of markers for cancer stem cells of tongue squamous cell carcinoma Tca8113 cell line.