Association of neck metastasis with tongue cancer stem cells.

本研究采用边集落法和球体培养法，从舌癌细胞株OSC19中分选出肿瘤干细胞样细胞和非肿瘤干细胞。将CSC和非CSC移植到裸鼠舌体内，并测定其颈部转移率。CSC较非CSC形成更多的舌癌和颈转移瘤。而非CSC可通过增加移植细胞数而形成颈转移。根据这些发现，我们得出结论，CSC和非CSC都具有肿瘤干细胞的表型。通过对舌癌组织的免疫组织化学分析，CD44和ABCG2被确定为CSC转移的候选标记物，但其表达与预后无关。抑制CSC表型可能控制舌癌的颈转移。

Using side population method and spheroid cultivating method, we have sorted cancer stem like cell(CSC) and non-CSC from tongue cancer cell line, OSC19. We transplanted the CSC and non-CSC to tongue of nude mouse and determined frequency of neck metastasis. CSC formed more tumor of tongue and neck metastasis than non-CSC. However, non-CSC could form neck metastasis by increasing of cell the number of cells transplanted. Upon with these findings, we concluded that both CSC and non-CSC have phenotype of cancer stem cells. By analysis with immuno-histochemistry with tongue cancer tissues, CD44 and ABCG2 were determined as candidates of CSC-metastatic marker although the expression does not relate with worse prognosis. Suppression of phenotypes of CSC may control neck metastasis of tongue cancer.