Figure 1

The SUM-149 cell line contains a sub-population of cells with cancer stem-cell (CSC) properties. (A) Gated and highlighted in red are cells expressing the stem-like marker signature CD44⁺/CD24^low. CD44⁺/CD24^low cells also express low levels of EpCAM. Cells were cultured under adherent conditions. A sub-population (S-P) of cells with CSC properties is shown in red; a luminal epithelial population is shown in black. (B) Expression of epithelial marker E-cadherin and mesenchymal marker vimentin in S-P (red) compared to the luminal population (black). (C) Enrichment of S-P five days post treatment with 5′-fluorouracil (5′-FU) relative to untreated cells (CTRL). (D) Survival of NOD SCID gamma (NSG) mice following subcutaneous injection of 6,000 cells from S-P or unsorted SUM-149 cells. (E) Enrichment of stem-like CD44⁺/CD24^low/EpCAM^-/low cells (highlighted in red) in mammospheres. (F) Expression of E-cadherin and vimentin in adherently cultured cells compared to mammospheres.