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Wnt pathway activity confers chemoresistance to cancer stem-like cells in a neuroblastoma cell line

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Tumor Biology

Abstract

Neuroblastoma is the most common solid tumor in infancy. We have shown that the neuroblastoma cell line SK-N-SH contains CD133+ cells that are more resistant than 133− cells to Doxorubicin (DOX), a common chemotherapeutic agent. We hypothesize that activation of wnt signaling pathway in CD133+ cells contributes to their chemoresistance. To test this hypothesis, CD133+ cells were positively selected using magnetic micro-beads. Subsequently, CD133+ and negatively selected CD133− cells were treated with 100 ng/ml of DOX for up to 72 h. Then, cells were either lysed for total RNA extraction or fixed for immunostaining. Wnt “SIGNATURE” PCR Array was used to determine if changes in wnt related gene expression levels occurred and to estimate a pathway activity score. Expression of wnt pathway proteins β-Catenin and p-GSK3β (S-9) was determined by immunocytochemistry. Two wnt pathway inhibitors were used to determine the changes in cell viability, using the MTT assay. Results showed that wnt related genes were differentially expressed in CD133+ cells as compared to CD133− cells, both with and without DOX treatment. Pathway activity scores showed that DOX treatment significantly suppressed the wnt pathway activity in CD133− cells. Expression of β-catenin and p-GSK3β (S-9) was significantly greater in DOX treated and untreated CD133+ cells. The presence of wnt inhibitors with DOX decreased the number of live cells in CD133+ group and the percentage of live cells in both groups were equal. These data suggest that higher wnt pathway activity could be responsible for the chemoresistance of CD133+ cells in neuroblastoma cell lines.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Children’s Research Center of Michigan, The Carman and Ann Adams Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA

    Sharada D. Vangipuram, Steven A. Buck & William D. Lyman

  2. Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI, USA

    Sharada D. Vangipuram, Steven A. Buck & William D. Lyman

  3. Children’s Research Center of Michigan, Room 3N73, 3901 Beaubien Street, Detroit, MI, 48309, USA

    Sharada D. Vangipuram

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  1. Sharada D. Vangipuram
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  2. Steven A. Buck
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  3. William D. Lyman
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Correspondence to Sharada D. Vangipuram.

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Vangipuram, S.D., Buck, S.A. & Lyman, W.D. Wnt pathway activity confers chemoresistance to cancer stem-like cells in a neuroblastoma cell line. Tumor Biol. 33, 2173–2183 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13277-012-0478-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13277-012-0478-0

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