ABSTRACT
Objective To separate the CD133 + subpopulation in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and investigate the tumorigenicity.Methods The human liver cancer tissues were subcutaneously transplanted into nude mice to generate xenograft tumors which were then isolated to prepare single cell suspension.The expression of CD133 + subpopulation was further detected using flow cytometry.The CD133 + subpopulations were separated and depurated with magnetic-activated cell sorting system.Immunofluorescence was performed to identify the histological phenotype of CD133 + subpopulation.The in vitro and in vivo clone formation assay and in vivo xenograft formation assay were performed, respectively.Results Flow cytometry analysis revealed that a percentage of (4.1 ± 0.6) ％ CD133 + cells were detected in xenografts.Immunofluorescence studies showed that (86.8 ± 7.5) ％ of the isolated cells were CD133 +.Compared with CD133-population, CD133 + cells showed a higher capability to generate clone sphere in vitro and a higher tumorigenicity in nude mice (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion The CD133 + subpopulation in human hepatocellular carcinoma had a potent tumorigenicity and was enriched in cancer stem cells.