CD98 marks a subpopulation of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells with stem cell properties

S.R. de Kemp, A. Brink, M. Stigter-van Walsum, J.M.A. Damen, F. Rustenburg, T. Wu, W.N. van Wieringen, G.J. Schuurhuis, B.J.M. Braakhuis, M. Slijper, R.H. Brakenhoff

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Patients with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are often treated with concomitant chemotherapy and radiotherapy, but only 50% is cured. A possible explanation for treatment failure is therapy resistance of the cancer stem cells (CSCs). The application of compounds specifically targeting these CSCs, in addition to routinely used therapeutics, would likely improve clinical outcome. We demonstrate that the previously described monoclonal antibody K984 recognizes the CD98 cell surface protein, which is specifically expressed by cells forming the squamous basal cell layer, the region where the squamous stem cells reside. Moreover, CD98 is highly resistant to the proteolytic enzymes required for CSC enrichment procedures. We show that CD98
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)477-488
JournalStem Cell Research
Volume10
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2013

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