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Updated: May 15, 2026
12:16
Patient Derived Cell Culture and Isolation of CD133+ Putative Cancer Stem Cells from Melanoma
Published on: March 13, 2013
CD133 is essential for glioblastoma stem cell maintenance
Paola Brescia1, Barbara Ortensi, Lorenzo Fornasari
1Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO), Milan, Italy.
Stem Cells (Dayton, Ohio)
|January 12, 2013
Summary
CD133 (cancer stem cell marker) role in glioblastoma (GBM) is complex. Downregulating CD133 in GBM neurospheres impairs self-renewal and tumor-forming ability, suggesting CD133 as a potential therapeutic target.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- CD133 is investigated as a cancer stem cell marker in glioblastoma (GBM).
- CD133 identifies cells initiating neurosphere growth and tumor formation.
- CD133-negative cells also exhibit stem-like properties, and CD133's functional role is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the biological effects of CD133 downregulation in GBM patient-derived neurospheres.
- To clarify the functional role of CD133 in glioblastoma stem/progenitor cells.
Main Methods:
- Studied biological effects of CD133 downregulation in GBM neurospheres.
- Utilized lentivirus-mediated short hairpin RNA for CD133 silencing.
- Analyzed cell self-renewal and tumorigenic capacity.
Main Results:
- No hierarchical relationship observed between CD133-positive and CD133-negative cells.
- CD133 exhibits interconvertible subcellular localization (cytoplasm and plasma membrane).
- CD133 silencing significantly impairs neurosphere cell self-renewal and tumorigenic capacity.
Conclusions:
- CD133's role in GBM stem cells is dynamic, not strictly hierarchical.
- CD133 downregulation affects GBM's self-renewal and tumorigenesis.
- CD133 represents a potential therapeutic target for glioblastoma.
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