An Adult Mouse Thyroid Side Population Cell Line that Exhibits Enriched Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition

Studies of thyroid stem/progenitor cells have been hampered due to the small organ size and lack of tissue, which limits the yield of these cells. A continuous source that allows the study and characterization of thyroid stem/progenitor cells is desired to push the field forward.

A cell line was established from Hoechst-resistant side population cells derived from mouse thyroid that were previously shown to contain stem/progenitor-like cells. Characterization of these cells were carried out by using in vitro two- and three-dimensional cultures and in vivo reconstitution of mice after orthotopic or intravenous injection, in conjunction with quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, immunohisto(cyto)chemistry/immunofluorescence, and RNA seq analysis.

These cells were named SPTL (side population cell-derived thyroid cell line). Under low serum culturing conditions, SPTL cells expressed the thyroid differentiation marker NKX2-1, a transcription factor critical for thyroid differentiation and function, while no expression of other thyroid differentiation marker genes were observed. SPTL cells formed follicle-like structures in Matrigel^® cultures, which did not express thyroid differentiation marker genes. In mouse models of orthotopic and intravenous injection, the latter following partial thyroidectomy, a few SPTL cells were found in part of the follicles, most of which expressed NKX2-1. SPTL cells highly express genes involved in epithelial-mesenchymal transition, as demonstrated by RNA seq analysis, and exhibit a gene-expression pattern similar to anaplastic thyroid carcinoma.

These results demonstrate that SPTL cells have the capacity to differentiate into thyroid to a limited degree. SPTL cells may provide an excellent tool to study stem cells, including cancer stem cells of the thyroid.