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Updated: Dec 7, 2025
Isolation of Cancer Stem Cells From Human Prostate Cancer Samples
Published on: March 14, 2014
Sphere-derived Prostate Cancer Stem Cells Are Resistant to γδ T Cell Cytotoxicity
Masatsugu Miyashita1,2, Mako Tomogane1, Yuichi Nakamura1,2
1Department of Clinical and Translational Physiology, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Kyoto, Japan.
Background/Aim:
γδ T cells mediate cytotoxicity against prostate cancer (PCa) cells in vitro; however, the clinical efficacy of γδ T cell-targeted immunotherapy for recurrent and metastatic PCa is unsatisfactory. We hypothesized that the resistance of recurrent and metastatic PCa to γδ T cells is related to the presence of prostate cancer stem cells (PCSCs), and we examined their relationship.
Materials And Methods:
PCa spheres (prostaspheres) were generated from five PCa cell lines, and their susceptibility to cytotoxicity by γδ T cells was investigated. Expression of stemness-related markers was evaluated by qRT-PCR.
Results:
Prostasphere-derived cancer cells were resistant to lysis by γδ T cells and expressed higher levels of several stemness markers, including CD133, NANOG, SOX2, and OCT4, than the parental PCa cell lines.
Conclusion:
Ex vivo-expanded γδ T cells are not effective against PCSCs.
Insights
Prostate cancer stem cells (PCSCs) resist killing by gamma delta T cells. This explains why current immunotherapies are ineffective against recurrent and metastatic prostate cancer.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Oncology
- Cancer Stem Cell Research
Background:
- Gamma delta T cells show promise for prostate cancer (PCa) immunotherapy.
- Clinical outcomes for recurrent and metastatic PCa treated with γδ T cells are suboptimal.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between prostate cancer stem cells (PCSCs) and resistance to γδ T cell-mediated cytotoxicity.
- To determine if PCSCs contribute to the limited efficacy of current immunotherapies.
Main Methods:
- Prostate cancer spheres (prostaspheres) were generated from five PCa cell lines.
- Susceptibility of prostaspheres to γδ T cell lysis was assessed.
- Expression of stemness markers (CD133, NANOG, SOX2, OCT4) was quantified using qRT-PCR.
Main Results:
- Prostasphere-derived cells exhibited resistance to γδ T cell-mediated killing.
- Elevated expression of stemness markers (CD133, NANOG, SOX2, OCT4) was observed in PCSCs compared to parental PCa cells.
Conclusions:
- Ex vivo-expanded γδ T cells are ineffective against prostate cancer stem cells.
- PCSCs represent a significant barrier to successful γδ T cell-based immunotherapy for advanced prostate cancer.
