Establishment of pancreatic cancer stem cells by flow cytometry and their biological characteristics

To investigate the method of separating human pancreatic cancer stem cells by Hoechst 33342 labeled flow cytometry and to analyze the biological properties of pancreatic cancer stem cells. The human pancreatic cancer cell line PC-3 was divided into SP and non-SP cells by flow cytometry. The number of two cell clone spheres and nude mice tumor formation rates were compared by cultivating in serum-free medium; The expression of CD133, Nestin mRNA and protein was analyzed by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blot; The expression of two cell drug resistance genes (MDR1, ABCG2, ABCA2 and MRP1) was analyzed by real time fluorescent quantitative PCR. The number of the cloned spheres in SP cells in serum-free medium was significantly higher than that of non-SP cells (P<0.05). The incidence of SP cells in the tumor of immunodeficiency nude mice was significantly higher than that of non-SP cells, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR analysis showed that the expression of CD133 and Nestin mRNA in SP cells was significantly higher than those of non-SP cells, and the expression of CD133 and Nestin protein in SP cells was also significantly higher than those of non-SP cells (P<0.05). In conclusion, SP side population pancreatic cancer cells by Hoechst 33342 separation have the stem cell characteristics, higher tumor formation rate and higher drug resistance, which may be related to chemotherapy resistance.