Enrichment of Tumor Stem-like Subpopulation Cells with 5-FU in Human Leukemia Cell Lines KG-1a

Abstract: To enrich tumor stem cell-like subpopulation in human leukemia cell lines KG-1a with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)， optimal concentration and effect time of 5-FU were determined with in vitro drug sensitivity assay. The CD34+CD38- subpopulation in the enriched subpopulation of KG-1a cells was detected with flow cytometry. The RNA content of enriched subpopulation cells was measured by using acridine orange staining， and their expression of ABCG2 mRNA by RT-PCR. The colony-forming ability of this subpopulation cells was evaluated by semi-solid culturing. It was indicated through our research that after treatment of KG-1a cells with 50 μg/ml 5-FU for 4 days， the proportion of CD34+CD38- cells in enriched subpopulation was elevated by more than 10 folds; The RNA content of enriched subpopulation cells was low， but the ABCG2 mRNA was highly expressed. The colony forming ability of enriched subpopulation cells was lower than of non-enriched KG-1a cells. Our study suggested that utilizing 5-FU for killing most proliferating cells， we successfully established the method in which selecting and enriching tumor stem-like subpopulation cells in human leukemia cell lines KG-1a with 5-FU.
    
    

CSTR: 32200.14.cjcb.2008.06.0021