Protein markers of cancer-associated fibroblasts and tumor-initiating cells reveal subpopulations in freshly isolated ovarian cancer ascites

Abstract

In addition to demonstrating potentially high levels of TICs in ascites, the results suggest that the S-type population is the less tumorigenic one. Nanog(high)/EpCAM(high) samples represent a TIC subset which may be either M- or S-type, and which is separate from the CD44(high)/Oct-4A(high) subset observed only in M-type samples. This demonstrates a heterogeneity in TIC populations in vivo which has practical implications for TIC isolation based on cell sorting. The biological heterogeneity will need to be addressed in future therapeutical strategies.