A convenient, fast, and cost-effective method to measure the proportion of side population cells in solid tumor cell lines is presented.
Method Article
A convenient, fast, and cost-effective method to measure the proportion of side population cells in solid tumor cell lines is presented.
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are an important cause of tumor growth, metastasis, and recurrence. Isolation and identification of CSCs are of great significance for tumor research. Currently, several techniques are used for the identification and purification of CSCs from tumor tissues and tumor cell lines. Separation and analysis of side population (SP) cells are two of the commonly used methods. The methods rely on the ability of CSCs to rapidly expel fluorescent dyes, such as Hoechst 33342. The efflux of the dye is associated with the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters and can be inhibited by ABC transporter inhibitors. Methods for staining cultured tumor cells with Hoechst 33342 and analyzing the proportion of their SP cells by flow cytometry are described. This assay is convenient, fast, and cost-effective. Data generated in this assay can contribute to a better understanding of the effect of genes or other extracellular and intracellular signals on the stemness properties of tumor cells.
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are subsets of cells with self-renewal ability and multiple differentiation potential, which play a vital role in tumor growth, metastasis, and recurrence1,2. Currently, CSCs have been identified to exist in a variety of malignant tumors, including lung, brain, pancreas, prostate, breast, and liver cancers3,4,5,6,7,8,9. Identification of CSCs in these tumors is mainly based on the presence of surface marker proteins, such as high and/or low expression of CD44, CD24, CD133, and Sca-19,10, but a unique marker that can distinguish CSCs from non-CSCs has not been reported so far. Currently, several techniques are used to identify and purify CSCs in tumor tissue or tumor cell lines. These techniques are designed based on the specific properties of CSCs. Among them, assays and sorting of side population (SP) cells are two of the commonly used methods.
SP cells were originally discovered by Goodell et al.11, when they characterized hematopoietic stem cells in mouse bone marrow cells. When the mouse bone marrow cells were labeled with the fluorescent dye Hoechst 33342, a small group of Hoechst 33342 dimly-stained cells appeared in the two-dimensional dot plot of a flow cytometry assay. Hoechst 33342 is a DNA-binding dye and has at least two binding modes that lead to different spectral characteristics. When viewing fluorescence emission at two wavelengths at the same time, multiple populations can be revealed12. In their assay, the Hoechst 33342 was excited at 350 nm and the fluorescence was measured by using the 450/20 nm band-pass (BP) filter and 675 nm edge filter long-pass (EFLP)11. Compared with whole population of bone marrow cells, this group of cells was enriched with hematopoietic stem cells called SP cells11. SP cells are capable of rapidly expelling Hoechst 33342. The efflux of this dye is related to ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters13, which can be inhibited by some agents such as Fumitremorgin C14, Verapamil and Reserpine15,16. After that, different proportions of SP cells were detected in a variety of tissues, organs, tumor tissues, and tumor cell lines17,18,19. These SP cells have many characteristics of stem cells17,19.
This manuscript describes Hoechst 33342 labeling and staining of cultured tumor cells and the analysis of SP cells by flow cytometry. Moreover, optimization of the Hoechst 33342 concentration and the proper blocker selection for a specific tumor cell line using this approach are shown. Finally, the effects of stemness promotion or inhibition signals on the proportion of SP in tumor cells are demonstrated. The experimental examples demonstrate that analysis of SP can be used to explore the effects of various signals, such as gene expression, small inhibitors, activators, cytokines, and chemokines, on tumor stemness. Compared to other methods for isolation and purification of CSCs, such as sorting of CD44+/CD24– population, aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) analysis, and tumor sphere formation assays, this method is easier for manipulation and is cost-effective.
Access restricted. Please log in or start a trial to view this content.
1. Cell preparation
2. Cell staining with Hoechst 33342
3. Analysis by flow cytometry
NOTE: Instructions for use of the flow cytometer software (see Table of Materials) are described in this section and Supplementary Figures 1–10.
4. Data analysis
NOTE: Instructions for the use of the flow cytometry analysis software (see Table of Materials) are described in this section and Supplementary Figures 11–16.
Access restricted. Please log in or start a trial to view this content.
Four experimental SP analyses were performed according to this method. In the first one, we detected the proportion of SP cells in MDA-MB-231, which is a triple negative human breast cancer cell line, under normal conditions. After cell counting, Hoechst 33342 was added into one tube containing 1 x 106 cells to a final concentration of 3 µg/mL. Reserpine and Hoechst 33342 were added to another tube to final concentrations of 40 µM and 3 µg/mL, respectively. PI was added to both tubes. The dot plot of FSC-A (X-...
Access restricted. Please log in or start a trial to view this content.
There are several key points to keep in mind for the SP assay. The first is the selection of a proper blocker, such as Verapamil or Reserpine, for each cell line, because the "gate" location of the SP cells is determined according to the position at which a large number of SP cells disappear after the addition of the blocker. For the MDA-MB-231 cell line, Reserpine works well. However, for other cell lines, different blockers might work better.
The second is the concentration of Hoechs...
Access restricted. Please log in or start a trial to view this content.
The authors have nothing to disclose.
This work was funded by the Natural Science Foundation of China 81572599, 81773124, and 81972787; Natural Science Foundation of Tianjin City (China) 19JCYBJC27300; Tianjin People’s Hospital & Nankai University Collaborative Research Grant 2016rmnk005; Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, Nankai University 63191153.
Access restricted. Please log in or start a trial to view this content.
| Name | Company | Catalog Number | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 well cell culture plate | CORNING | 3516 | 9.5 cm2 (approx.) |
| Colivelin | MCE | HY-P1061A | Ser-Ala-Leu-Leu-Arg-Ser-Ile-Pro-Ala-Pro-Ala-Gly-Ala-Ser-Arg-Leu-Leu-Leu-Leu-Thr-Gly-Glu-Ile-Asp-Leu-Pro |
| Fetal bovine serum (FBS) | Biological Industries (BIOIND) | 04-001-1ACS | |
| Flow cytometer | BD Biosciences | BD LSRFortessa | |
| Flow cytometer software | BD Biosciences | FACSDiva | |
| Flow cytometry analysis software | BD Biosciences | FlowJo | |
| Hoechst 33342 | Sigma-Aldrich | B2261 | bisBenzimide H 33342 trihydrochloride |
| Polystyrene round bottom test tube | CORNING | 352054 | 12 x 75 mm, 5 mL |
| Propidium iodide (PI) | Sigma-Aldrich | P4170 | 3,8-Diamino-5-[3-(diethylmethylammonio)propyl]-6-phenylphenanthridinium diiodide |
| Reserpine | Sigma-Aldrich | 83580 | (3β, 16β, 17α, 18β, 20α)-11,17-Dimethoxy-18-[(3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoyl)oxy]yohimban-16-carboxylic acid methyl ester |
| SKLB816 | Provided by Dr. Shengyong Yang, Sichuan University | ||
| Trypsin-EDTA (0.25%), phenol red | Gibco | 25200072 | |
| Verapamil hydrochloride | Sigma-Aldrich | V4629 | 5-[N-(3,4-Dimethoxyphenylethyl)methylamino] -2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-isopropylvaleronitrile hydrochloride |
Access restricted. Please log in or start a trial to view this content.
Request permission to reuse the text or figures of this JoVE article
Request Permission