Stem Cell ：抗体捕获癌干细胞或成为癌症治疗新手段

近日，一个国际研究小组通过研究揭示了一种新的标记物，这种新的标记物对于我们理解癌症在肝脏、胰脏以及食道中的发展至关重要。相关研究成果刊登在了近日的国际杂志Stem Cell 上。我们熟知的干细胞一般“居住”于器官中，一般情况下，使干细胞分离非常困难。研究者的这项研究揭示了一种抗体可以用于捕获干细胞。

研究者Pera教授表示，这种抗体可以检测疾病状态下的器官祖细胞，比如肝硬化或者胰腺癌等癌症。通过识别这些祖细胞，研究者希望能够学习到更多关于祖细胞在组织再生以及癌症发展中所扮演的角色以及作用。

研究者表示，未来他们将开发出更多的抗体用于帮助检测和识别以及分离组织中的干细胞，目前他们的研究对于诸如肝癌、胰腺癌以及食道癌等的治疗提供了很多思路。

编译自：Stem cell research aids understanding of cancer

doi:10.1002/stem.1167
PMC:
PMID:

The GCTM-5 Epitope Associated with the Mucin-Like Glycoprotein FCGBP Marks Progenitor Cells in Tissues of Endodermal Origin†

Lincon A. Stamp1,2,‡, David R. Braxton3,‡, Jun Wu3,‡, Veronika Akopian3,‡, Kouichi Hasegawa3,‡, Parakrama T. Chandrasoma4, Susan M. Hawes1,2, Catriona McLean5, Lydia M. Petrovic4, Kasper Wang6, Martin F. Pera1,2,3,§,*

Monoclonal antibodies against cell surface markers are powerful tools in the study of tissue regeneration, repair and neoplasia, but there is a paucity of specific reagents to identify stem and progenitor cells in tissues of endodermal origin. The epitope defined by the GCTM-5 monoclonal antibody is a putative marker of hepatic progenitors. We sought to analyze further the distribution of the GCTM-5 antigen in normal tissues and disease states, and to characterize the antigen biochemically. The GCTM-5 epitope was specifically expressed on tissues derived from the definitive endoderm, in particular the fetal gut, liver and pancreas. Antibody reactivity was detected in subpopulations of normal adult biliary and pancreatic duct cells, and GCTM-5 positive cells isolated from the non-parenchymal fraction of adult liver expressed markers of progenitor cells. The GCTM-5 positive cell populations in liver and pancreas expanded greatly in numbers in disease states such as biliary atresia, cirrhosis and pancreatitis. Neoplasms arising in these tissues also expressed the GCTM-5 antigen, with pancreatic adenocarcinoma in particular showing strong and consistent reactivity. The GCTM-5 epitope was also strongly displayed on cells undergoing intestinal metaplasia in Barrett's esophagus, a precursor to esophageal carcinoma. Biochemical, mass spectrometry, and immunochemical studies revealed that the GCTM-5 epitope is associated with the mucin-like glycoprotein FCGBP. The GCTM-5 epitope on the mucin-like glycoprotein FCGBP is a cell surface marker for the study of normal differentiation lineages, regeneration, and disease progression in tissues of endodermal origin.