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- Title
Endothelial Interleukin-6 Defines the Tumorigenic Potential of Primary Human Cancer Stem Cells.
- Authors
Krishnamurthy, Sudha; Warner, Kristy A.; Dong, Zhihong; Imai, Atsushi; Nör, Carolina; Ward, Brent B.; Helman, Joseph I.; Taichman, Russell S.; Bellile, Emily L.; McCauley, Laurie K.; Polverini, Peter J.; Prince, Mark E.; Wicha, Max S.; Nör, Jacques E.
- Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) contain a small subpopulation of stem cells endowed with unique capacity to generate tumors. These cancer stem cells (CSC) are localized in perivascular niches and rely on crosstalk with endothelial cells for survival and self-renewal, but the mechanisms involved are unknown. Here, we report that stromal interleukin (IL)−6 defines the tumorigenic capacity of CSC sorted from primary human HNSCC and transplanted into mice. In search for the cellular source of Interleukin-6 (IL-6), we observed a direct correlation between IL-6 levels in tumor-associated endothelial cells and the tumorigenicity of CSC. In vitro, endothelial cell-IL-6 enhanced orosphere formation, p-STAT3 activation, survival, and self-renewal of human CSC. Notably, a humanized anti-IL-6R antibody (tocilizumab) inhibited primary human CSC-mediated tumor initiation. Collectively, these data demonstrate that endothelial cell-secreted IL-6 defines the tumorigenic potential of CSC, and suggest that HNSCC patients might benefit from therapeutic inhibition of IL-6/IL-6R signaling. S tem C ells 2014;32:2845-2857
- Subjects
INTERLEUKIN-6; CANCER stem cells; SQUAMOUS cell carcinoma; LABORATORY mice; ENDOTHELIAL cells; HEAD &; neck cancer patients
- Publication
Stem Cells, 2014, Vol 32, Issue 11, p2845
- ISSN
1066-5099
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1002/stem.1793