Feline mammary carcinoma stem cells are tumorigenic, radioresistant, chemoresistant and defective in activation of the ATM/p53 DNA damage pathway

Cancer stem cells were identified in a feline mammary carcinoma cell line by demonstrating expression of CD133 and utilising the tumour sphere assay. A population of cells was identified that had an invasive, mesenchymal phenotype, expressed markers of pluripotency and enhanced tumour formation in the NOD-SCID mouse and chick embryo models. This population of feline mammary carcinoma stem cells was resistant to chemotherapy and radiation, possibly due to aberrant activation of the ATM/p53 DNA damage pathway. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition was a feature of the invasive phenotype. These data demonstrate that cancer stem cells are a feature of mammary cancer in cats.