Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
1993569 | Methods | 2013 | 8 Pages |
Abstract
Epithelial tumor cells can become mesenchymal cells and vice versa via phenotypic transitions, a process known as epithelial plasticity. We postulate that during the process of metastasis, circulating tumor cells (CTCs) lose their epithelial phenotype and acquire a mesenchymal phenotype that may not be sufficiently captured by existing epithelial-based CTC technologies. We report here on the development of a novel CTC capture method, based on the biology of epithelial plasticity, which isolates cells based on OB-cadherin cell surface expression. Using this mesenchymal-based assay, OB-cadherin cellular events are detectable in men with metastatic prostate cancer and are less common in healthy volunteers. This method may complement existing epithelial-based methods and may be particularly useful in patients with bone metastases.
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Authors
Rhonda L. Bitting, Rengasamy Boominathan, Chandra Rao, Gabor Kemeny, Brad Foulk, Mariano A. Garcia-Blanco, Mark Connelly, Andrew J. Armstrong,