Breast cancer stem cells cultured without insulin and effect of estrogen induction

AIM:To determine whether suspension culture medium without insulin can be used to feed breast cancer tumorsphere, or not. METHODS:MCF7 cells were used to build tumorsphere. The morphological changes, CD44+ CD24- expression, aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) expression and multiple division ability were measured to identify the breast cancer stem cells and to detect the function of 17β-estradiol (E2β) in tumorsphere of MCF7 cells. RESULTS:The tumorshere, each containing 30 to 60 cells, was obtained by the method of insulin-removal suspension culture. These cells were cytokeratin 18 and CD10 proteins positive, and the number of CD44+ CD24- cells and ALDH1 protein expression were significantly higher than the adherent cultured cells (P<0.05). Using 10-10 mol/L E2β to treat the tumorshere for 7 d, the tumor cell number and volume were significantly increased. Using 10-10 mol/L E2β to treat the tumorshere for 24 h, the CD44+ CD24-cells and ALDH1 protein expression were significantly higher than those in non-treatment group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Suspension culture medium without insulin can be used to feed breast cancer tumorsphere. These tumorsphere could be used as a model to determine the function of E2β in breast cancer stem cell research.