Characterization of ALDH1A1 Positive Cancer Stem Cells in Glioblastoma Multiforme and Their Response to Temozolomide

• Bhoomika Patel

  Sumandeep Nursing College, Sumandeep Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University), Vadodara, Gujarat, India

• Rucha N. Acharya

  Faculty of Allied and Healthcare, Gokul Global University, Sidhpur, Gujarat, India

• Prakhar Goyal

  Quantum University Research Center, Quantum University, Roorkee, Uttarakhand, 247667, India

• Lalatendu Moharana

  Department of Onco-Medicine, IMS and SUM Hospital, Siksha 'O' Anusandhan (Deemed to be University), Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India

• B. Senthil Kumar

  Department of Anatomy, Vinayaka Mission’s Kirupananda Variyar Medical College & Hospitals, Vinayaka Mission’s Research Foundation (DU), Salem, Tamil Nadu, India

• Takveer Singh

  Centre for Research Impact & Outcome, Chitkara University Institute of Engineering and Technology, Chitkara University, Rajpura, 140401, Punjab, India

• S. Renuka Jyothi

  Department of Biotechnology and Genetics, JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a type of primary brain cancer that is associated with high malignancy and cellular diversity, along with a poor response to traditional treatment approaches. The function of ALDH1A1 has been linked with stem cell-like properties and drug resistance in various types of cancers. This research focuses on studying the stem cell-like properties and sensitivity to temozolomide (TMZ) of ALDH1A1-positive groups of cells in GBM cell lines. Human GBM cell lines, including U87-MG and U251, were grown and divided into ALDH1A1-positive and ALDH1A1-negative fractions by ALDEFLUOR test and flow cytometry. TMZ resistance was determined by means of the MTT test and apoptosis assay. ALDH1A1-positive cells comprised about 33.2 ± X% of the examined sample (n = X). As compared to ALDH1A1-negative cells, ALDH1A1-positive cells displayed increased ability to form spheres, high expression levels of stem-like markers, and decreased susceptibility to the effects of TMZ. At 48 hours of exposure to TMZ, cells expressing ALDH1A1 had a higher level of viability compared to those not expressing it. This shows a relationship between ALDH1A1 and the stem-cell characteristics of the GBM cells. There is a need for further research in this field with the use of patient samples and manipulation of ALDH1A1.

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