We also developed an approach to assess local cell density and found that denser monolayer areas possess higher average levels of SOX2, higher cell diversity, and a presence of a sub-population of slowly proliferating SOX2-low GSCs.
Active (phosphorylated Y416) Src was shown to regulate cancer stemness, since ectopic overexpression of Src strongly activated Akt and subsequently enhanced pluripotency transcription factor SRY (sex-determining region Y)-box 2 (Sox2)- mediating CSC phenotypes, whereas the short hairpin RNA of Src and an Src inhibitor (dasatinib) suppressed Akt, Sox2, and CSC properties.
Transcription factor Sox2, which is frequently upregulated in sarcomas, is directly involved in this process, and its crucial role in the acquisition and maintenance of the CSC phenotype has been demonstrated in various sarcomas.
The putative lung CSCs phenotypes of CD166(+)/CD44(+) and CD166(+)/EpCAM(+) showed multipotent characteristics of stem cells, including the ability to differentiate into adipogenic and osteogenic cells, self-renewal, and expression of stem cell transcription factors such as Sox2 and Oct3/4.
Employing a CSC derived from a patient with GBM and isogenic differentiated cell model, we show that Sox2 knockdown in the differentiated state abolished dedifferentiation and acquisition of CSC phenotype.