UNASSIGNED: Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that @entity0 are initiated and develop from a small population of stem-like cells termed @entity5 stem cells (CSCs). These cells are hypothesized to mediate tumor @entity3 and contribute to therapeutic resistance. However, the molecular regulatory networks responsible for maintaining CSCs in an undifferentiated state have yet to be elucidated. In this study, we used CSC markers to isolate pure breast CSCs fractions (ALDH+ and @entity1759 + @entity11707 - cell populations) and the mature luminal cells ( @entity9617 - @entity5960 +) from the MCF7 cell line. Proteomic analysis was performed on these samples and a total of 3304 proteins were identified. A label-free quantitative method was applied to analyze differentially expressed proteins. Using the criteria of greater than twofold changes and p value <0.05, 305, 322 and 98 proteins were identified as significantly different in three pairwise comparisons of ALDH+ versus @entity1759 + @entity11707 -, ALDH+ versus @entity9617 - @entity5960 + and @entity1759 + @entity11707 - versus @entity9617 - @entity5960 +, respectively. Pathway analysis of differentially expressed proteins by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) revealed potential molecular regulatory networks that may regulate CSCs. Selected differential proteins were validated by Western blot assay and immunohistochemical staining. The use of proteomics analysis may increase our understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms of breast CSCs. This may be of importance in the future development of anti-CSC therapeutics.

A quantitative proteomics analysis of MCF7 XXXX stem and progenitor cell populations.

@entity5960 :: ('4072', 'Gene') :: ['EpCAM'] @entity0 :: ('MESH:D001943', 'Disease') :: ['breast cancers'] @entity5 :: ('MESH:D009369', 'Disease') :: ['cancer'] @entity11707 :: ('100133941', 'Gene') :: ['CD24'] @entity1759 :: ('960', 'Gene') :: ['CD44'] @entity3 :: ('MESH:D009362', 'Disease') :: ['metastasis'] @entity9617 :: ('3655', 'Gene') :: ['CD49f']
@entity0 :: (MESH:D001943,Disease) :: ['breast cancer']
