[Frontiers in Bioscience E3, 701-710, January 1, 2011]

CD133 negative cancer stem cells in glioblastoma

Christoph P. Beier 1, Dagmar Beier 1

1Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Abstract
2. Introduction
3. Hypotheses on CD133 negative cancer cells in GBM
3.1. Differentiated, non-tumorigenic CD133- cells derived from CD133+ GBM CSC
3.2. CD133- progenitor cell-like tumor cells with limited proliferative potential
3.3. Uncharacterized CD133- CSC that can not be propagated in medium optimized for NSC
3.4. CD133- CSC coexisting next to CD133+ CSC
3.5. Adult NSC-like CD133- CSC
3.6. Markers for CD133- CSC
3.7. Relationship of molecular GBM subtypes to CD133- CSC
3.7. Therapeutical implications of CD133- CSC
4. Acknowledgement
5. References

1. ABSTRACT

Glioblastomas (GBM) are paradigmatic for the investigation of cancer stem cells (CSC) in solid tumors. Recently, the discovery of CD133- CSC in addition to CD133+ CSC has substantially added to our understanding of the complexity of GBM CSC. This review gives an overview on our current knowledge on CD133- cells in GBM and describes five different hypothesizes on the nature of CD133- cells in GBM. In addition, we summarize the current knowledge on tumorigenic CD133- CSC, list available markers, describe the current controversies on the origin of CD133- CSC, and discuss how the heterogeneity of CSC may correspond to the molecular heterogeneity of GBM.