Resistance of stem-like cells from neuroblastoma cell lines to commonly used anticancer drugs

10054 Background: Neuroblastoma is the most common extra-cranial solid tumor of childhood. Recent studies have shown that most cancers contain a small number of stem-like cells which may be responsible for cancer progression and relapse. For this study, we investigated the cytotoxicity of 4 commonly used anti-cancer drugs on stem-like cells isolated from neuroblastoma cell lines. Methods: Cell surface marker CD133 positivity was used to define stem-like cells. Three neuroblastoma lines were screened for the expression of stem cell marker CD133 by FACS analysis. CD 133+ cells were isolated by positive selection using magnetic micro-beads. The cytotoxicity of four cancer drugs Cisplatin (0–50μg/ml), Etopside (0–200μg/ml), Doxorubicin (0–200ng/ml), and Carboplatin (0–200μMl) was studied on CD133+ and CD133- populations, by MTT and PI/Annexin binding assays. Results: Neuroblastoma lines SK-N-BE and SK-N-SH had 2% and 8% cells expressing CD133 respectively, while SH-SY-5Y had no CD133 expressing cells. CD133 +...