Deciphering the properties of adult stem cells is crucial for understanding of their role in healthy tissue and in cancer progression as well. Both stem cells and cancer stem cells have shown association with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in various tissue types. Aiming to investigate the epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypic traits in adult mouse prostate, we sorted subpopulations of basal prostate stem cells (mPSCs) and assessed the expression levels of EMT regulators and markers with custom-designed gene expression array. The population of mPSCs defined by a Lin-/Sca-1+CD49fhi/Trop-2+ (LSC Trop-2+) surface phenotype was enriched in mesenchymal markers, especially EMT master regulator Slug, encoded by the Snai2 gene. To further dissect the role of Slug in mPSCs, we used transgenic Snai2tm1.1Wbg reporter mouse strain. Using this model, we confirmed the presence of mesenchymal traits and increase of organoid forming capacity in Slug+ population of mPSCs. The Slug+-derived organoids comprised all prostate epithelial cell types - basal, luminal, and neuroendocrine. Collectively, these data uncover the important role of Slug expression in the physiology of mouse prostate stem cells.

Center of Biomolecular and Cellular Engineering International Clinical Research Center St Anne's University Hospital Brno Pekařská 53 656 91 Brno Czech Republic

Department of Clinical and Molecular Pathology Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine Palacky University and University Hospital Olomouc Czech Republic

Department of Experimental Biology Faculty of Science Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic

Department of Histology and Embryology Faculty of Medicine Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic

Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences Královopolská 135 612 65 Brno Czech Republic

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