BMI1, ALDH1A1, and CD133 Transcripts Connect Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition to Cancer Stem Cells in Lung Carcinoma

Figure 3

Expression levels of CSC (CD133, ALDH1A1) and EMT (BMI1, TWIST1) in EpCAM-positive CTCs of 10 patients with metastatic NSCLC. Dashed line represents relative mRNA level in PBMNCs. ALDH1A1 and BMI1 transcripts were detected in 10/10 patients whereas CD133 and TWIST1 transcripts were detected in 5/10 and 4/10 patients, respectively. Data are shown as scattered plot for all measured values with line in the middle representing the median mRNA expression level of marker in CTCs.