Balaji Krishnamachary1, Marie-France Penet1, Mayur M. Gadiya1, Noriko Mori1, Yelena Mironchik1, kristine glunde1, Zaver M. Bhujwalla1
1Radiology, JHU ICMIC Program, The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
Stem-like breast cancer cells (SBCCs) are drug resistant, invasive, and likely to lead to recurrence and repopulation. High CD44 adhesion molecule expression and high expression of the drug transporter ABCG2 are two markers associated with populations enriched with SBCCs. Altered choline metabolism is one of the hallmarks of cancer. Cancers typically exhibit elevated phosphocholine mostly due to increased choline kinase expression and activity. Here we have examined the relationship between choline kinase and these two markers of SBCCs. Downregulating choline kinase expression resulted in decreased CD44 and ABCG2. These studies provide insight into potential metabolic targeting of SBCCs.