Effect of temperature changes on the expression of cancer stem cell protein CD-44 and TAU protein in AMGM-5 cancer cell line: An immunocytochemistry study

INTRODUCTION: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) has long been one of the most common and particularly invasive malignant gliomas. High-grade gliomas are highly prone to relapse and associated with poor prognosis. This study tests the hypothesis that hyper-thermal conditions could influence TAU and CD-44 protein expression by increasing temperature in glioblastoma cancer cell line culture.
METHODS: AMGM cancer cells were cultured and maintained under normal growth conditions, then separated into two groups: one group was cultured at 37°C, and the other at 40°C. After 24 hours of growth, cells underwent immunocytochemistry (ICC) to visualize the localization of TAU and CD-44 markers.
RESULTS: The results show that fewer AMGM cells remained stable enough to grow at 40°C; these cells lost their fusiform shape and became spherical compared to cells grown under normal conditions. Additionally, an increase in microenvironmental temperature significantly affected TAU protein expression in the nucleus of AMGM cells, with a 71.4% increase at 40°C. In contrast, the expression of CD-44, typically expressed on the cell membrane of AMGM cells, decreased by 42.9% at 40°C.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Changes in the microenvironment may affect glioblastoma cell line development by influencing the cancer stem cell marker CD-44 and the microtubule-stabilizing protein TAU. These markers could serve as potential targets for the treatment and prevention of glioblastoma.