Cancer Stem Cell News Volume 4.38 | Oct 7 2015

Model of Fibrolamellar Hepatocellular Carcinomas Reveals Striking Enrichment in Cancer Stem Cells
The authors present a transplantable tumor line, maintained in immune-compromised mice, and validate it as a bona fide model of human fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinomas (hFL-HCCs) by multiple methods. The hFL-HCC tumor line is highly enriched for cancer stem cells as indicated by limited dilution tumorigenicity assays, spheroid formation and flow cytometry. [Nat Commun] Full Article

An LSC Epigenetic Signature Is Largely Mutation Independent and Implicates the HOXA Cluster in AML Pathogenesis
Scientists showed a leukemia stem cell DNA methylation signature, derived from xenografts and integration with gene expression that is comprised of 71 genes and identified a key role for the HOXA cluster. [Nat Commun] Full Article

An Imbalance in TAZ and YAP Expression in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Confers Cancer Stem Cell-Like Behaviors Contributing to Disease Progression
Researchers examined the functional roles of transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ)/yes-associated protein (YAP) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression. Notably, TAZ knockdown induced compensatory YAP expression and was accompanied by upregulation of CD90, a HCC-specific cancer stem cell marker. [Cancer Res] Abstract

Mitochondrial Mass, a New Metabolic Biomarker for Stem-Like Cancer Cells: Understanding WNT/FGF-Driven Anabolic Signaling
Researchers developed an isogenic cell model of “stemness” to facilitate protein biomarker discovery in breast cancer. Mouse mammary tumor virus initiated mammary tumorigenesis in mice by promoter insertion adjacent to two main integration sites, namely Int-1 and Int-2, which ultimately activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling, driving the propagation of mammary cancer stem cells. [Oncotarget] Full Article

High Mitochondrial Mass Identifies a Sub-Population of Stem-Like Cancer Cells that Are Chemo-Resistant
Investigators used breast cell lines and metastatic breast cancer patient samples to begin to dissect the role of mitochondrial metabolism in conferring the cancer stem-like cell phenotype. [Oncotarget] Full Article

HIF2α Is Involved in the Expansion of CXCR4-Positive Cancer Stem-Like Cells in Renal Cell Carcinoma
Scientists suggest that the generation of renal cell carcinoma (RCC)-derived CSCs involves the activation of hypoxia-inducible factor-2α (HIF2α) and may provide a foundation for the development of new strategies to prevent the induction of CSCs in RCC. [Br J Cancer] Abstract

P-Cadherin and the Journey to Cancer Metastasis
Investigators studied P-cadherin signaling pathways that are activated to induce invasion and metastasis, as well as cancer stem cell properties. The signaling network downstream of P-cadherin is notably dependent on the cellular and tissue context and includes the activation of integrin molecules, receptor tyrosine kinases, small molecule GTPases, EMT transcription factors, and crosstalk with other cadherin family members. [Mol Cancer] Full Article

New Ex-Ovo Colorectal-Cancer Models from Different SdFFF-Sorted Tumor-Initiating Cells
On the basis of a new strategy, including tumor-initiating cell (TIC) sedimentation field-flow fractionation (SdFFF) sorting, 3D Matrigel amplification, and grafting of corresponding TIC colonies on the chick chorioallantoic membrane, specific tumor matrices could be obtained. Protein analysis also revealed that tumors obtained from a population enriched for “activated” TICs lost “stemness” properties and became invasive. [Anal Bioanal Chem] Abstract

Gastric Cancer Stem Cells: Evidence, Potential Markers, and Clinical Implications
The authors summarize the current evidence for cancer stem cell (CSC) in gastric cancer, with an emphasis on candidate CSC markers, clinical implications, and potential therapeutic approaches. [J Gastroenterol] Abstract

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Commence Bio to Present at 2015 Stem Cell Meeting on the Mesa
Commence Bio, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on the development of MSC1 and MSC2 cellular immunotherapy platforms for cancer and inflammatory diseases, announced that Thomas Isett, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, will present a corporate overview. [Press release from Commence Bio discussing research to be presented at the 2015 Stem Cell Meeting on the Mesa (SCMOM), La Jolla] Press Release

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Building Human Breast Tissue, Cell by Cell
The next frontier in developing therapies for cancer and other diseases could come through studying organ development or tumor growth in living humans. Problem is, there’s no ethical way of doing that using current technology. Zev Gartner, PhD, has focused on the next best thing: His lab is building fully functioning 3-D human tissue, cell by cell. [University of California, San Francisco] Press Release

Verastem Stops Enrollment Due to Futility in the Command Study of VS-6063 for the Treatment of Malignant Mesothelioma
Verastem, Inc., focused on discovering and developing drugs to treat cancer by the targeted killing of cancer stem cells, announced that the company has stopped enrollment in the Phase II registration-directed, double-blind, placebo-controlled study (COMMAND) of VS-6063 for patients with mesothelioma. [Verastem, Inc.] Press Release

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Assistant, Associate or Full Professor – Hematopoietic Stem Cell Biology (Mayo Clinic)

Research Technician II – Stem Cell and Gene Therapy (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Postdoctoral Positions – Stem Cell Biology (University of California Los Angeles)

Assistant Professor – Stem Cell Biology (Stanford University)

Postdoctoral Positions – Stem Cell, Developmental, and Cancer Biology (University of California Santa Cruz)

Postdoctoral Positions – Stem Cell, Developmental, and Cancer Biology (Columbia University Medical Center)

Assistant Professor – Stem Cell Biology (University of South Carolina)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Epigenetic Modifiers (Van Andel Research Institute)

Postdoctoral Position – Immunology/Vascular Biology/Oncology (University of Toulouse)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cancer Biology (National Cancer Institute)

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