Mammary Cell News Volume 5.34 | Aug 29 2013

Triple Negative Breast Cancer Initiating Cell Subsets Differ in Functional and Molecular Characteristics and in γ-Secretase Inhibitor Drug Responses
Increasing evidence suggests that stem-like cells mediate cancer therapy resistance and metastasis. Breast tumor-initiating stem cells (T-ISC) are known to be enriched in CD44⁺CD24^neg/low cells. Here, investigators identified two T-ISC subsets within this population in triple negative breast cancer lines and dissociated primary breast cancer cultures: CD44⁺CD24^low+ subpopulation generates CD44⁺CD24^neg progeny with reduced sphere formation and tumorigenicity. [EMBO Mol Med] Full Article

miR-155-Mediated Loss of C/EBPβ Shifts the Transforming Growth Factor-Beta Response from Growth Inhibition to Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition, Invasion and Metastasis in Breast Cancer
Researchers found that loss of CCAAT-enhancer binding protein beta (C/EBPβ) was associated with signs of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in triple-negative human breast cancer, and in invasive areas of mammary tumors in MMTV-PyMT mice. [Oncogene] Full Article | Press Release

Pharmacologic Reversion of Epigenetic Silencing of the PRKD1 Promoter Blocks Breast Tumor Cell Invasion and Metastasis
The authors showed that the gene promoter of PRKD1 is aberrantly methylated and silenced in its expression in invasive breast cancer cells and during breast tumor progression, increasing with the aggressiveness of tumors. [Breast Cancer Res] Full Article | Press Release

Effects of Sorafenib on Energy Metabolism in Breast Cancer Cells: Role of AMPK-mTORC1 Signaling
Scientists investigated the effects and the underlying molecular mechanisms of the multi-kinase inhibitor sorafenib in a panel of breast cancer cell lines. [Breast Cancer Res Treat] Abstract

PTHrP Expression in Human MDA-MB-231 Breast Cancer Cells Is Critical for Tumor Growth and Survival and Osteoblast Inhibition
Investigators examined the effects of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) derived from human MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells on the tumor growth and osteoblast inhibition. Results revealed that knocking down PTHrP expression in the breast cancer cells strikingly inhibited the formation of subcutaneous tumors in nude mice. [Int J Biol Sci] Abstract

Breast Cancer Cell Behaviors on Staged Tumorigenesis-Mimicking Matrices Derived from Tumor Cells at Various Malignant Stages
Scientists prepared staged tumorigenesis-mimicking matrices which mimic in vivo extracellular matrix (ECM) in tumor tissue at each malignant stage to understand the roles of ECM in tumor progression. [Biochem Biophys Res Commun] Abstract

BTG1 Inhibits Breast Cancer Cell Growth through Induction of Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis
The authors observed that BTG1 was weakly expressed in human breast tumors and in breast cancer cells. In addition, they investigated the potential effects of BTG1 on breast cancer cell proliferation, cell cycle distribution and apoptosis after stable transfection with the BTG1 expression vector. [Oncol Rep] Abstract

CLINICAL RESEARCH

Phase II Trial of Bicalutamide in Patients with Androgen Receptor Positive, Hormone Receptor Negative Metastatic Breast Cancer
Researchers explored bicalutamide in androgen receptor (AR) positive, estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PgR)-negative metastatic breast cancer. Tumors from patients with ER/PgR-negative advanced breast cancer were tested centrally for AR. If either the primary or a metastatic site was positive patients were eligible to receive the AR-antagonist bicalutamide at a dose of 150 mg daily. [Clin Cancer Res] Abstract

Impact of c-MYC Protein Expression on Outcome of Patients with Early-Stage HER2+ Breast Cancer Treated with Adjuvant Trastuzumab NCCTG (Alliance) N9831
Scientists investigated the association between tumor MYC protein expression and disease-free survival (DFS) of patients randomized to receive chemotherapy alone or chemotherapy with sequential or concurrent trastuzumab in the N9831 adjuvant HER2+ trastuzumab breast cancer trial. [Clin Cancer Res] Abstract

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GeneDx Introduces Advanced Genetic Test Panels for Inherited Cancer Including Breast and Colon Cancer
GeneDx including a 26-gene panel for breast and ovarian cancer that includes BRCA1 and BRCA2 and next generation sequencing based multi-gene panels for colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, and endometrial cancer. [CNW Group Ltd.] Press Release

New Investment in Breast Cancer Research
Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation is building on its commitment to fund high quality research across the breast cancer continuum, by investing $8.4 million in projects across Ontario, including grants to both Dr. Ali Ashkar and Dr. Jessica Cockburn at McMaster University in Hamilton. [CNW Group Ltd.]
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NEW Postdoctoral Position – Breast Cancer Signaling (Weizmann Institute of Science)

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