Mammary Cell News Volume 3.14 | Apr 14 2011

Tumor-Infiltrating CD8⁺ Lymphocytes Predict Clinical Outcome in Breast Cancer
The purpose of this study is to explore the prognostic value of tumor-infiltrating CD8⁺ cytotoxic lymphocytes in breast cancer. [J Clin Oncol]

Targeting p21-Activated Kinase 1 (PAK1) to Induce Apoptosis of Tumor Cells
To better understand the role of PAK1 in tumorigenesis, PAK1 genomic copy number and expression were determined for a large panel of breast, lung, and head and neck tumors. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA]

Genome-Wide Functional Screen Identifies a Compendium of Genes Affecting Sensitivity to Tamoxifen
Investigators used a genome-wide functional profiling approach to identify multiple genes that confer resistance or sensitivity to tamoxifen. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA]

Anti–ErbB-2 mAb Therapy Requires Type I and II Interferons and Synergizes with Anti–Programmed Death-1 or Anti-41BB mAb Therapy
Scientists report here that anti–human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (ErbB-2) mAb therapy is dependent on the release of type I and type II interferons but is independent of perforin or FasL. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA]

Luminal Expression of PIK3CA Mutant H1047R in the Mammary Gland Induces Heterogeneous Tumors
Researchers demonstrate that expression of mutant PIK3CA H1047R in the luminal mammary epithelium evokes heterogeneous tumors that express luminal and basal markers and are positive for the estrogen receptor. [Cancer Res]

ErbB3 Ablation Impairs Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase (PI3K)/AKT-Dependent Mammary Tumorigenesis
Investigators report that ErbB3 is critical for PI3K/AKT-driven tumor formation triggered by the polyomavirus middle T oncogene. [Cancer Res]

Orthodenticle Homolog 1 Gene Expression in Breast Cancer Is Regulated by p53
In this study, 28 human breast carcinomas have been analyzed for expression of wild-type p53 and of a pool of non-clustered homeobox genes. [Oncogene]

Loss of AF6/Afadin, a Marker of Poor Outcome in Breast Cancer, Induces Cell Migration, Invasiveness and Tumor Growth
To determine the role of afadin in breast cancer, scientists studied the functional consequences of afadin protein extinction using in vitro and in vivo models. [Oncogene] 
 
ARF1 Controls Proliferation of Breast Cancer Cells by Regulating the Retinoblastoma Protein
Findings provide direct physiological and molecular evidence for the role of ADP-ribosylation factors (ARF1) in controlling cell proliferation, dependent on its ability to regulate retinoblastoma protein/E2F1 activity and gene expression for enhanced proliferation and breast cancer progression. [Oncogene]

Preclinical Screening of Anti-HER2 Nanobodies for Molecular Imaging of Breast Cancer
Researchers describe the generation of a panel of 38 nanobodies, small human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-binding fragments that are derived from heavy-chain-only antibodies raised in an immunized dromedary. [FASEB J]

Disulfiram Modulated Reactive Oxygen Species–MAPK and NFκB Pathways and Targeted Breast Cancer Cells with Cancer Stem Cell-Like Properties
Disulfiram/copper inhibited breast cancer stem cells and enhanced cytotoxicity of paclitaxel in breast cancer cell lines. This may be caused by simultaneous induction of reactive oxygen species and inhibition of NFκB. [Br J Cancer]

CLINICAL RESEARCH

Validation of a Novel Staging System for Disease-Specific Survival in Patients with Breast Cancer Treated with Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy
Investigators previously described a novel breast cancer staging system for assessing prognosis after neoadjuvant chemotherapy on the basis of pretreatment clinical stage (CS), estrogen receptor status (E), grade (G), and post-treatment pathologic stage (PS). This clinical-pathologic stage + EG staging system assigned and summed points for each factor, allowing for better determination of breast cancer–specific survival than CS or PS alone. [J Clin Oncol]