Mammary Cell News Volume 8.21 | Jun 2 2016

TOP STORY

Research Explains the Role of the Gene BRCA1 in DNA Repair

Scientists are a step closer to understanding the role of the gene BRCA1. Changes in this gene are associated with a high risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. Their research explains how the gene encourages the attachment of the BRACA1 protein, ubiquitin, to other proteins and plays a vital role in DNA repair. [Press Release from University of Birmingham discussing online prepublication in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology.] Press Release | Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

LABORATORY RESEARCH

RANKL/RANK Control Brca1 Mutation-Driven Mammary Tumors

Using two different mouse models, researchers showed that genetic inactivation of the key osteoclast differentiation factor RANK in the mammary epithelium markedly delayed onset, reduced incidence, and attenuated progression of Brca1;p53 mutation-driven mammary cancer. [Cell Res] Full Article

TRPV2 Is a Novel Biomarker and Therapeutic Target in Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Investigators found that transient receptor potential vanilloid type-2 (TRPV2) protein is highly up-regulated in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) tissues compared to normal breast tissues. They observed that TNBC and estrogen receptor alpha negative patients with higher TRPV2 expression have significantly higher recurrence free survival compared to patients with lower TRPV2 expression especially those who were treated with chemotherapy. [Oncotarget] Full Article

Combination of Eribulin and Aurora A Inhibitor MLN8237 Prevents Metastatic Colonization and Induces Cytotoxic Autophagy in Breast Cancer

Scientists determined the effects of Aurora A (AURKA) kinase inhibition by the small molecule inhibitor MLN8237 both as a monotherapy and in combination with the microtubule targeting drug eribulin on different stages of metastasis in triple negative breast cancer and defined the potential mechanism of its action. [Mol Cancer Ther] Abstract

Identifications of Novel Mechanisms in Breast Cancer Cells Involving Duct-Like Multicellular Spheroid Formation after Exposure to the Random Positioning Machine

Scientists investigated human MCF-7 breast cancer cells after a 2 hour (h)-, 4 h-, 16 h-, 24 h- and 5 day (d)-exposure to a Random Positioning Machine simulating microgravity. At 24 h few small compact multicellular spheroids (MCS) were detectable, whereas after 5d many MCS were floating in the supernatant above the cells, remaining adherently. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Cholesterol Biosynthesis Pathway as a Novel Mechanism of Resistance to Estrogen Deprivation in Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer

To identify common adaptive mechanisms associated with resistance to aromatase inhibitors, the authors assessed changes in global gene expression during adaptation to long-term estrogen deprivation in a panel of ER⁺ breast cancer cell lines cultured in 2D on plastic or in 3D on collagen to model the stromal compartment. [Breast Cancer Res] Full Article

SMARCAD1 Knockdown Uncovers Its Role in Breast Cancer Cell Migration, Invasion, and Metastasis

Using two different designs of shRNA targeting SMARCAD1, researchers investigated the impact of SMARCAD1 knockdown on the migration, invasion, and metastasis potential of the breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231 and T47D. [Expert Opin Ther Targets] Abstract

Overexpression of Caveolin-1 in Inflammatory Breast Cancer Cells Enables IBC-Specific Gene Delivery and Prodrug Conversion Using Histone-Targeted Polyplexes

Using cellular transfection experiments, function-blocking assays, and confocal imaging in both inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) SUM149 cell monocultures and IBC SUM149 co-cultures with MCF10A normal breast epithelial cells, the authors found that their H3-targeted polyplexes selectively transfected IBC SUM149 cells at a four-fold higher level than normal breast epithelial cells. [Biotechnol Bioeng] Abstract

CLINICAL RESEARCH

High-Dose Chemotherapy and Autologous Bone Marrow or Stem Cell Transplantation versus Conventional Chemotherapy for Women with Early Poor Prognosis Breast Cancer

To compare the effectiveness and safety of high-dose chemotherapy and autograft (either autologous bone marrow or stem cell transplantation) with conventional chemotherapy for women with early poor prognosis breast cancer. [Cochrane Database Syst Rev] Abstract

Ki67, PCNA, and MCM Proteins: Markers of Proliferation in the Diagnosis of Breast Cancer

The reviewers offer insight into the discovery of the Ki67, PCNA, and MCM proteins, as well as their current molecular and biological importance. In addition, the functions and properties of the three proteins and their use as markers of proliferation in the diagnosis of breast cancer are described. [Acta Histochem] Abstract

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the mammary cell research field.

One Year after Launch, BRCA Share™ Open Data Initiative Reveals New Findings on BRCA Gene Mutations Linked to Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Risk

BRCA Share announced the public release of a large collection of new data on genetic variants in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Mutations of these genes raise the risk of breast, ovarian and other cancers. [Press release from Quest Diagnostics discussing research presented at 6^th International Biennial Meeting of Human Variome Project Consortium (HVP6), Paris] Press Release

Astellas and Medivation Initiate Phase III Trial of Enzalutamide in Patients with Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Astellas Pharma Inc. and Medivation, Inc. announced plans to commence a Phase III clinical trial to investigate the use of enzalutamide for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer. [Astellas Pharma Inc.] Press Release

Nektar Therapeutics and Daiichi Sankyo Europe GmbH Sign European Licensing Agreement for ONZEALD™ (Etirinotecan Pegol)

Nektar Therapeutics announced that it has entered into an agreement with Daiichi Sankyo Europe for Nektar’s investigational drug therapy, ONZEALD, which has completed a Phase III clinical trial in patients with advanced breast cancer. The agreement grants Daiichi Sankyo Europe exclusive rights to market ONZEALD in Europe, Switzerland and Turkey. [Nektar Therapeutics] Press Release

Open-Access Journal ELife Gets £25-Million Boost

When three of the world’s biggest private biomedical funders launched the journal eLife in 2012, they wanted to shake up the way in which scientists published their top papers. The new journal would be unashamedly elitist, competing with biology’s traditional ‘big three’, Nature, Science and Cell, to publish the best work. But unlike these, eLife would use working scientists as editors, and it would be open access. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW Gordon Research Conference – Tissue Niches & Resident Stem Cells in Adult Epithelia
August 7-12, 2016
Hong Kong, China

Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the mammary cell community.

NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Proteogenomic Bioinformatics of Breast Cancer (Lund University)

NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Mammary Gland Biology and Breast Cancer (University of Amsterdam)

NEW Clinical Scientist – Phase III Trial in HER2⁺ (University of Padova)

Scientific Communications and Publishing Coordinator (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Technologist – Mammary and Prostate Stem Cell Biology (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cancer Biology (Hamad bin Khalifa University)

PhD Studentship – Hsp90 Interactome in Cancer Cells (University of Lausanne)

PhD Fellow – Small X-Ray Angle for Breast Cancer Diagnosis (CEA Tech)

Postdoctoral Fellow(s) – Various Projects (National University of Singapore)

Research Associate – Various Medical Disciplines (Jinan University)

Postdoctoral Fellow – RNA Splicing in Breast Cancer (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center)

Scientist – Cancer Research (Institute of Clinical Physiology)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Metastatic Reactivation of Cancer (MD Anderson Cancer Center)

Faculty Position – Cancer Immunology (University of New Mexico)

Manager – Medical and Breast Imaging (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Director Clinical Research – Medical Oncology (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

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