Mammary Cell News Volume 8.38 | Sep 29 2016

TOP STORY

The LncRNA Landscape of Breast Cancer Reveals a Role for DSCAM-AS1 in Breast Cancer Progression

The authors highlight the role of DSCAM-AS1 in breast cancer biology and treatment resistance. This study provides insight into the potential clinical implications of lncRNAs in breast cancer. [Nat Commun] Full Article

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

LABORATORY RESEARCH

Oriented Collagen Fibers Direct Tumor Cell Intravasation

Scientists found that local fiber alignment enhanced cell–extracellular matrix interactions. Specifically, metastatic MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells followed the local fiber alignment direction during the intravasation into rigid Matrigel. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

Ivermectin Induces PAK1-Mediated Cytostatic Autophagy in Breast Cancer

The authors found that ivermectin markedly inhibits the growth of breast cancer cells by stimulating cytostatic macroautophagy/autophagy in vitro and in vivo. Ivermectin inhibits the AKT-MTOR signaling pathway by promoting ubiquitination-mediated degradation of PAK1 (p21 [RAC1] activated kinase 1), leading to increased autophagic flux. [Autophagy] Abstract

Spatial Proximity to Fibroblasts Impacts Molecular Features and Therapeutic Sensitivity of Breast Cancer Cells Influencing Clinical Outcomes

Researchers used a 3D co-culture model to identify significant sub-type-specific changes in gene expression, metabolic, and therapeutic sensitivity profiles of breast cancer cells in contact with cancer-associated fibroblasts. [Cancer Res] Abstract

CXCR4 Inhibitors Could Benefit to HER2 but Not to Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Patients

Scientists observed that two CXCR4 inhibitors, AMD3100 and TN14003, efficiently impair tumor growth and metastasis dissemination in both Herceptin-sensitive and Herceptin-resistant HER2 breast cancer. [Oncogene] Full Article

Targeting of RAGE-Ligand Signaling Impairs Breast Cancer Cell Invasion and Metastasis

Researchers tested the role of targeting receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) by multiple approaches in the tumor and tumor microenvironment, to inhibit the metastatic process. [Oncogene] Abstract

Mammary Tumor-Associated RNAs Impact Tumor Cell Proliferation, Invasion, and Migration

Scientists investigated the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in mammary tumors by performing RNA-seq on tumor sections and organoids derived from MMTV-PyMT and MMTV-Neu-NDL mice. Researchers identified several hundred lncRNAs that were overexpressed compared to normal mammary epithelium. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Truncating Prolactin Receptor Mutations Promote Tumor Growth in Murine Estrogen Receptor-Alpha Mammary Carcinomas

To identify transforming events that contribute to tumorigenesis, investigators performed whole genome sequencing of Stat1^−/− primary mammary tumors and matched normal tissues. This investigation identified somatic truncating mutations affecting the prolactin receptor in all tumor and no normal samples. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

A Recombinant Protein TmSm (T34A) Can Inhibit Proliferation and Proapoptosis to Breast Cancer Stem Cells (BCSCs) by Down-Regulating the Expression of Cyclin D1

Scientists explored the effects of TmSm on BCSCs obtained by enriching in serum-free suspension, sorting and characterizing of MCF-7/ADM. They showed that TmSm could not only inhibit the proliferation and growth of BCSCs by decreasing CD44+CD24− proportion and down-regulating the expression of Cyclin D1 significantly, but also induce BCSCs apoptosis evidently. [Biomed Pharmacother] Abstract

CLINICAL RESEARCH

Breast Cancer Cell Invasion into a Three Dimensional Tumor-Stroma Microenvironment

Investigators explored the prognostic impact of Axillary lymph node involvement and especially of small size axillary metastases in early Triple-negative breast cancers. [Br J Cancer] Abstract

Inhibition of EGFR, HER2, and HER3 Signaling with AZD8931 in Combination with Anastrozole as an Anticancer Approach: Phase II Randomized Study in Women with Endocrine-Therapy-Naïve Advanced Breast Cancer

AZD8931 is an orally bioavailable, reversible tyrosine kinase inhibitor of EGFR, HER2, and HER3 signaling. Researchers conducted a Phase II MINT study, which investigated whether adding AZD8931 to endocrine therapy would delay development of endocrine resistance in patients with hormone-sensitive advanced breast cancer. [Breast Cancer Res Treat] Abstract

Maintaining Cell Identity: PRC2-Mediated Regulation of Transcription and Cancer

Several observations show that polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) can have both oncogenic and tumor-suppressive functions. The authors propose that these apparently opposing roles of PRC2 in cancer are a consequence of the molecular function of the complex in maintaining, rather than specifying, the transcriptional repression state of its several thousand target genes. [Nat Rev Cancer] Abstract

Altered Metabolite Levels in Cancer: Implications for Tumor Biology and Cancer Therapy

The authors discuss the mechanisms that lead to changes in metabolite concentrations in cancer cells, the consequences of these changes for the cells and how they might be exploited to improve cancer therapy. [Nat Rev Cancer] Abstract

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

Merrimack to Present Final Results of Phase III NAPOLI-1 Study at the European Society for Medical Oncology 2016 Congress

Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced it will present a poster of MM-302’s potential for treating HER2-intermediate tumors. [Press release from Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc. discussing research presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology 2016 Congress, Copenhagen] Press Release

Abilita Bio, Inc. Awarded NCI Phase-I SBIR Grant to Develop Therapeutic Antibodies Targeting Metastatic Breast Cancer

Abilita Bio, Inc. announced that it has been awarded a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to develop therapeutic antibodies targeting G Protein-Coupled Receptors involved in the metastasis of breast cancer, including prostaglandin E2 receptor 2, prostaglandin E2 receptor 4, and C-C chemokine receptor 7. [Abilita Bio, Inc.] Press Release

$10 Million Gift Creates Bursky Center for Human Immunology and Immunotherapy

Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has received a $10 million gift to support research that harnesses the immune system to fight cancer, infectious diseases, and disorders caused by autoimmunity and immune deficiencies. [Washington University School of Medicine] Press Release

Science Spending Boosted in French Budget

France’s government has proposed an unusually generous boost to research and higher education in its 2017 draft budget. “This is the largest increase for 15 years,” Thierry Mandon, France’s research and higher-education minister, told reporters at a press conference. [Nature News] Editorial

Open-Access Journal eLife to Start Charging Fees

The open-access journal eLife is dropping one of its most distinctive features: free publishing. From 2017, it will charge a fee of $2,500 for all accepted papers. [Nature News] Editorial

Can Cuban Science Go Global?

Tensions between Cuba and the United States are easing. But researchers still struggle to join the scientific world. [Nature News] Editorial

Validate Your Antibodies to Improve Reproducibility? Easier Said Than Done

More than 100 researchers, antibody manufacturers, journal editors, and funders met in Pacific Grove, California, to hash out standardized approaches to antibody testing. [Science Insider] Editorial

NEW Advances in Cell Engineering, Imaging and Screening
November 17-18, 2016
Leuven, Belgium

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

NEW Post Doctoral Associate – Mammary Stem Cell and Cancer Biology (University of Miami)

NEW Post Doctoral Position – Neovascularization and Cancer Biology (The Ohio State University)

NEW Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Breast Cancer Brain Metastasis (The University of Leeds)

NEW Postdoctoral Associate – Functional Genomics and Cancer (The Jackson Laboratory)

Assistant Professor – Physiology and Biophysics (University of Illinois at Chicago)

Postdoctoral Position or Internship – Cancer Research (Stanford University)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Nuclear Medicine Dosimetry (University of Oxford)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Breast Cancer (Purdue University)

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

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

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