Prostate Cell News Volume 2.22 | Jun 17 2011

TMPRSS2-ERG-Mediated Feed-Forward Regulation of Wild-Type ERG in Human Prostate Cancers
Researchers demonstrated that the TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion product binds to the ERG locus and drives the over-expression of wild-type ERG in prostate cancers. [Cancer Res]

Prostate Cancer Circumvents Hormone Therapy by Activating Alternate Signaling Pathway
Researchers found that when a common type of prostate cancer was treated with conventional hormone-ablation therapy that blocks androgen production or androgen receptor function the cancer was able to adapt and compensate by activating a survival cell signaling pathway. [Press release from the University of California, Los Angeles Health System discussing online prepublication in Cancer Cell]

Up to Half of Deaths in Men from Prostate Cancer Are Directly Due to the Disease
Up to half the number of men with prostate cancer who die do so as a direct result of the disease, rather than from other causes according to a new study. [Press release from Cancer Research UK discussing research presented at the National Cancer Intelligence Network Conference]

LABORATORY RESEARCH

Cell Autonomous Role of PTEN in Regulating Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Growth
Researchers showed that castration-resistant growth is an intrinsic property of Pten null prostate cancer cells, independent of cancer development stage. [Cancer Cell]

B Regulatory Cells and the Tumor-Promoting Actions of TNF-α During Squamous Carcinogenesis
Because B cells regulate squamous and prostate carcinogenesis, and Tnf^−/− mice harbor B-cell defects, scientists investigated the hypothesis that B cells are important effector cells for TNF-α–mediated promotion of cancer development. [Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A]

Plasma Membrane-Associated Sialidase (NEU3) Regulates Progression of Prostate Cancer to Androgen-Independent Growth through Modulation of Androgen Receptor Signaling
To understand the underlying mechanisms and facilitate the development of novel treatments for androgen-independent prostate cancer, researchers have investigated plasma membrane-associated sialidase (NEU3), the key enzyme for ganglioside hydrolysis participating in transmembrane signaling. [Cell Death Differ]

BMP4 Promotes Prostate Tumor Growth in Bone through Osteogenesis
To identify the factors that are involved in bone formation, scientists compared the expression of secreted factors from MDA-PCa-118b and MDA-PCa-133 by cytokine array. [Cancer Res]

Inactivation of AR/TMPRSS2-ERG/Wnt Signaling Networks Attenuates the Aggressive Behavior of Prostate Cancer Cells
Researchers found that because BR-DIM and CDF down-regulate multiple signaling pathways including androgen receptor (AR)/TMPRSS2-ERG/Wnt signaling, these agents could be useful for designing novel strategies for the prevention and/or treatment of prostate cancer. [Cancer Prev Res]

Abnormal Expression of the ERG Transcription Factor in Prostate Cancer Cells Activates Osteopontin
This study was designed to test whether ERG and the product of the TMPRSS2:ERG fusion gene modulate osteopontin gene expression in prostate cancer cells. [Mol Cancer Res]

PEDF and MDA-7 Cytokine Gene Therapies Delivered by Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Are Effective in Reducing Prostate Cancer Cell Growth
The researchers’ goal was to examine the potential of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell to deliver cytokine gene therapies MDA-7 (melanoma differentiation associated gene-7) or PEDF (pigment epithelial-derived factor) to cancer cells. [Stem Cells Dev]

Normal Prostate-Derived Stromal Cells Stimulate Prostate Cancer Development
In this study, investigators assessed the significance of normal prostate-derived stromal cells in prostate cancer development. [Cancer Sci]

CLINICAL RESEARCH

Circulating Tumor Cells from Patients with Advanced Prostate and Breast Cancer Display Both Epithelial and Mesenchymal Markers
Researchers showed that the existence and high frequency of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) co-expressing epithelial, mesenchymal, and stem-cell markers in patients with progressive metastases has important implications for the application and interpretation of approved methods to detect CTCs. [Mol Cancer Res]

Serum Estrogen Levels and Prostate Cancer Risk in the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial: A Nested Case-Control Study
Study’s findings confirmed those from previous studies that there are no associations of serum estrogen with prostate cancer risk in untreated men. In addition, finasteride results in a modest increase in serum estrogen levels, which are not related to prostate cancer risk. Whether finasteride is less effective in men with high serum estrogens, or finasteride interacts with estrogen to increase cancer risk, is uncertain and warrants further investigation. [Cancer Causes Control]

Merck, Glaxo Drugs Add Warnings About Prostate Cancer Risk
Merck & Co. and GlaxoSmithKline Plc’s drugs for hair loss and enlarged prostate will carry new U.S. warnings about a low risk of being diagnosed with a more serious form of prostate cancer. [Bloomberg Press Release]

MagForce Nanotechnologies AG Reports Financial Results and Company Highlights for Fiscal Year 2010
MagForce Nanotechnologies AG reported financial results and company highlights for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010. [MagForce Nanotechnologies AG Press Release]

Indiana CTSI Awards Nearly $3 Million to Promising, Innovative Medical Researchers
The Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CTSI) has awarded nearly $3 million to a new generation of medical students and researchers at Indiana University, Purdue University and the University of Notre Dame to encourage home-grown innovation in Indiana. [Indiana University Press Release]

Agreement with Roche Gives UCLA Stem Cell and Cancer Researchers Early Access to Leading-edge Technologies for the Advancement of Medical Research
An agreement between the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Roche will provide stem cell and cancer researchers with leading-edge technologies that will drive research capabilities and further the understanding of complex disease. [Eli & Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine & Stem Cell Research Press Release]

The Jackson Laboratory Partners with NCI, UC Davis to Speed New Cancer Treatments to Clinical Trials
The partnership brings together The University of California (UC) Davis Cancer Center, The Jackson Laboratory and the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Center for Advanced Preclinical Research, all under the umbrella of NCI’s Advanced Technology Partnerships Initiative. [The Jackson Laboratory Press Release]

New Partnership to Develop Personalized Cancer Treatments
Barts Cancer Institute has formed a new partnership to develop personalized diagnosis and treatments for cancer patients. The Institute will join forces with Source BioScience and Illumina Inc. in a collaboration that brings half a million pounds in research funding. [Queen Mary, University of London Press Release]

NEW Screening Stem Cells 2011: From Reprogramming to Regenerative Medicine
September 26-27, 2011
Boston, United States

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

Chemist (STEMCELL Technologies)

Research and Development Senior Technologist (STEMCELL Technologies)

Lab Technologist – Tissue Culture (Maternity Leave) (STEMCELL Technologies)

Research and Development Technologist, hPSC Media (STEMCELL Technologies)

Scientist (iPSC) (STEMCELL Technologies)

Post-doctoral Position – Molecular Biology of Prostate Cancer (Baylor College of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Position – Endocrinology of Prostate Cancer (Baylor College of Medicine)

Assistant/Associate Research Scientist (New York University)

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