Cancer Stem Cell News Volume 2.15 | Apr 17 2013

PUBLICATIONS (Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

A Novel Model for Evaluating Therapies Targeting Human Tumor Vasculature and Human Cancer Stem-Like Cells
Preclinical in vivo studies testing anti-human tumor vascular marker (TVM) therapies have been difficult to perform due to a lack of in vivo models with confirmed expression of human TVMs. Investigators therefore evaluated TVM expression in a human embryonic stem cell derived teratoma tumor model previously shown to have human vessels. This model represents a useful tool to test anti-human TVM therapy and evaluate in vivo human cancer stem-like cell tumor biology. [Cancer Res] Abstract

Epigenetic Regulation of SOX9 by the NF-κB Signaling Pathway in Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cells
To investigate epigenetic regulation of genes in the tumor-initiating population of pancreatic cancer cells, which are also termed cancer stem cells (CSCs), researchers conducted epigenetic arrays in PANC1 and HPAC pancreatic cancer cell lines and compared the global DNA methylation status of CpG promoters in invasive cells, demonstrated to be CSCs, to their non-invasive counterparts, or non-CSCs. [Stem Cells] Abstract | Full Article

FoxG1 Interacts with Bmi1 to Regulate Self-Renewal and Tumorigenicity of Medulloblastoma Stem Cells
Since increasing brain tumor-initiating cell frequency has been associated with increasing tumor aggressiveness and poor patient outcome, scientists investigated the subgroup-specific gene expression profile of candidate stem cell genes within 251 primary human medulloblastomas (MBs) from four non-overlapping MB transcriptional databases and 74 NanoString-subgrouped MBs. [Stem Cells] Abstract

Oncostatin-M Promotes Phenotypic Changes Associated with Mesenchymal and Stem Cell-Like Differentiation in Breast Cancer
Stimuli that induce epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer stem cell-like features (‘stemness’) are poorly defined. Researchers aimed to determine whether oncostatin-M is a cell-extrinsic driver of EMT and/or stemness. [Oncogene] Abstract

p38MAPK Inhibition: A New Combined Approach to Reduce Neuroblastoma Resistance Under Etoposide Treatment
This study was carried out on three stage-IV neuroblastoma cell lines with different status of MYCN amplification. Cells were exposed to a standard chemotherapy agent, namely etoposide, either alone or in combination with particular drugs, which target intracellular signaling pathways. Etoposide alone induced a concentration-dependent reduction of cell viability and, at very high doses, totally counteracted cell tumorigenicity and neurosphere formation. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Tumor-Associated CD66b⁺ Neutrophil Count Is an Independent Prognostic Factor for Recurrence in Localized Cervical Cancer
The prognostic impact of tumor-promoting immune cells in cervical cancer is unclear. Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics stage IB and IIA cervical cancer patients were assessed for tumor-associated CD66b⁺ neutrophils and CD163⁺ macrophages by immunohistochemistry in whole tissue sections using stereology. Results were correlated with previous results on tumor-infiltrating CD3⁺, CD4⁺, and CD8⁺ lymphocytes in the same cohort with recurrence-free survival as end point. [Br J Cancer] Abstract

Paclitaxel-Fe₃O₄ Nanoparticles Inhibit Growth of CD138^– CD34^– Tumor Stem-Like Cells in Multiple Myeloma-Bearing Mice
Researchers investigated the inhibitory effect of paclitaxel-loaded Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles on CD138^– CD34^– tumor stem cells in multiple myeloma-bearing mice. [Int J Nanomed] Abstract

Retinoic Acid Represses Invasion and Stem Cell Phenotype by Induction of the Metastasis Suppressors RARRES1 and LXN
Investigators identified the retinoic acid receptor responder 1 (RARRES1) gene and LXN as highly significantly downregulated genes in human prostate stem cells, whose expression was induced by the pro-differentiation agent all-trans retinoic acid. [Oncogenesis] Full Article

Stem Cell Therapeutics Licenses Exclusive Rights to Clinical Cancer Stem Cell Program
Stem Cell Therapeutics Corp. announced the execution of a definitive license agreement with University Health Network, Toronto, Canada. The agreement, developed in collaboration with MaRS Innovation, provides Stem Cell Therapeutics with exclusive worldwide rights to an innovative clinical cancer stem cell program. [Marketwire] Press Release

Immunotherapies against Cancer: German Cancer Research Center to Broaden Strategic Alliance with Bayer HealthCare
The German Cancer Research Center and Bayer HealthCare will extend their successful strategic research alliance in search of novel cancer therapeutics by focusing their activities also on the field of immunotherapy. [German Cancer Research Center] Press Release

From our sponsor:
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Food and Drug Administration (United States)

Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (United States)

European Medicines Agency (European Union)

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (United Kingdom)

Therapeutic Goods Administration (Australia)

PhD Studentship Opportunity (University of East Anglia)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Epigenetics (Structural Genomics Consortium at University of Toronto)

PhD Student (Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus)

Faculties in Cancer Biology & Immunotherapy (Huzhou University School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Pancreatic Cancer (University of Notre Dame, Department of Biological Sciences)

Postdoctoral Associate (University of California, Berkeley)


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