Cancer Stem Cell News Volume 2.18 | May 8 2013

PUBLICATIONS (Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Mesenchymal Glioma Stem Cells Are Maintained by Activated Glycolytic Metabolism Involving Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1A3
Tumor heterogeneity of high-grade glioma (HGG) is recognized by four clinically relevant subtypes based on core gene signatures. However, molecular signaling in glioma stem cells (GSCs) in individual HGG subtypes is poorly characterized. Researchers identified and characterized two mutually exclusive GSC subtypes with distinct dysregulated signaling pathways. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract | Full Article

Maintenance of Stem Cell Self-Renewal in Head and Neck Cancers Requires Actions of GSK3β Influenced by CD44 and RHAMM
Cells sorted from head and neck cancers on the basis of their high expression of CD44 have high potency for tumor initiation. These cells are also involved in epithelial to mesenchymal transition and researchers have previously reported that cancer stem cells (CSCs) exist as two biologically distinct phenotypes. Results indicate that glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) plays a central role in determining and maintaining the phenotypes and behavior of CSCs in vitro and are likely to be involved in controlling the growth and spread of tumors in vivo. [Stem Cells] Abstract

CDH5 Is Specifically Activated in Glioblastoma Stem-Like Cells and Contributes to Vasculogenic Mimicry Induced by Hypoxia
The specific expression of CDH5 in glioblastoma stem-like cells (GSCs) may contribute to GSC-derived neovasculogenesis in glioblastoma multiforme, especially under hypoxic conditions, revealing novel tumorigenic mechanisms contributed by GSCs. [Neuro Oncol] Abstract

TGF-β1 Exposure Induces Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition Both in CSCs and Non-CSCs of the A549 Cell Line, Leading to an Increase of Migration Ability in the CD133⁺ A549 Cell Fraction
The authors demonstrated that transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) induces epithelial to mesenchymal transition in both cancer stem cell (CSC) and non-CSC A549 sublines, upregulating the expression of mesenchymal markers such as vimentin and Slug, and downregulating levels of epithelial markers such as e-cadherin and cytokeratins. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Integrin α3 Is Overexpressed in Glioma Stem-Like Cells and Promotes Invasion
Researchers attempted to identify the molecules that promote invasion in glioma stem-like cells. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated the localization of integrin α3 in glioblastoma cells, including invading cells, and in the tumor cells around the vessels, which is believed to be a stem cell niche. [Brit J Cancer] Abstract

Photochemical Internalization of CD133-Targeting Immunotoxins Efficiently Depletes Sarcoma Cells with Stem-Like Properties and Reduces Tumorigenicity
Scientists hypothesized that the site-specific and light-controlled drug delivery method photochemical internalization may have the potential to enhance selectivity and endosomal escape of CD133-targeting immunotoxins in stem-like sarcoma cells. [Biochim Biophys Acta] Abstract

Efficacy of Using Cancer Stem Cell Markers in Isolating and Characterizing Liver Cancer Stem Cells
Researchers evaluated the efficacy of a range of cancer stem cell markers in isolating and characterizing liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs). They showed that the most widely used cancer stem cell markers are not specific to LCSCs. [Stem Cells Dev] Abstract

HMGA1: A Master Regulator of Tumor Progression in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells
Investigators showed for the first time that the high mobility group A1 (HMGA1) gene drives metastatic progression in triple negative breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231, Hs578T) by reprogramming cancer cells to a stem-like state. [PLoS One] Full Article | Press Release

Sub-Sets of Cancer Stem Cells Differ Intrinsically in Their Patterns of Oxygen Metabolism
Researchers showed that hypoxia induces a marked shift of the cancer stem cell fraction towards epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) leading to altered cell morphology, an increased proportion of CD44^high/ESA^low cells, patterns of gene expression typical of EMT, and enhanced sphere-forming ability. [PLoS One]
Full Article

Sphere-Forming Cell Subsets with Cancer Stem Cell Properties in Human Musculoskeletal Sarcomas
Scientists report the identification of putative cancer stem cells in sarcomas using a sphere culture system. These sarcospheres, able to grow in anchorage-independent and serum-starved conditions, express the pluripotent embryonic stem cell marker genes OCT3/4, Nanog and SOX2. [Int J Oncol] Abstract

Foundation Medicine and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Announce Partnership to Advance Patient Care in Hematologic Cancers
Foundation Medicine and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center announced a partnership that brings together clinical, genomic and computational expertise to advance patient care in hematologic cancers. This effort will focus on co-development of a new Foundation Medicine molecular diagnostic product designed to match patients with hematologic cancers (leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma) with the most rational targeted therapies or clinical trials for their cancer. [Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center] Press Release

University’s Cancer Research Centre Boosted by £8 Million Donation
Almost £8 million is being donated to the John van Geest Cancer Research Centre at Nottingham Trent University to support its crucial work into the early diagnosis and treatment of cancer. [Nottingham Trent University] Press Release

URMC Scientist Honored by American Society for Clinical Investigation
University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) researcher Laura M. Calvi, M.D. was inducted into the American Society for Clinical Investigation, one of the nation’s oldest and most respected medical honor societies. Calvi is a former Pew Scholar and recognized for her novel cancer stem cell research within URMC’s James P. Wilmot Cancer Center. [University of Rochester Medical Center] Press Release

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NEW International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR): Stem Cells in Translation
September 15-18, 2013
Florence, Italy

NEW International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR): Stem Cells in Science & Medicine
October 14-17, 2013
Suzhou, China

NEW SELECTBIO CellTech 2014
January 28-29, 2014
San Diego, United States

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

NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Stem Cell and Cancer Biology (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine)

NEW Postdoctoral Position – Tumor Microenvironment & Pancreatic Cancer (INSERMU1068)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Stem Cells and Cancer (Albert Einstein College of Medicine)

PhD Studentship Opportunity – Tumor-Initiating Melanoma Cells (University of East Anglia)

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

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

Postdoctoral Associate – Cancer Stem Cells (University of California, Berkeley)

Postdoctoral Scholarship – Leukemia Stem Cell Biology (Lund University – Faculty of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Scientist – Defining and Targeting Leukemic Stem Cells in Acute Leukemia (University of Oxford)


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