Cancer Stem Cell News Volume 2.38 | Sep 25 2013

Stem Cell-Like ALDH^bright Cellular States in EGFR-Mutant Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Novel Mechanism of Acquired Resistance to Erlotinib Targetable with the Natural Polyphenol Silibinin
The enrichment of cancer stem cell-like cellular states has not previously been considered to be a causative mechanism in the generalized progression of EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC) after an initial response to the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor erlotinib. To explore this possibility, investigators utilized a pre-clinical model of acquired erlotinib resistance established by growing NSCLC cells containing a TKI-sensitizing EGFR exon 19 deletion in the continuous presence of high doses of erlotinib. [Cell Cycle]
Full Article

Drug Screening Identifies Niclosamide as an Inhibitor of Breast Cancer Stem-Like Cells
The authors aimed to discover novel compounds that target breast cancer stem-like cells. They used a dye-exclusion method to isolate side population (SP) cancer cells and, subsequently, subjected these SP cells to a sphere formation assay to generate SP spheres from breast cancer cell lines. [PLoS One] Full Article

YB-1 Dependent Oncolytic Adenovirus Efficiently Inhibits Tumor Growth of Glioma Cancer Stem Like Cells
Researchers determined the expression of YB-1 in glioblastoma specimen in vivo and in brain cancer stem cell (CSC) lines. In addition, the capacity of Ad-Delo3-RGD, an YB-1 dependent oncolytic adenovirus, to eradicate CSCs was evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. [J Transl Med] Abstract | Full Article

Prognostic Value of Musashi-1 in Gliomas
Scientists investigated the prognostic value of the RNA-binding protein Musashi-1 in adult patients with primary gliomas. Musashi-1 has been suggested to be a cancer stem cell-related marker in gliomas, and high levels of Musashi-1 have been associated with high tumor grades and hence poor prognosis. [J Neurooncol] Abstract

Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Increases During the Progression of In Situ to Invasive Basal-Like Breast Cancer
Investigators performed immunohistochemical analyses of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers (expression of vimentin, smooth muscle actin, osteonectin, and N-cadherin; loss of E-cadherin; alteration of β-catenin), breast cancer stem cell markers (CD44+/CD24-, ALDH1), and CD146, an EMT inducer, in invasive carcinomas and ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast. [Hum Pathol] Abstract

Epigenetic Silencing of MicroRNA-203 Is Required for EMT and Cancer Stem Cell Properties
Scientists profiled changes in microRNA expression during epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in conjunction with changes in DNA methylation at microRNA promoters to discover essential mediators of EMT-imparted stemness properties. [Sci Rep] Full Article

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OncoMed Pharmaceuticals Initiates Phase Ib/II Clinical Trial of Demcizumab (Anti-DLL4) in Combination with Paclitaxel in Ovarian Cancer
OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that it has started a Phase Ib/II clinical trial of its anti-cancer stem cell product candidate, demcizumab (OMP-21M18) in ovarian cancer. [The Wall Street Journal]
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