The Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor Abexinostat Induces Cancer Stem Cells Differentiation in Breast Cancer with Low X-Inactive Specific Transcript Expression Investigators evaluated the effect of the histone deacetylase inhibitors compound abexinostat on cancer stem cells from 16 breast cancer cell lines using ALDEFLUOR assay and tumorsphere formation. [Clin Cancer Res] Abstract Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Using Doxorubicin Conjugated to Gold Nanoparticles via Hydrazone Bonds Researchers report that rationally designed nanoparticles can efficiently deliver drugs to cancer stem cells, which in turn contributes significantly to the improved anti-cancer efficacy. [Biomaterials] Abstract Single-Cell Clones of Liver Cancer Stem Cells Have the Potential of Differentiating into Different Types of Tumor Cells Scientists showed that single-cell-cloned cancer stem cells, accidentally obtained from a human liver cancer microvascular endothelial cells, express classic stem cell markers, genes associated with self-renewal and pluripotent factors and possess colony-forming ability in vitro and the ability of serial transplantation in vivo. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article Indoleamine-2,3-Dioxygenase Elevated in Tumor-Initiating Cells Is Suppressed by Mitocans Tumor-initiating cells (TICs) often survive therapy and give rise to second-line tumors. Researchers tested the plausibility of sphere cultures as models of TICs. Microarray data and microRNA data analysis confirmed the validity of spheres as models of TICs for breast and prostate cancer as well as mesothelioma cell lines. [Free Radic Biol Med] Abstract Stem Cell Self-Renewal Factors Bmi1 and HMGA2 in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Clues for Diagnosis Stemness molecule expressions were determined in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), as well as their properties and prognosis. Two proto-oncogenic chromatin regulators, Bmi-1 and high-mobility-group A2 (Hmga2), were identified in 12 pair cases of HNSCC tumor regions by comparison with their non-cancerous background tissues using cDNA microarray. [Lab Invest] Abstract Generation of Breast Cancer Stem Cells by Steroid Hormones in Irradiated Human Mammary Cell Lines In order to assess whether the modulation of radiation-induced breast cancer risk by steroid hormones could involve cancer stem cells (CSCs), scientists measured by flow cytometry the proportion of CSCs in irradiated breast cancer cell lines after progesterone and estrogen treatment. [PLoS One] Full Article Endothelial Cells Do Not Arise from Tumor-Initiating Cells in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Investigators examined human hepatocellular carcinomas in settings that selected for tumor formation from functionally defined tumor-initiating cells (TICs), and in which the origin of intratumoral endothelial cells from TICs as opposed to host tissues could be clearly distinguished. [BMC Cancer] Abstract | Full Article Three-Dimensional Collagen Scaffold Enhances the Human Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Cancer Stem Cell and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Properties Scientists showed that a 3D scaffold not only induced the diversification of cell morphologies but also increased the cell proliferation. The transcription of matrix metalloproteinase and epithelial-mesenchymal transition were significantly increased in the cells cultured in 3D collagen scaffolds. In addition, the expression of cancer stem cell markers of Sox2 and Oct4 were higher than that in 2D cultured cells. [J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater] Abstract |