Cancer Stem Cell News Volume 3.04 | Feb 5 2014

EphA2 Promotes Infiltrative Invasion of Glioma Stem Cells In Vivo through Cross-Talk with Akt and Regulates Stem Cell Properties
Using human glioma stem cells that recapitulate the invasive propensity of primary glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), scientists found that EphA2 critically regulates GBM invasion in vivo. [Oncogene] Abstract

Roles of Wnt/ß-Catenin Signaling in the Gastric Cancer Stem Cells Proliferation and Salinomycin Treatment
Stable overexpression of Wnt1 increased AGS gastric cancer cells’ proliferation rate and spheroids formation, which expressed cancer stem cell surface markers Oct4 and CD44. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Hypoxia Increases Gefitinib-Resistant Lung Cancer Stem Cells through the Activation of Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 Receptor
Researchers elucidated the role of hypoxia and cancer stem cells in the resistance to gefitinib in non-small cell lung cancer with activating epidermal growth factor receptor mutation. [PLoS One] Full Article

Characterization of Fenofibrate-Mediated Anti-Proliferative Pro-Apoptotic Effects on High-Grade Gliomas and Anti-Invasive Effects on Glioma Stem Cells
Investigators characterized the effects of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-a agonist, fenofibrate, directly on high-grade glioma cells and glioma stem cells. [J Neurooncol] Abstract

Mesenchymal Stem Cells Show Little Tropism for the Resting and Differentiated Cancer Stem Cell-Like Glioma Cells
Scientists obtained homologous bone marrow-derived (BM-) and adipose tissue-derived (AT-) mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), fibroblast, and cancer stem cell-like glioma cells (CSGCs) from tumor-bearing mice, and compared the tropism character of BM- and AT-MSCs for CSGCs with various form of existence. [Int J Oncol] Abstract

Nestin Regulates Proliferation, Migration, Invasion and Stemness of Lung Adenocarcinoma
Nestin is thought to regulate tumor cell proliferation, migration, invasion and cancer stem cell properties. High and moderate expression levels of nestin were confirmed in several lung adenocarcinoma cell lines including H1975 and PC-3. [Int J Oncol] Abstract

OCT3 and SOX2 Promote the Transformation of Barrett’s Esophagus to Adenocarcinoma by Regulating the Formation of Tumor Stem Cells
Researchers observed that the expressions of Octamer transcription factor (OCT)-3/4, SOX2, TCL1 and AKT1 in Barrett’s esophagus were elevated compared to normal esophagus but were decreased compared to esophagus adenocarcinoma. Moreover, they isolated a few stem-like cells in OE33 cells which showed similar biological behavior to tumor stem cells. [Oncol Rep] Abstract

A Niche-Like Culture System Allowing the Maintenance of Primary Human Acute Myeloid Leukemia-Initiating Cells: A New Tool to Decipher Their Chemoresistance and Self-Renewal Mechanisms
Scientists report that by modeling key elements of the bone marrow niche using different stromal feeder layers and hypoxic culture conditions, they can maintain leukemia-initiating cells over at least three weeks and support their self-renewal properties demonstrated through primary and secondary successful xenograft. [Stem Cells Transl Med] Abstract

Hes1 Is Involved in the Self-Renewal and Tumorigenicity of Stem-Like Cancer Cells in Colon Cancer
Researchers found upregulated Hes1 in poorly differentiated cancer samples compared with well-differentiated tumor samples, and most of the adenocarcinomas exhibited significantly higher levels of Hes1 mRNA compared with that observed in matched normal colon samples. [Sci Rep] Full Article

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Stem Cell Agency Funds More Than $66 Million in Research Including New Genomics Initiative
A team bringing together experts and investigators from seven different major California institutions has been awarded $40 million to create a new Center of Excellence in Stem Cell Genomics, by California’s stem cell agency, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. [California Institute for Regenerative Medicine]
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