Cancer Stem Cell News Volume 3.15 | Apr 23 2014

Two Mature Products of MIR-491 Coordinate to Suppress Key Cancer Hallmarks in Glioblastoma
miR-491-3p inhibited glioma cell invasion; overexpression of both miR-491-5p and -3p inhibited proliferation of glioma cell lines and impaired the propagation of glioma stem cells, thereby prolonging survival of xenograft mice. [Oncogene] Abstract

Tumor-Initiating Capacity Is Independent of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Status in Breast Cancer Cell Lines
Researchers determined whether epithelial-mesenchymal transition directly led to the acquisition of tumor-initiating capacity in breast cancer cell lines. [Br J Cancer] Abstract

Differentially Expressed miRNAs in Cancer Stem Like Cells: Markers for Tumor Cell Aggressiveness of Pancreatic Cancer
Researchers showed that isolated CD44+/CD133+/EpCAM+ cells from human pancreatic cancer cell lines, MiaPaCa-2 and L3.6pl cells display aggressive characteristics such as increased cell growth, clonogenicity, cell migration, and self-renewal capacity, which is consistent with over-expression of cancer stem like cell signatures/markers. [Stem Cells Dev] Abstract

ARTEMIN, a Member of the Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Family of Ligands, Is HER2 Regulated and Mediates Acquired Trastuzumab Resistance by Promoting Cancer Stem Cell-Like Behavior in Mammary Carcinoma Cells
Forced expression of ARTEMIN decreased the sensitivity of HER2 positive mammary carcinoma cells to Trastuzumab both in vitro and in vivo. Trastuzumab resistance produced an increased cancer stem cell population concomitant with enhanced mammospheric growth. [J Biol Chem] Abstract | Full Article

Evidence of Brain Tumor Stem Progenitor-Like Cells with Low Proliferative Capacity in Human Benign Pituitary Adenoma
Researchers found that pituitary adenoma tissues expressed neural stem cell markers. These cells could form neurospheres in vitro, expressed neural stem/progenitor cell markers and generated daughter cells with the capacity to differentiate into three neural lineages. [Cancer Lett] Abstract

Multi-Kinase Inhibitor C1 Triggers Mitotic Catastrophe of Glioma Stem Cells Mainly through MELK Kinase Inhibition
Researchers demonstrated evidence that the role of maternal embryonic leucine-zipper kinase (MELK) in the glioma stem cell survival is specifically dependent on its kinase activity. [PLoS One] Full Article

MiR-330-Mediated Regulation of SH3GL2 Expression Enhances Malignant Behaviors of Glioblastoma Stem Cells by Activating ERK and PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathways
Researchers identified miR-330 as a potential regulator of SH3GL2 and they found that it was to be inversely correlated with SH3GL2 expression in glioblastoma stem cells which were isolated from U87 cell lines. [PLoS One] Full Article

Large Cell Anaplastic Medulloblastoma Metastatic to the Scalp: Tumor and Derived Stem-Like Cells Features
Researchers present the case of a child with large cell anaplastic medulloblastoma (MBL), who developed multiple subcutaneous metastases in the scalp area after a ventriculo-peritoneal shunting procedure. They molecularly classified the tumor as a group three MBL; in addition, they derived stem-like cells from a metastatic lesion. [BMC Cancer] Abstract | Full Article

DDX4 (DEAD Box Polypeptide 4) Colocalizes with Cancer Stem Cell Marker CD133 in Ovarian Cancers
Scientists investigated the relationship between DDX4 and ovarian cancer stem cells by analyzing the expression patterns of DDX4 and the cancer stem cell marker CD133 in ovarian cancers via tissue microarray. [Biochem Biophys Res Commun] Abstract

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Lilly’s CYRAMZA™ (Ramucirumab) Becomes First FDA-Approved Treatment for Advanced Gastric Cancer after Prior Chemotherapy
Eli Lilly and Company announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved CYRAMZA™ (ramucirumab) as a single-agent treatment for patients with advanced or metastatic gastric cancer or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma with disease progression on or after prior fluoropyrimidine- or platinum-containing chemotherapy. [Eli Lilly and Company] Press Release

GSK and Genmab Receive FDA Approval for Arzerra® (Ofatumumab) as First-Line Treatment in Combination with Chlorambucil for Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) for Whom Fludarabine-Based Therapy Is Considered Inappropriate
The FDA approval of the first-line indication is based on results from a Phase III study (COMPLEMENT 1) which demonstrated statistically significant improvement in median progression-free survival in patients who received the combination of ofatumumab and chlorambucil compared to patients who received chlorambucil alone. [Genmab A/S] Press Release

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NEW Postdoctoral Position – Cancer Stem Cells (Queen Mary University of London)

NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Cancer Biology (University of Cincinnati)

Faculty Position – Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology (Oregon Health & Science University)

Postdoctoral Research Associate – Extracellular Microenvironment in Cancer (Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool)

MSc & PhD Positions – Cell Biology, Neurobiology, Neuroimmunology, Cancer Biology, Computational Biology (Hanyang University)

Postdoctoral Fellowships – Cancer Research (German Cancer Research Center [DKFZ])

Faculty Positions – Cancer Research (Stephenson Cancer Center at the University of Oklahoma)

Postdoctoral Position – Cancer Biology (IRCAN)

Postdoctoral Position – Stem Cells and Cancer (Brigham & Women’s Hospital – Harvard Medical School)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Hematopoietic Stem Cell and Leukemia Research (City of Hope)

Tenure-Track Faculty Position – Cancer Biology and Evolution (Moffitt Cancer Center)

Director of GMP/GLP Quality Operations (University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine)

Research Associate – Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Technologist – Pluripotent Stem Cells (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Technologist – Particle Chemistry (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Technologist – PSC Biology and Bioengineering (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

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