Cancer Stem Cell News Volume 3.24 | Jun 25 2014

The Deubiquitinase USP28 Controls Intestinal Homeostasis and Promotes Colorectal Cancer
Using murine genetic models, scientists determined that USP28 antagonizes the ubiquitin-dependent degradation of c-MYC, a known USP28 substrate, as well as two additional oncogenic factors, c-JUN and NOTCH1, in the intestine. Mice lacking Usp28 had no apparent adverse phenotypes, but exhibited reduced intestinal proliferation and impaired differentiation of secretory lineage cells. [J Clin Invest] Full Article

CCK2R Identifies and Regulates Gastric Antral Stem Cell States and Carcinogenesis
Scientists generated CCK2 receptor (CCK2R)-CreERT mice and performed inducible lineage tracing experiments. CCK2R⁺ antral cells and Lgr5⁺ antral stem cells were cultured in a three-dimensional in vitro system. [Gut] Abstract

Oct4 Is a Critical Regulator of Stemness in Head and Neck Squamous Carcinoma Cells
Researchers investigated whether octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (Oct4) regulates stemness of head and neck squamous carcinoma cancer stem cells. They showed that ectopic expression of Oct4 promotes tumor growth through cyclin E activation, increases chemoresistance through ABCC6 expression and enhances tumor invasion through slug expression. [Oncogene] Abstract

IL-6 Enriched Lung Cancer Stem-Like Cell Population by Inhibition of Cell Cycle Regulators via DNMT1 Up-Regulation
Researchers demonstrate that IL-6 enriches the properties of lung cancer stem-like cells in A549 lung cancer cells cultured in spheroid medium. IL-6 also promotes sphere formation and stem-like properties of A549 cells by enhancing cell proliferation. [Int J Cancer] Abstract

iTEP Nanoparticle-Delivered Salinomycin Displays an Enhanced Toxicity to Cancer Stem Cells in Orthotopic Breast Tumors
Scientists sought to devise a nanoparticle carrier to deliver salinomycin to solid tumors through the enhanced permeability and retention effect and, hence, to increase its exposure to cancer stem cells. [Mol Pharm] Abstract

Light-Triggered, Efficient Cytosolic Release of IM7-Saporin Targeting the Putative Cancer Stem Cell Marker CD44 by Photochemical Internalization
Researchers used seven different human cancer cell lines of various origins to investigate the cytotoxic effect of photochemical internalization-based targeting of the cancer stem cell marker CD44. [Mol Pharm] Abstract

Decreased Camptothecin Sensitivity of the Stem-Cell-Like Fraction of Caco2 Cells Correlates with an Altered Phosphorylation Pattern of Topoisomerase I
The CD44⁺ and CD44^– subpopulations of the colorectal cancer cell line Caco2 were analyzed separately for their sensitivities to the antitumor drug camptothecin. CD44⁺ cells were less sensitive to camptothecin than CD44^– cells. [PLoS One] Full Article

Identification of CD24 as a Cancer Stem Cell Marker in Human Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
Researchers showed that CD24⁺ cells isolated from human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines express stem cell genes, and show activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. [PLoS One] Full Article

Side Population Cells of Pancreatic Cancer Show Characteristics of Cancer Stem Cells Responsible for Resistance and Metastasis
Researchers isolated side population cells from the highly aggressive and metastatic human pancreatic cancer cell line L3.6pl and evaluate their potential role as models for cancer stem cells. [Target Oncol] Abstract

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Phase III First-Line Melanoma Study of Nivolumab, an Investigational PD-1 Checkpoint Inhibitor, Demonstrates Superior Overall Survival Compared to Dacarbazine; Study Stopped Early
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company announced that a randomized blinded comparative Phase III study evaluating nivolumab versus dacarbazine in patients with previously untreated BRAF wild-type advanced melanoma was stopped early because an analysis conducted by the independent data monitoring committee showed evidence of superior overall survival in patients receiving nivolumab compared to the control arm. [Bristol-Myers Squibb Company] Press Release

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Research Assistant/Research Associate – Stem Cell and Cancer Biology (University of North Texas Health Science Center)

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

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cancer and Stem Cell Biology (University of Pennsylvania)

Research Officers – Cancer Stem Cell Biology (Genome Institute of Singapore)

PhD Scholarship – Inorganic Nanoparticles for Cancer Stem Cell Targeting and Detection (The Italian Institute of Technology)

Positions for Principal Investigators – Translational Medical Research of Cancer Biology (Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology)

Postdoctoral Position – Stem Cell Biology/Cancer Biology (Oregon Health and Science University)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Cancer Genomics (University of Chicago)

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

Scientist – Pluripotent Stem Cell Media Development, High Throughput Screening (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Cell Culture Support Products (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Immunology/Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Associate – Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

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