Cancer Stem Cell News Volume 3.37 | Sep 24 2014

BRCA1 Suppresses Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition and Stem Cell Dedifferentiation during Mammary and Tumor Development
Researchers report that disrupting Brca1 by either germline or epithelium-specific mutation in p18-deficient mice activates epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and induces dedifferentiation of luminal stem cells, which associate closely with expansion of basal and cancer stem cells and formation of basal-like tumors. [Cancer Res] Abstract

Progesterone Downregulation of miR-141 Contributes to Expansion of Stem-Like Breast Cancer Cells through Maintenance of Progesterone Receptor and Stat5a
Researchers investigated progesterone downregulation of microRNA (miR)-141, a member of the miR-200 family of tumor suppressors, in facilitating an increase in stem-like breast cancer cells. [Oncogene] Abstract

Casein Kinase 2α Regulates Glioblastoma Brain Tumor-Initiating Cell Growth through the β-Catenin Pathway
Scientists demonstrate that the casein kinase 2 (CK2) subunit, CK2α, is overexpressed in glioblastoma (GBM) and has an important role in regulating brain tumor-initiating cells in GBM. [Oncogene] Abstract

Prox1 Promotes Expansion of the Colorectal Cancer Stem Cell Population to Fuel Tumor Growth and Ischemia Resistance
Using in vivo models and 3D ex vivo organoid cultures of mouse adenomas and human colorectal cancer (CRC), scientists found that Prox1 deletion reduced the number of stem cells and cell proliferation and decreased intestinal tumor growth via induction of annexin A1 and reduction of the actin-binding protein filamin A, which has been implicated as a prognostic marker in CRC. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Emodin Suppresses Maintenance of Stemness by Augmenting Proteosomal Degradation of EGFR/EGFRvIII in Glioma Stem Cells
Investigators examined the effects of emodin (1,3,8-trihydroxy-6-methylanthraquinone), an active component of the root and rhizome of Rheum palmatum that has several biological activities including antitumor effects, on primary cultured glioma stem cells. [Stem Cells Dev] Abstract

miR-101 Acts as a Tumor Suppressor by Targeting Krüppel-Like Factor 6 in Glioblastoma Stem Cells
Deregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) expression has been associated with cancer formation through alterations in gene targets. Researchers report the role of miR-101 in human glioblastoma stem cells and the potential mechanisms. [CNS Neurosci Ther] Abstract

Characterization of Stem-Like Cells in Mucoepidermoid Tracheal Pediatric Tumor
Scientists show that a tracheal mucoepidermoid tumor biopsy obtained from a six year-old patient contained a subpopulation of cells with morphology, clonogenicity and surface markers that overlapped with bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells. [PLoS One] Full Article

A Synthetic Triterpenoid CDDO-Im Inhibits Tumorsphere Formation by Regulating Stem Cell Signaling Pathways in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Since a small subpopulation of cancer stem cells has been suggested to be responsible for drug resistance and metastasis of tumors, researchers determined whether the effects of CDDO-Imidazolide (CDDO-Im) in triple-negative breast cancer are due to the inhibition of a cancer stem cell subpopulation. [PLoS One] Full Article

Hypothermia Stimulates Glioma Stem Spheres to Spontaneously Dedifferentiate Adjacent Non-Stem Glioma Cells
Current models of stem cell biology assume that glioma stem cells reside at the apices of hierarchies and differentiate into non-stem progeny in a unidirectional manner. Researchers found an opposite phenomenon that glioma stem spheres could induce adjacent non-stem glioma cells to spontaneously dedifferentiate into stem-like cells in low temperature condition. [Cell Mol Neurobiol] Abstract

Epigenetics of Cancer Stem Cells: Pathways and Therapeutics
The authors focus on recent advances in understanding the relation of epigenetic reprogramming to the generation, self-renewal and proliferation of cancer stem cells. [Biochim Biophys Acta] Abstract

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Penn Medicine and Wistar Receive $12 Million NCI Melanoma Grant to Help Fast Track Lab Discoveries into Treatments
Penn Medicine and The Wistar Institute have been awarded a prestigious $12.1 million SPORE grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The five-year Specialized Programs of Research Excellence, or SPORE, grant will fund four new melanoma research projects that aim to translate fundamental laboratory discoveries into new therapeutics to treat melanoma and other skin cancers. [Penn Medicine] Press Release

Boehringer Ingelheim and CureVac Announce Collaboration to Develop Next Generation Lung Cancer Immunotherapy
Boehringer Ingelheim and CureVac jointly announce an exclusive global license and development collaboration. The new collaboration focuses on CureVac’s CV9202, a novel investigational therapeutic mRNA vaccine in early clinical development for the treatment of lung cancer. [Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH] Press Release

Food and Drug Administration (United States)

Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (United States)

European Medicines Agency (European Union)

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (United Kingdom)

Therapeutic Goods Administration (Australia)

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

Postdoctoral Fellow – Expression Proteomics and Biomarker Discovery for Clinical Applications (King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre)

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

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

Assistant Professor – Cell, Developmental & Cancer Biology (Oregon Health & Science University)

Postdoctoral Position – Cancer Biology (Yale University School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cancer Cell Survival and Proliferation (Washington State University)

Tenure Track Positions – Cancer Biology (Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center)

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.)

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