Cancer Stem Cell News Volume 3.39 | Oct 8 2014

Acquisition of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Cancer Stem-Like Phenotypes within Chitosan-Hyaluronan Membrane-Derived 3D Tumor Spheroids
Researchers applied chitosan-hyaluronan (HA) membranes as a platform to promote three-dimensional (3D) tumor spheroid formation. The biological features of tumor spheroids of human non-small cell lung cancer cells on chitosan-HA membranes were compared to those of two-dimensional cultured cells in vitro. [Biomaterials] Abstract

NGF and ProNGF Simultaneously Promote Symmetric Self-Renewal, Quiescence and EMT to Enlarge the Breast Cancer Stem Cell Compartment
Researchers investigated the effects of nerve growth factor (NGF) and proNGF on the breast cancer stem cells compartment and found that NGF or proNGF enrich for cancer stem cells in several breast cancer cell lines. [Stem Cells] Abstract

KLF9 Inhibits Glioblastoma Stemness through Global Transcription Repression and Integrin-α6 Inhibition
Scientists established for the first time a genome-wide map of Krüppel-like factor-9 (KLF9)-regulated targets in human glioblastoma stem-like cells, and show that KLF9 functions as a transcriptional repressor and thereby regulates multiple signaling pathways involved in oncogenesis and stem cell regulation. [J Biol Chem]
Abstract | Full Article

How Stemlike Are Sphere Cultures from Long-Term Cancer Cell Lines? Lessons from Mouse Glioma Models
Using sphere formation as a model for cancer cell stemness in vitro, scientists derived sphere cultures from SMA-497, SMA-540, SMA-560, and GL-261 glioma cells. Gene expression and proteomics profiling demonstrated that sphere cultures uniformly showed an elevated expression of stemness-associated genes, notably including CD44. [J Neuropathol Exp Neurol] Abstract

Tripartite Interactions between Wnt Signaling, Notch and Myb for Stem/Progenitor Cell Functions during Intestinal Tumorigenesis
Using ApcMin/⁺ mice as a source of organoids researchers documented their transition, on a clone-by-clone basis, to cyst-like spheres with constitutively activated Wnt pathway, increased self-renewal and growth and reduced differentiation. [Stem Cell Res] Full Article

miR-106b Modulates Cancer Stem Cell Characteristics through TGF-β/Smad Signaling in CD44-Positive Gastric Cancer Cells
Researchers sorted gastric cancer stem-like cells using the stem cell marker CD44 by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. CD44⁺ cells formed more and larger spheres compared with CD44^– cells. Cancer stem cell markers were overexpressed in CD44⁺ cells. CD44⁺ cells showed increased expression of mesenchymal cell markers, whereas epithelial markers were downregulated. [Lab Invest] Abstract

Histone Deacetylase 1/Sp1/MicroRNA-200b Signaling Accounts for Maintenance of Cancer Stem-Like Cells in Human Lung Adenocarcinoma
Scientists show that microRNA-200b was significantly downregulated in CD133⁺/CD326⁺ cells that exhibited properties of cancer stem-like cells derived from docetaxel-resistant lung adenocarcinoma cells. [PLoS One]
Full Article

An IL6-STAT3 Loop Mediates Resistance to PI3K Inhibitors by Inducing Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Cancer Stem Cell Expansion in Human Breast Cancer Cells
Researchers reveal an IL6-STAT3 positive feedback loop that mediated the resistance to PI3K inhibitors. They found that breast cancer cells with acquired resistance to PI3K inhibitors displayed epithelial-mesenchymal transition features and highly enriched cancer stem cells, secreting ~1000-fold more IL6 than parental cells. [Biochem Biophys Res Commun] Abstract

9-O-Acetylated Sialic Acids Differentiating Normal Hematopoietic Precursors from Leukemic Stem Cells with High Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Activity in Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Researchers identified two distinct hematopoietic progenitor populations from bone marrow of diagnostic acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients, exploring the differential expression of 9-O-acetylated sialoglycoproteins with stem cell, hematopoietic, lineage-commitment antigens and cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase. [Glycoconj J] Abstract

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Bristol-Myers Squibb Announces Collaboration to Evaluate Opdivo (Nivolumab) in Combination with Targeted Therapies from Novartis to Treat Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company announced the establishment of a clinical trial collaboration to evaluate the safety, tolerability and preliminary efficacy of combining Bristol-Myers Squibb’s investigational PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor Opdivo (nivolumab) with three molecularly targeted oncology therapies from Novartis. [Bristol-Myers Squibb Company] Press Release

FDA Grants Orphan Drug Designation to DNAtrix’s DNX-2401 for the Treatment of Malignant Glioma
DNAtrix, Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Orphan Drug Designation for DNX-2401, a conditionally-replicative oncolytic adenovirus for malignant glioma. [DNAtrix, Inc.] Press Release

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Postdoctoral Position – Leukemic Stem Cells (BC Cancer Agency)

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Faculty Positions – Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine (Baylor College of Medicine)

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

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