Cancer Stem Cell News Volume 3.42 | Oct 29 2014

HIF-1alpha Regulates mTOR Signaling and Viability of Prostate Cancer Stem Cells
A well characterized murine model of prostate cancer was used to investigate the regulation of hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha (HIF-1alpha) in cancer stem cells and a basal stem cell subpopulation was identified, in primary prostate tumors of mice, with elevated HIF-1alpha expression. [Mol Cancer Res] Abstract

High GINS2 Transcript Level Predicts Poor Prognosis and Correlates with High Histological Grade and Endocrine Therapy Resistance through Mammary Cancer Stem Cells in Breast Cancer Patients
GINS2 expression was significantly downregulated under mutated p53-depleted condition in MDA-468 and MDA-MB-231 cells, upregulated in mammary cancer stem cells, and correlated with upregulated genes in mammary stem cells. [Breast Cancer Res Treat] Abstract

Methods for Detecting Circulating Cancer Stem Cells (CCSCs) as a Novel Approach for Diagnosis of Colon Cancer Relapse/Metastasis
Scientists report for the first time the detection of CCSCs in the blood of athymic nude mice, bearing metastatic tumors, and in the blood of patients positive for colonic adenocarcinomas. Using a simple and non-expensive method, they isolated a relatively pure population of CSCs, free of red blood cells and largely free of contaminating CD45⁺ white blood cells. [Lab Invest] Abstract

Hepatoma SK Hep-1 Cells Exhibit Characteristics of Oncogenic Mesenchymal Stem Cells with Highly Metastatic Capacity
Researchers demonstrate that SK Hep-1 cells (SK cells) represent a transformation mechanism of normal mesenchymal stem cells into an enhanced self-renewal cancer stem cells (CSC) with metastasis capacity, SK cells and their xenografts represent a same relative homogeneity of CSC with substantial metastatic capacity. [PLoS One] Full Article

Bmi1 Regulates Self-Renewal and Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition in Breast Cancer Cells through Nanog
Scientists explored the role of Bmi1 in regulating the stemness and drug resistance of breast cancer cells. Bmi1 overexpression in immortalized and transformed breast epithelial cells increased their sphere-forming efficiency, induced epithelial to mesenchymal transition with an increase in the expression of stemness-related genes. [BMC Cancer] Abstract | Full Article

miR-99a Directly Targets the mTOR Signaling Pathway in Breast Cancer Side Population Cells
Scientists detected expression of miR-99a in the side population (SP) cells compared to non-SP cells using real-time PCR, and explored effects of miR-99a on the cancer stem cell phenotype of the breast cancer cells, including sphere formation, self-renewal, tumorigenicity and cell migratory capability. [Cell Prolif] Abstract

Tight Regulation between Cell Survival and Programmed Cell Death in GBM Stem-Like Cells by EGFR/GSK3b/PP2A Signaling
Investigators evaluated the role of glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3b) in patient-derived glioblastoma (GBM) stem-like cell proliferation, apoptosis and invasion. [J Neurooncol] Abstract

siRNA Targeting Stathmin Inhibits Invasion and Enhances Chemotherapy Sensitivity of Stem Cells Derived from Glioma Cell Lines
Researchers isolated glioma stem cells (GSCs) from glioma cell lines U87MG and U251, and then used siRNA targeting stathmin for silencing. They show that silencing of stathmin suppressed the proliferation, increased the apoptosis rate, and arrested the cell cycle at G2/M phase in GSCs. [Acta Biochim Biophys Sin] Abstract

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MEI Pharma Advances Clinical Study of Mitochondrial Inhibitor ME-344 in Small Cell Lung and Ovarian Cancers
MEI Pharma, Inc. announced that the first patient has been dosed in the cohort-expansion stage of the Company’s Phase Ib clinical study of investigational drug candidate ME-344 in combination with topotecan in patients with small cell lung or ovarian cancer who failed initial therapy. [MEI Pharma, Inc.] Press Release

Synta Announces Initiation of I-SPY 2 TRIAL of Ganetespib in Breast Cancer
Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp. announced the initiation of the I-SPY 2 TRIAL (Investigation of Serial Studies to Predict Your Therapeutic Response with Imaging And moLecular Analysis 2) arm evaluating ganetespib, the company’s Hsp90 inhibitor, as a neoadjuvant therapy for patients with breast cancer. [Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp.] Press Release

Merck Receives FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation for KEYTRUDA^® (Pembrolizumab) in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Merck announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted breakthrough therapy designation to KEYTRUDA^®, the company’s anti-PD-1 therapy, for the treatment of patients with epidermal growth factor receptor mutation-negative, and anaplastic lymphoma kinase rearrangement-negative non-small cell lung cancer whose disease has progressed on or following platinum-based chemotherapy. [Merck & Co., Inc.] Press Release

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PhD Student Position – Cancer Biology (Queen Mary University of London)

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

Postdoctoral Fellow – Gene Regulation in Breast Cancer/Stem Cell Biology (UC College of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Position – Leukemic Stem Cells (BC Cancer Agency)

Assistant or Associate Professor – Cancer Biology (University of Pennsylvania)

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

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

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

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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