Cancer Stem Cell News Volume 3.47 | Dec 3 2014

Hypoxia-Inducible Factors Are Required for Chemotherapy Resistance of Breast Cancer Stem Cells
Chemotherapy-induced hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) activity enriched a breast cancer stem cell population through interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 signaling and increased expression of multidrug resistance 1. Coadministration of HIF inhibitors overcame the resistance of breast cancer stem cells to paclitaxel or gemcitabine, both in vitro and in vivo, leading to tumor eradication. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

Activin Upregulation by NF-κB Is Required to Maintain Mesenchymal Features of Cancer Stem-Like Cells in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Using gene expression profiling of all annotated and predicted secreted gene products, scientists found that NF-κB activity is required to upregulate INHBA/Activin, a morphogen in the TGF beta superfamily. INHBA is capable of inducing and maintaining mesenchymal phenotypes, including the expression of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition master-switch regulators and self-renewal factors that sustain cancer-initiating cells phenotypes and promote lung metastasis. [Cancer Res] Abstract | Full Article

PI3K/mTOR Dual Inhibitor VS-5584 Preferentially Targets Cancer Stem Cells
Researchers report that VS-5584 is up to 30-fold more potent in inhibiting the proliferation and survival of cancer stem cells (CSC) compared to non-CSC in solid tumor cell populations. VS-5584 preferentially diminished CSC levels in multiple mouse xenograft models of human cancer, as evidenced by marked reduction of tumor-initiating capacity in limiting dilution assays. [Cancer Res] Abstract | Full Article

An In Silico Screen Links Gene Expression Signatures to Drug Response in Glioblastoma Stem Cells
Scientists tested whether predictive models of drug response could be developed from gene expression signatures of established cell lines and applied to predict drug response in glioblastoma stem cells. Predictions for active compounds were confirmed both for 185 compounds in seven established glioma cell lines and 21 compounds in three glioblastoma stem cells. [Pharmacogenomics J] Abstract

Ionizing Radiations Sustain Glioblastoma Cell Dedifferentiation to a Stem-Like Phenotype through Survivin: Possible Involvement in Radioresistance
Investigators demonstrate that subtoxic ionizing radiations exposure of differentiated glioblastomas cells isolated from patient resections potentiated the long-term reacquisition of stem-associated properties such as the ability to generate primary and secondary neurospheres, the expression of stemness markers and an increased tumorigenicity. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Modulation of A₁ and A_2B Adenosine Receptor Activity: A New Strategy to Sensitize Glioblastoma Stem Cells to Chemotherapy
Researchers investigated the role of adenosine receptor (AR) subtypes in the survival and differentiation of cancer stem cells (CSCs) isolated from human glioblastoma multiforme cells. Stimulation of A₁AR and A_2BAR had a prominent anti-proliferative/pro-apoptotic effect on the CSCs. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

BMP-2 Inhibits Tumor-Initiating Ability in Human Renal Cancer Stem Cells and Induces Bone Formation
Investigators determined whether BMP-2 can similarly induce bone formation and inhibit the tumorigenicity of renal cancer stem cells identified based on aldehyde dehydrogenase activity in renal cell carcinoma cell lines and primary tumors. [J Cancer Res Clin Oncol] Abstract

Correlation between Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor and Tumor Stem Cell Markers CD44/CD24 and Their Relationship with Prognosis in Breast Invasive Ductal Carcinoma
Scientists studied the correlation between epidermal growth factor receptor and the tumor stem cell markers CD44/CD24 in breast invasive ductal carcinoma and their relationship with prognosis. [Med Oncol]
Abstract | Full Article

Salinomycin Inhibits the Tumor Growth of Glioma Stem Cells by Selectively Suppressing Glioma-Initiating Cells
The potential role of salinomycin, a polyether antibiotic, on the suppression of glioma cell growth was investigated. It was demonstrated that salinomycin significantly reduced the cell viability of GL261-NS and GL261-AC cells in a dose-dependent manner, with a more substantial inhibition of GL261-NS proliferation.
[Mol Med Rep] Abstract | Download Full Article

A Novel Long Non-Coding RNA, Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-2α Promoter Upstream Transcript, Functions as an Inhibitor of Osteosarcoma Stem Cells In Vitro
Researchers investigated the regulating role of a novel long non-coding RNAs, hypoxia-inducible factor-2α promoter upstream transcript (HIF2PUT), in osteosarcoma stem cells. In functional experiments, HIF2PUT expression was knocked down by small interfering RNAs, or overexpressed by transfection with pcDNA-HIF2PUT, in order to evaluate the effects of HIF2PUT on cell proliferation, migration, expression rate of osteosarcoma stem cell marker CD133, and stem sphere-forming ability in MG63 cells. [Mol Med Rep]
Abstract | Download Full Article

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Regen BioPharma Acquires University of Toronto Cancer Stem Cell Intellectual Property
Regen BioPharma Inc. announced acquisition of patent application # US 13/652,395 with a priority date of November 2008 which covers a novel gene target essential for the survival of cancer stem cells. [Regen BioPharma Inc. (Marketwire L.P.)] Press Release

New Ontario Institute to Tackle Costly Diseases of Aging
The Government of Ontario has awarded new funding to the Ontario Stem Cell Initiative and the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine to establish the Ontario Institute for Regenerative Medicine – a research, development and commercialization institute dedicated to the translation of stem cell research into curative therapies for major degenerative diseases. [Ontario Institute for Regenerative Medicine] Press Release

Cancer Research UK to Collaborate with AstraZeneca in Screening for New Cancer Medicines at the AstraZeneca MRC UK Centre for Lead Discovery
AstraZeneca and Cancer Research UK announced that they have signed a memorandum of understanding through which Cancer Research UK drug discovery investigators would be given access to state-of-the-art drug discovery facilities at the new AstraZeneca MRC UK Centre for Lead Discovery to be built in Cambridge. [Cancer Research UK] Press Release

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NEW Postdoctoral Position – Pluripotent Stem Cell Biology and Cancer Research (Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center)

NEW Principal Investigator – Cancer Biochemist (Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Chromatin and Epigenetic Regulation (Van Andel Research Institute)

Head of Cellular and Molecular Therapies Laboratory (NHS Blood & Transplant)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Energy Metabolism and Nutrient Sensing in Cancer Development and Stem Cells (MD Anderson Cancer Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cancer Biology (Lund University)

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

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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