Cancer Stem Cell News Volume 4.06 | Feb 18 2015

p21-Activated Kinase 1 Determines Stem-Like Phenotype and Sunitinib Resistance via NF-κB/IL-6 Activation in Renal Cell Carcinoma
p21-Activated Kinase 1 (PAK1) kinase activation with constitutive active PAK1 mutant T423E promoted growth, colony formation, migration, invasion and stem-like phenotype of renal cell carcinoma cells, and vice versa, in PAK1 inhibition by PAK1 kinase inactivation with specific PAK1 shRNA, dead kinase PAK1 mutant K299R or allosteric inhibitor IPA3. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Establishment of a Novel System for the Culture and Expansion of Hepatic Stem-Like Cancer Cells
Scientists established a novel medium system that allows the culture and enrichment of hepatic stem-like cancer cells from both hepatoma cells and human primary hepatocellular carcinoma cells. These cells exhibited typical stem cell properties, such as enhanced stem cell markers, gain of epithelial-mesenchymal transition properties and drug resistance, and more importantly, stronger tumor-initiating capabilities. [Cancer Lett]
Full Article

Targeting Lung Cancer Stem-Like Cells with TRAIL Gene Armed Oncolytic Adenovirus
Lung cancer cell line A549 cells propagated as spheroid bodies in growth factors-defined serum-free medium. A549 sphere cells displayed cancer stem cell properties, including chemo-resistance, increased proportion of G0/G1 cells, slower proliferation rate, ability of differentiation and enhanced tumor formation ability in vivo. [J Cell Mol Med] Full Article

Evidence of CD90⁺CXCR4⁺ Cells as Circulating Tumor Stem Cells in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Scientists show evidence that CD90⁺CXCR4⁺ hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells may be circulating tumor stem cells in HCC. CD90⁺CXCR4⁺ HCC cells formed tumor spheres in culture and developed tumors after serial adoptive transplantations into NOD/SCID mice, while the CD90^–CXCR4^–, CD90^–CXCR4⁺ or CD90⁺CXCR4⁻ cells did not. [Tumor Biol] Abstract

Synergistic Anti-Proliferative Effect of Metformin and Sorafenib on Growth of Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer Cells and Their Stem Cells
In HTh74 anaplastic thyroid carcinoma cells and its derived doxorubicin-resistant HTh74Rdox cell line, the growth inhibitory effect of sorafenib with or without metformin was investigated. The two drugs synergistically decreased sphere formation, which suggested a specific effect on thyroid cancer stem cells. [Oncol Rep] Abstract

IQGAP1 Is Involved in Enhanced Aggressive Behavior of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Stem Cell-Like Cells during Differentiation
Ovarian cancer stem cell-like cells (CSC-LCs) obtained through spheroid culture showed irregularly elongated appearance, and were CD24 negative and OCT4 and SOX2 positive. IQ domain GTPase-activating protein 1 (IQGAP1) expression was decreased in ovarian CSC-LCs compared with parental 3AO cells, but increased de novo during the differentiation of CSC-LCs. [Int J Gynecol Cancer] Full Article

Ovarian Cancer Stem-Like Cells Elicit the Polarization of M2 Macrophages
Increasing evidence has supported the correlation between ovarian cancer stem-like cells (OCSCs) and macrophages, however, whether OCSCs can affect the polarization of macrophages and the underlying mechanisms involved remain to be elucidated. To examine the interplay between OCSCs and macrophages, a co‑culture system was used to detect the effect of OCSCs on macrophage polarization [Mol Med Rep] Abstract

Glioblastoma Stem Cells and Stem Cell-Targeting Immunotherapies
Ongoing work to determine the comprehensive antigenic profile of the glioblastoma cancer stem cells in conjunction with efforts to counter the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment holds much promise in future immunotherapeutic strategies against glioblastoma. [J Neuro-Oncol] Abstract

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US FDA Approves Anticancer Agent Lenvima^™ (Lenvatinib Mesylate) as Treatment for Radioactive Iodine-Refractory Differentiated Thyroid Cancer
Eisai Co., Ltd. announced that its U.S. subsidiary Eisai Inc. has received approval of its in-house developed novel anticancer agent Lenvima^™ (lenvatinib mesylate) as a treatment for locally recurrent or metastatic, progressive, radioactive iodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). [Eisai Co., Ltd.] Press Release

Novogen Lodges Key Super-Benzopyran Patent
Novogen Limited announced the lodgement of final specifications of a patent that covers the company’s first family of super-benzopyran compounds that to date has yielded leading drug candidates, TRXE-002, TRXE-009 and TRXE-0025. The focus with this particular family of compounds has been their ability to kill cancer stem cells. [Novogen Limited] Press Release

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

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

Research Technician II – Pediatric Cancer and Stem Cells (Massachusetts General Hospital)

Director – Vector Production (Sangamo BioSciences, Inc.)

Senior Process Development Engineer (Sangamo BioSciences, Inc.)

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

Junior Group Leaders – Cell Biology of Cancer and Genomic Instability (Foundation FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology)

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

Postdoctoral Positions – Cancer Bioengineering and Cancer Biology (University of Minnesota)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Wnt Signaling in Development and Disease (Van Andel Research Institute)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Post-Transcriptional Gene Regulation Governing Cancer Cell Behavior (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

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