Cancer Stem Cell News Volume 4.20 | May 27 2015

Screening of Aptamers Specific to Colorectal Cancer Cells and Stem Cells by Utilizing On-Chip Cell-SELEX
Researchers designed and manufactured a novel microfluidic system capable of performing a fully automated cell-based, systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) process. Eight colorectal-cancer stem cells/colorectal cancer-specific aptamers were successfully selected using the microfluidic chip. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Pigment Epithelium-Derived Factor (PEDF) Expression Induced by EGFRvIII Promotes Self-renewal and Tumor Progression of Glioma Stem Cells
Investigators showed that epidermal growth factor receptor variant III (EGFRvIII) induces the expression and secretion of pigment epithelium-derived factor via activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, thereby promoting self-renewal and tumor progression of glioma stem cells. [PLoS Biol] Full Article

The HDAC Inhibitors Scriptaid and LBH589 Combined with the Oncolytic Virus Delta24-RGD Exert Enhanced Anti-Tumor Efficacy in Patient-Derived Glioblastoma Cells
Investigators studied the combination treatment effects of HDAC inhibitors (HDACi) and Delta24-RGD in patient-derived glioblastoma stem-like cells, and they determined the most effective HDACi. [PLoS One] Full Article

Mitochondrially Targeted Vitamin E Succinate Efficiently Kills Breast Tumor-Initiating Cells in a Complex II-Dependent Manner
The mammosphere model of breast tumor-initiating cells was established by culturing murine NeuTL and human MCF7 cells as spheres. This model was verified by stem cell marker expression, tumor initiation capacity and chemotherapeutic resistance. [BMC Cancer] Full Article

Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 Regulates Tumor Initiating Cell Properties in Head and Neck Cancers
Tiplaxtinin (PAI-039) suppressed the self-renewal capability of head and neck cancers (HNCs)-tumor initiating cells (TICs) derived from HNC cell lines through the inhibition of Sox2 expression. PAI-039 decreased the activity of the core promoter and the enhancer of Sox2 gene in HNC-TICs. [Head Neck-J Sci Spec] Abstract

Targeting the Neurokinin-1 Receptor Inhibits Growth of Human Colon Cancer Cells
Following neurokinin-1 receptor (NK1R) blockage, researchers found significant growth inhibition of both colon cancer cell lines. Treatment of colon cancer cells grown under cancer stem cell conditions reduced sphere formation in both number and size after a single treatment period. [Int J Oncol] Abstract

The Histone Methyltransferase EZH2 Promotes Mammary Stem and Luminal Progenitor Cell Expansion, Metastasis and Inhibits Estrogen Receptor-Positive Cellular Differentiation in a Model of Basal Breast Cancer
Using in vivo transplantation of mammary cancer stem cells transduced with enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) or JMJD3 shRNAs, researchers demonstrated that EZH2 promotes mammary stem and luminal progenitor cell expansion, metastasis and inhibits estrogen receptor-positive cellular differentiation. [Oncol Rep] Abstract

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American Association for Cancer Research and Bayer Partner to Fund Fellowships to Advance Cancer Research
The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and Bayer HealthCare announced a new partnership that will expand the AACR’s Basic Cancer Research Fellowship Program for 2015. [American Association for Cancer Research] 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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Postdoctoral Positions – Cancer, Stem Cell, and Developmental Biology (Columbia University Medical Center)

PhD Student – Cancer Stem Cell Immunology (Cardiff University)

PhD Position – Neurology & Cancer Stem Cells (Cardiff University)

Postdoctoral Positions – Epigenetics, Stem Cells and Cancer (University of Copenhagen)

Postdoctoral Positions – Cancer Stem Cell Biology (Weill Cornell College of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Position – Cancer Research (INSERM)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Cell Death of Normal Tissue Stem Cells & Cancer Stem Cells (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center)

Postdoctoral Position – Cancer Biology (University of Pennsylvania)

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