Cancer Stem Cell News Volume 4.30 | Aug 12 2015

Let-7 Represses Carcinogenesis and a Stem Cell Phenotype in the Intestine via Regulation of Hmga2
Analysis of both mouse and human intestinal cancer specimens reveals that stem cell markers were significantly associated with loss of Let-7 miRNA expression, and that a number of Let-7 targets were elevated, including Hmga1 and Hmga2. [PLoS Genet] Full Article

Tyr1068-Phosphorylated Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) Predicts Cancer Stem Cell Targeting by Erlotinib in Preclinical Models of Wild-Type EGFR Lung Cancer
Researchers investigated erlotinib response of lung cancer stem cells (CSCs) with wild-type EGFR and identified EGFR phosphorylation at tyrosine1068 as a powerful biomarker associated with erlotinib sensitivity both in vitro and in preclinical CSC-generated xenografts. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Integrated Analysis of miRNA, Gene, and Pathway Regulatory Networks in Hepatic Cancer Stem Cells
The characteristics and regulatory mechanisms of hepatic cancer stem cells (HCSCs) remain unclear. Investigators therefore established a novel system to enrich HCSCs and they demonstrated that these HCSCs exhibit cancer stem cell properties. [J Transl Med] Full Article

miR-106b Induces Cell Radioresistance via the PTEN/PI3K/AKT Pathways and p21 in Colorectal Cancer
A series of in vitro and in vivo studies were performed to investigate the roles of miRNA (miR)-106b on cell radioresistance in colorectal cancer. Overexpression of miR-106b could enhance the tumor-initiating cell capacity without or with ionizing radiation condition, such as the colony sphere formation capacity and the upregulation of stemness-related genes. [J Transl Med] Full Article

Epigallocatechin Gallate Hinders Human Hepatoma and Colon Cancer Sphere Formation
Scientists investigated the effects of epigallocatechin gallate on human hepatoma and colon cancer stem cells. Sphere-derived cells grown in serum-free, nonadherent cultures showed increased expression of stem cell markers, Nek2, and ABC transporter genes, compared with parental cells grown in conventional culture. [J Gastroenterol Hepatol] Abstract

Sensitivity of Glioma Initiating Cells to a Monoclonal Anti-EGFR Antibody Therapy under Hypoxia
Glioma initiating cells (GICs) were obtained from two patient-derived high-grade gliomas xenograft model, expressing differently EGFR. GICs were exposed to anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody cetuximab during 48 hours in 1% or 21% oxygen tension. Cell viability and self-renewal capacity were then evaluated as well as their angiogenic properties. [Life Sci] Abstract

Enrichment and Characterization of Cancer Stem Cells from a Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cell Line
Using the non-adhesive culture system, tumor spheres were successfully generated from human A549 non-small cell lung cancer cell line within two weeks. Compared to A549 adherent cells, sphere cells had a higher self-renewal ability and increased resistance to cytotoxic drugs. [Oncol Rep] Abstract

Stem Cell-Like Gene Expression Signature Identified in Ionizing Radiation-Treated Cancer Cells
Scientists showed similar gene expression patterns between embryonic stem (ES) cells and ionizing radiation-treated cancer cells. Using genome-wide transcriptome analysis, they compared the gene expression profiles among ES cells, cancer cells, and irradiated cancer cells, and identified a subset of similar gene expression patterns between ES cells and irradiated cancer cells, indicated by hierarchical clustering. [Gene] Abstract

Wnt Signaling in Stem Cells and Tumor Stem Cells
The author reviews the current understanding of the role of Wnt signaling in somatic stem cells and cancer stem cell/tumor-initiating cell and the potential to pharmacologically manipulate these endogenous stem cell populations (both normal and tumor). [Semin Reprod Med] Abstract

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the cancer stem cell research field.

MabVax Therapeutics and The Rockefeller University Enter into a Collaborative Research Agreement
MabVax Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. and The Rockefeller University’s Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Immunology have entered into a research collaboration agreement to explore the mechanism of action of constant region variants of the HuMab 5B1 in the role of tumor clearance. [MabVax Therapeutics Holdings, Inc.] Press Release

Sanofi, Evotec and Apeiron Biologics Enter Collaboration to Develop Novel Small Molecule Immuno-Oncology Treatments
Sanofi announced that it has entered a research collaboration and license agreement with Evotec and Apeiron Biologics to discover and develop first-in-class small molecule-based immuno-oncology therapies to treat solid and hematological cancers by enhancing the anti-tumor activity of the human immune system. [Sanofi] Press Release

Cancer Research Institute to Honor Outstanding Contributions to Basic and Tumor Immunology Research
The Cancer Research Institute will bestow its highest honors on three scientists who have made fundamental contributions to the fields of immunology and cancer immunotherapy. [Cancer Research Institute] Press Release

Newcastle Gets £5 Million to Boost Drug Development
Cancer Research UK’s Drug Discovery Committee has awarded Newcastle University’s Northern Institute of Cancer Research £5 million to bring more cancer drugs to clinical trials. [Cancer Research UK] Press Release

National Award for Queen’s Cancer Researchers
Cancer experts from Queen’s University Belfast have received a major award exceeding £3.6 million from Cancer Research UK aimed at developing a national digital pathology program to assist and accelerate the delivery of precision medicine in the UK. [Queen’s University Belfast] Press Release

From our sponsor: Learn about detecting cancer stem cells with ALDEFLUOR™. Watch the webinar.

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)

Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the cancer stem cell community.

NEW Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Development and Pathogenesis of Pancreatic Cancer (University College London)

Research Associate – Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Associate – Prostate Cancer (Imperial College London)

Postdoctoral Position – Experimental Oncology/Stem Cell Biology (Academia Medical Center)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Cancer Research (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Brain Tumor Biology and Stem Cells (Universität Basel)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cancer Research (National University of Singapore)

Postdoctoral Cancer Research – Molecular Targets for Tumor Therapy (University of Würzburg)

Higher Scientific Officer – Cancer Proteomics (Institute of Cancer Research)

Postdoctoral Positions- Cancer Research (Rutgers University)

Postdoctoral Research Associate – Breast Stem Cell Biology (University of Miami Miller School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Fellowships – Cancer Research (German Cancer Research Center)

Recruit Top Talent: Reach more than 60,000 potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.