Cancer Stem Cell News Volume 4.37 | Sep 30 2015

The Nuclear Orphan Receptor NR2F6 Is a Central Checkpoint for Cancer Immune Surveillance
The authors showed that genetic ablation of nuclear receptor subfamily 2, group F, member 6 (Nr2f6) significantly improves survival in the murine transgenic TRAMP prostate cancer model. Furthermore, Nr2f6^−/− mice spontaneously reject implanted tumors and develop host-protective immunological memory against tumor rechallenge. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract | Press Release

LncRNA-Hh Strengthen Cancer Stem Cells Generation in Twist-Positive Breast Cancer via Activation of Hedgehog Signaling Pathway
The Shh-GLI1 pathway associated long non-coding RNA (lncRNA)-Hh, transcriptionally regulated by Twist, directly targets GAS1 to stimulate the activation of hedgehog signaling (Hh). The activated Hh increases GLI1 expression, and enhances the expression of SOX2 and OCT4 to play a regulatory role in cancer stem cell maintenance. [Stem Cells] Abstract

Enhanced Efficacy of Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer Stem Cells by Simultaneous Suppression of Multidrug Resistance and Antiapoptotic Cellular Defense
Investigators studied the characteristics of 231-cancer stem cells (CSCs) sorted from human MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and demonstrated that 231-CSCs exhibited enhanced capacities for proliferation, migration, tumorigenesis and chemotherapy resistance. [Acta Biomater] Abstract

Essential Role of miR-200c in Regulating Self-Renewal of Breast Cancer Stem Cells and Their Counterparts of Mammary Epithelium
MUC1⁻ ESA⁺ cells were isolated from normal mammary epithelial cell line MCF-10A by fluorescence-activated cell sorting and tested for stemness by clonogenic assay and multi-potential differentiation experiments. The miRNA profiles of mammary epithelial stem cells, breast cancer stem cells and breast cancer MCF-7 cells were compared to obtain the candidate miRNAs that may regulate breast tumorigenesis. [BMC Cancer] Full Article

Inhibition of Phosphatidylcholine-Specific Phospholipase C Interferes with Proliferation and Survival of Tumor Initiating Cells in Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Researchers investigated phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C (PC-PLC) expression and effects of PC-PLC inhibition in two adherent squamous carcinoma cell lines, with different proliferative and stemness potential, and in tumor initiating cell-enriched floating spheres originated from them. [PLoS One] Full Article

PI3K/Akt/mTOR Pathway Dual Inhibitor BEZ235 Suppresses the Stemness of Colon Cancer Stem Cells
Investigators isolated colon cancer stem cells through sphere culture and verified with the cancer stem cell markers CD133, CD44, and CD24. They demonstrated that the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway was highly activated in the colon cancer stem cells and that inhibition of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway by the inhibitor BEZ235 suppressed the colon cancer stem cell proliferation with reduced stemness indicated by CD133 and Lgr5 expressions. [Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol] Abstract

Salinomycin Possesses Anti-Tumor Activity and Inhibits Breast Cancer Stem-Like Cells via an Apoptosis-Independent Pathway
The authors investigated the mechanisms responsible for salinomycin’s selective targeting of breast cancer stem cells and its anti-tumor activity. Salinomycin suppressed cell viability, concomitant with the downregulation of cyclin D1 and increased p27^kip1 nuclear accumulation. [Biochem Biophys Res Commun] Abstract

Garcinol Downregulates Notch1 Signaling via Modulating miR-200c and Suppresses Oncogenic Properties of PANC-1 Cancer Stem-Like Cells
Scientists identified and isolated pancreatic cancer stem-like cells using side-population method from human pancreatic cancer cell line, PANC-1. PANC-1 SP cells exhibited cancer stem-like cell properties including enhanced self-renewal ability, increased metastatic potential and resistance towards gemcitabine treatment. [Biotechnol Appl Biochem] Abstract

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Kiadis Pharma Announces Initiation of a Repeat-Dosing Phase II Clinical Trial with ATIR101™
Kiadis Pharma N.V., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative T-cell immunotherapy treatments for blood cancers and inherited blood disorders, announced that it has obtained regulatory approvals from the national authorities both in Canada and in Belgium to start a further Phase II clinical trial with its lead product ATIR101™. [Kiadis Pharma N.V.] Press Release

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NEW Research Technician II – Stem Cell and Gene Therapy (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

NEW Postdoctoral Positions – Stem Cell Biology (University of California Los Angeles)

NEW Assistant Professor – Stem Cell Biology (Stanford University)

Postdoctoral Positions – Stem Cell, Developmental, and Cancer Biology (University of California Santa Cruz)

Postdoctoral Positions – Stem Cell, Developmental, and Cancer Biology (Columbia University Medical Center)

Assistant Professor – Stem Cell Biology (University of South Carolina)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Epigenetic Modifiers (Van Andel Research Institute)

Postdoctoral Position – Immunology/Vascular Biology/Oncology (University of Toulouse)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cancer Biology (National Cancer Institute)

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