Identifying an Ovarian Cancer Cell Hierarchy Regulated by Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 Scientists used a novel microfluidic single-cell culture method to directly observe the differentiation capacity of four heterogeneous ovarian cancer cell populations defined by the expression of the cancer stem-like cell markers aldehyde dehydrogenase and CD133. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract | Press Release PAR1 Inhibition Suppresses the Self-Renewal and Growth of A2B5-Defined Glioma Progenitor Cells and Their Derived Gliomas In Vivo Lentiviral knockdown of PAR1 inhibited the expansion and self-renewal of human glioblastoma-derived A2B5+ tumor-initiating progenitor cells (TPCs) in vitro, while pharmacological inhibition of PAR 1 similarly slowed both the growth and migration of A2B5+ TPCs in culture. [Oncogene] Abstract Downregulation of COMMD1 by miR-205 Promotes a Positive Feedback Loop for Amplifying Inflammatory- and Stemness-Associated Properties of Cancer Cells Analysis of microarray data revealed upregulation of nuclear factor-κB–regulated pro-inflammatory genes and downregulation of copper metabolism MURR1 domain-containing 1 (COMMD1) during the enrichment for stemness in SAS head and neck squamous-cell carcinoma cells. [Cell Death Differ] Full Article Non-Epigenetic Function of HDAC8 in Regulating Breast Cancer Stem Cells by Maintaining Notch1 Protein Stability The authors report a novel non-epigenetic function of histone deacetylase (HDAC) 8 in activating cancer stem cell-like properties in breast cancer cells by enhancing the stability of Notch1 protein. [Oncotarget] Full Article CD44 Is Functionally Crucial for Driving Lung Cancer Stem Cells Metastasis through Wnt/β-Catenin-FoxM1-Twist Signaling Investigators found that CD133+CD44+ cells which were derived from primary lung adenocarcinoma possessed cancer stem cell-like features. Furthermore, CD44 was demonstrated functionally crucial to drive metastatic potential of CD133+CD44+ lung cancer stem cell-like cells by in vitro and in vivo experiments. [Mol Carcinog] Abstract Phenotype Plasticity Rather than Repopulation from CD90/CK14+ Cancer Stem Cells Leads to Cisplatin Resistance of Urothelial Carcinoma Cell Lines Based on the fact that urothelial carcinoma is postulated to constitute cancer stem cells and the origin of cisplatin resistance, researchers enriched urothelial carcinoma cell lines for CD90 and studied the tumor-initiating potential of these separated cells in vitro. [J Exp Clin Cancer Res] Full Article The Novel Oral TGF-β Signaling Inhibitor EW-7197 Eradicates Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia-Initiating Cells Scientists investigated the therapeutic potential of EW-7197, an orally bioavailable TGF-β signaling inhibitor, to suppress chronic myelogenous leukemia leukemia-initiating cells in vivo. [Cancer Sci] Abstract Lgr5 Methylation in Cancer Stem Cell Differentiation and Prognosis-Prediction in Colorectal Cancer Researchers investigated the methylation status within the leucine-rich-repeat-containing G-protein-coupled receptor 5 (lgr5) promoter and evaluated its relationship with cancer stem cell differentiation, prognosis for colorectal cancer, and its clinicopathological features. [PLoS One] Full Article  |