Cancer Stem Cell News Volume 5.07 | Feb 24 2016

Epigenetic Modulation of a miR-296-5p:HMGA1 Axis Regulates Sox2 Expression and Glioblastoma Stem Cells
Scientists identified a novel epigenetically regulated circuit that integrates microRNA, chromatin remodeling and the reprogramming transcription factor Sox2 to regulate glioblastoma-propagating stem cells. [Oncogene] Abstract

SREBP-2 Promotes Stem Cell-Like Properties and Metastasis by Transcriptional Activation of c-Myc in Prostate Cancer
The authors showed that expression of SREBP-2 was elevated in advanced pathologic grade and metastatic prostate cancer (PCa) and significantly associated with poor clinical outcomes. Biofunctional analyses demonstrated that SREBP-2 induced PCa cell proliferation, invasion and migration. [Oncotarget] Full Article

Cucurbitacin B Inhibits the Stemness and Metastatic Abilities of NSCLC via Downregulation of Canonical Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Axis
The authors determined the anti-metastatic and anti-angiogenic potential of a natural plant triterpenoid, cucurbitacin B against non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) both in vitro and in vivo. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Key Role of MEK/ERK Pathway in Sustaining Tumorigenicity and In Vitro Radioresistance of Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma Stem-Like Cell Population
Researchers aimed to investigate the role of the MEK/ERK pathway in controlling the cancer stem-like phenotype using a model of rhabdospheres derived from the embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma cell line. [Mol Cancer] Full Article

Prolonged Pemetrexed Pretreatment Augments Persistence of Cisplatin-Induced DNA Damage and Eliminates Resistant Lung Cancer Stem-Like Cells Associated with EMT
Prolonged pemetrexed pretreatment for 48 hour prior to cisplatin treatment maximally delayed long-term cell growth and significantly reduced the number of recovering clones. Moreover, apoptosis and senescence were augmented and recovery from treatment-induced DNA damage was delayed. [BMC Cancer] Full Article

Radiotherapy Diagnostic Biomarkers in Radioresistant Human H460 Lung Cancer Stem-Like Cells
Scientists identified eight proteins that were up-regulated in RR-H460 cancer stem cells (CSCs) lines and therefore potentially involved in radioresistance and CSC-related biological processes. Notably, four of these-PAI-2, NOMO2, KLC4, and PLOD3-have not been previously linked to radioresistance. [Cancer Biol Ther] Abstract

Suppression of Prostate Cancer Progression by Cancer Cell Stemness Inhibitor Napabucasin
Decrease in cell viability, colony formation, migration, and survival with cell cycle arrest, higher sensitivity to docetaxel in vitro, and repressed tumorigenesis in vivo was observed upon napabucasin treatment. More importantly, napabucasin can inhibit spherogenesis and even kill prostate cancer stem cells in vitro. [Cancer Med] Full Article

Inhibition of Monocarboxylate Transporter 1 Suppresses the Proliferation of Glioblastoma Stem Cells
Based on the hypothesis that ion transport-related molecules regulate the viability and function of cancer stem cells (CSCs), the authors investigated the expression of ion transport-related molecules in glioblastoma CSCs. [J Physiol Sci] Abstract

Neurotrophin Signaling in Cancer Stem Cells
The reviewers present neurotrophins and their receptors, summarize their roles in different cancers, and discuss the emerging evidence of neurotrophins-induced enrichment of cancer stem cells as well as the involved signaling pathways. [Cell Mol Life Sci] Abstract

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

ImmunID Signs Master Collaboration Agreement with MSK about the Prediction of Response to Immuno-OncologyAgents Using ImmunTraCkeR^®
ImmunID announced that it has just signed a master collaboration agreement with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK). This new collaboration aims at validating the clinical utility of ImmunID’s ImmunTraCkeR^® assay to predict response to cancer immunotherapy and in particular, to immune checkpoint agents in solid tumors. [ImmunID] Press Release

Asterias Biotherapeutics Announces Successful End-of-Phase II Meeting with FDA for AST-VAC1
Asterias Biotherapeutics, Inc. announced the successful completion of an End-of-Phase II meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for AST-VAC1, its investigational therapy targeting acute myeloid leukemia. [Asterias Biotherapeutics, Inc.] Press Release

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NEW Full Professorship – Tumor Immunology (German Cancer Research Center)

NEW Junior Professorship – Imaging and Radiation Oncology (German Cancer Research Center)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Cancer Stem Cell Biology (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

PhD Studentship – Various Positions in Cancer (Virginia Commonwealth University)

Faculty Position – Cancer Research (Various Areas) (The Jackson Laboratory)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Cancer Epigenomics (Princess Margaret Cancer Centre )

Faculty Position – Radioimmunotherapy (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Director Manufacturing – Cell and Gene Therapy (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Lab Technician – Hematopoietic Stem Cell Biology (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Post-Doc Fellowships – Integrative Analysis in Prostate and Breast Cancer (Baylor College of Medicine)

Research Scientist – Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (University of Chicago)

Staff Scientist – Cell Therapy Process Development (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Post-Doc Fellowship – Bioinformatics RNA Biology and Cancer (German Cancer Research Center)

Post-Doc Fellowship – Genetics and Genomics of Stem Cells (Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University)

Professor – Cancer Immunotherapy (Stanford Cancer Institute)

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