All-Trans Retinoic Acid Synergizes with FLT3 Inhibition to Eliminate FLT3/ITD+ Leukemia Stem Cells In Vitro and In Vivo Researchers explored the efficacy of combining all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and FLT3 tyrosine kinase inhibitors to eliminate FLT3/ITD+ leukemic stem cells. They revealed highly synergistic drug activity, preferentially inducing apoptosis in FLT3/ITD+ cell lines and patient samples. [Blood] Abstract NOTCH1 and SOX10 are Essential for Proliferation and Radiation Resistance of Cancer Stem–Like Cells in Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma The authors isolated cancer stem cells (CSC) from adenoid cystic carcinoma and characterized them, they used ROCK inhibitor-supplemented cell culture, immunomagnetic cell sorting, and in vitro/in vivo assays for CSC viability and tumorigenicity. [Clin Cancer Res] Abstract | Press Release Crosstalk between Bone Marrow-Derived Myofibroblasts and Gastric Cancer Cells Regulates Cancer Stemness and Promotes Tumorigenesis Investigators found that co-injection of bone marrow-derived myofibroblasts (BMFs) with gastric cancer cells markedly promoted tumorigenesis. Co-cultured BMFs or BMF-conditioned medium induced the formation of spheres, which expressed stem cell signatures and exhibited features of self-renewal, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and tumor initiation. [Oncogene] Abstract NOTCH1 Inhibition Enhances the Efficacy of Conventional Chemotherapeutic Agents by Targeting Head Neck Cancer Stem Cell Scientists aimed to investigate the possibility of targeting head neck squamous cell carcinoma by NOTCH1 pathway inhibition and explore the synergistic effect of combining NOTCH inhibition with conventional chemotherapy. [Sci Rep] Full Article Expression of Breast Cancer Stem Cell Markers as Predictors of Prognosis and Response to Trastuzumab in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer The authors investigated the impact of breast cancer stem cells marker expression on clinical outcome and trastuzumab response in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer. [Br J Cancer] Abstract Biomarker-Specific Conjugated Nanopolyplexes for the Active Coloring of Stem-Like Cancer Cells Stem-like cancer cells possess intrinsic features and their CD44 regulate redox balance in cancer cells to survive under stress conditions. Thus, researchers have fabricated biomarker-specific conjugated polyplexes using CD44-targetable hyaluronic acid and redox-sensible polyaniline based on a nanoemulsion method. [Nanotechnology] Abstract A Convenient and Effective Strategy for the Enrichment of Tumor-Initiating Cell Properties in Prostate Cancer Cells For prostate cancer (PrCa) tumor-initiating cells (PrTICs) enrichment, scientists induced cancer stem cell (CSC) properties in PrCa cells by transducing three defined factors (OCT3/4, SOX2, and KLF4), followed by culture with conventional serum-containing medium. The CSC properties in the transduced cells were evaluated by proliferation, cell cycle, side population assay, drug sensitivity technology, in vivo tumorigenicity, and molecular marker analysis of PrCSCs compared with parental cells and spheroids. [Tumor Biol] Abstract Ionizing Radiation Promotes Advanced Malignant Traits in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma via Activation of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and the Cancer Stem Cell Phenotype Scientists investigated the malignant behaviors of post-irradiation residual nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells, to identify the potential underlying mechanisms and to search for appropriate bio-targets to overcome this malignancy. [Oncol Rep] Abstract | Full Article (Download) |