Combined Inhibition of DNMT and HDAC Blocks the Tumorigenicity of Cancer Stem-Like Cells and Attenuates Mammary Tumor Growth Scientists used the MMTV-Neu-Tg mouse mammary tumor model to identify potential new strategies for eliminating cancer stem cells. They found that both luminal progenitor and basal stem cells are susceptible to genetic and epigenetic modifications, which facilitate oncogenic transformation and tumorigenic potential. [Cancer Res] Abstract | Press Release
MET Inhibition Overcomes Radiation Resistance of Glioblastoma Stem-Like Cells Scientists showed that the MET receptor kinase, a functional marker of stem-like cells (GSCs), is specifically expressed in a subset of radioresistant GSCs and overexpressed in human glioblastoma recurring after radiotherapy. [EMBO Mol Med] Full Article
Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Regulate Tumor-Initiating Cell Plasticity in Hepatocellular Carcinoma through c-Met/FRA1/HEY1 Signaling Because hepatocellular carcinoma develops primarily in the context of cirrhosis, in which there is an enrichment of activated fibroblasts, the authors hypothesized that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) would regulate liver tumor-initiating cells. They found that the presence of α-SMA(+) CAFs correlates with poor clinical outcome. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract
Repurposing Atovaquone: Targeting Mitochondrial Complex III and OXPHOS to Eradicate Cancer Stem Cells The authors showed that atovaquone has anti-cancer activity, directed against cancer stem-like cells (CSCs). They demonstrated that atovaquone treatment of MCF7 breast cancer cells inhibits oxygen-consumption and metabolically induces aerobic glycolysis (the Warburg effect), as well as oxidative stress. [Oncotarget] Full Article
Cancer Stem Cells Are Underestimated by Standard Experimental Methods in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma While tumor-initiating cells (TICs) in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) appeared rare in NOD/SCID/IL2Rγ−/− mice, xenografts formed more efficiently from small tumor fragments, indicating the limiting dilution assay (LDA) underestimated ccRCC TIC frequency. Mechanistic interrogation of the LDA identified multiple steps that influence ccRCC TIC quantitation. [Sci Rep] Full Article
CD95 Maintains Stem Cell-Like and Non-Classical EMT Programs in Primary Human Glioblastoma Cells Scientists showed that the expression of CD95 associates with stemness and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) features in glioblastoma tumors and cells and serves as a prognostic biomarker. CD95 expression increases in tumors and with tumor relapse as compared with non-tumor tissue. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article
Forkhead Box Q1 Is A Novel Target of Breast Cancer Stem Cell Inhibition by Diallyl Trisulfide Scientists demonstrated that diallyl trisulfide (DATS) targets breast cancer stem cells (bCSC). Exposure of MCF-7 and SUM159 human breast cancer cells to pharmacological concentrations of DATS resulted in dose-dependent inhibition of bCSC as evidenced by mammosphere assay and flow cytometric analysis of aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 activity and CD44high/CD24low/epithelial specific antigen-positive fraction. [J Biol Chem] Full Article
Cell Division Patterns and Chromosomal Segregation Defects in Oral Cancer Stem Cells Examining biomarkers and other features of cancer stem cells (CSC) is critical to better understanding their biology. To this end, the authors’ results show that cellular SOX2 immunostaining correlates with other CSC biomarkers in oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines and marks the rare CSC population. [Genes Chromosomes Cancer] Abstract
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