Cancer Stem Cell News Volume 5.21 | Jun 1 2016

TOP STORY

Lnc-β-Catm Elicits EZH2-Dependent β-Catenin Stabilization and Sustains Liver CSC Self-Renewal

Investigators found that long noncoding RNA (lncRNA)-β-Catm is required for self-renewal of liver cancer stem cells (CSCs) and tumor propagation in mice. lnc-β-Catm associates with β-catenin and the methyltransferase EZH2, thereby promoting β-catenin methylation. [Nat Struct Mol Biol] Abstract

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EpCAM-Regulated Intramembrane Proteolysis Induces a Cancer Stem Cell-Like Gene Signature in Hepatitis B Virus-Infected Hepatocytes

Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule (EpCAM) is a Polycomb Repressive Complex 2-repressed gene, normally expressed in hepatic progenitors, but re-expressed in hepatic cancer stem cells. The authors investigated the functional significance of EpCAM re-expression in hepatitis B virus-mediated hepatocarcinogenesis. [J Hepatol] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

Cellular Prion Protein Controls Stem Cell-Like Properties of Human Glioblastoma Tumor-Initiating Cells

Investigators analyzed the role of prion protein (PrPC) in glioblastoma (GBM) cell pathogenicity focusing on tumor-initiating cells, the subpopulation responsible for development, progression and recurrence of most malignancies. Analyzing four GBM cancer stem cell-enriched cultures, they showed that PrPC expression is directly correlated with the proliferation rate of the cells. [Oncotarget] Full Article

Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Like Properties of CD133⁺ Glioblastoma Initiating Cells

The present work sought to investigate the multipotent and mesenchymal properties of primary highly purified human CD133⁺ glioblastoma-initiating cells. [Oncotarget] Full Article

Disulfiram Targets Cancer Stem-Like Properties and the HER2/Akt Signaling Pathway in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer

Scientists investigate the mechanism of action responsible for the induction of apoptosis by disulfiram/copper and its effect on cancer stem cell properties in HER2-positive breast cancers in vitro and in vivo. [Cancer Lett] Abstract

Stemness and Chemoresistance in Epithelial Ovarian Carcinoma Cells Under Shear Stress

Researchers found that ovarian cancer cells significantly acquired the expression of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and cancer stem cells markers and a remarkable chemoresistance to clinically relevant doses of frontline chemotherapeutic drugs cisplatin and paclitaxel when grown under fluid shear stress, which corroborates with the physiological attainable levels in the malignant ascites, but not under static condition. [Sci Rep] Abstract

Dickkopf-1-Promoted Vasculogenic Mimicry in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Is Associated with EMT and Development of a Cancer Stem-Like Cell Phenotype

To characterize the contributions of Dickkopf-1 towards the induction of vasculogenic mimicry in non-small cell lung cancer, the authors evaluated cohorts of primary tumors, performed in vitro functional studies and generated xenograft mouse models. [J Cell Mol Med] Full Article

Notch4⁺ Cancer Stem-Like Cells Promote the Metastatic and Invasive Ability of Melanoma

Sphere formation in conditioned serum-free culture medium supplemented with epidermal growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor (tumorospheres) is considered useful for the enrichment of cancer stem-like cells, which are also known as tumor initiating cells. Researchers used an Agilent Gene Expression microarray to investigate the gene expression profile of melanoma cancer stem-like cells. [Cancer Sci] Abstract

Selective Mode of Action of Plumbagin Through BRCA1 Deficient Breast Cancer Stem Cells

Investigators confirmed that ALDH1 positivity is the best marker for the identification of breast cancer stem cells in BRCA1-defective breast cancer cell lines when compared to the CD marker profile and Side Population analysis. [BMC Cancer] Full Article

Cancer Stem Cell Metabolism

Cancer is now viewed as a stem cell disease. There is still no consensus on the metabolic characteristics of cancer stem cells, with several studies indicating that they are mainly glycolytic and others pointing instead to mitochondrial metabolism as their principal source of energy. [Breast Cancer Res] Full Article

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Resolution Bioscience’s ctDx™ Blood-based NGS Platform used for Plasma Genotyping and Longitudinal Monitoring of ALK Fusion Positive Patients in Clinical Trial

Resolution Bioscience announced that its Resolution ctDx™ blood-based NGS platform was used to detect ALK fusions, ALK resistance mutations and other driver mutations in patients’ circulating tumor DNA in a Phase I/II clinical trial of the ALK inhibitor X-396 (ensartinib), Xcovery’s lead drug candidate in development for the treatment of ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer. [Press release from Resolution Bioscience (PR Newswire Association LLC.) discussing research presented at the 2016 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, Chicago] Press Release

PharmaEngine Announces Initiation of Global Pivotal Trial of PEP503 (NBTXR3) in Soft Tissue Sarcoma in Asia Pacific Region

PharmaEngine Inc. announced that the first patient has been dosed in a global pivotal Phase II/III trial of PEP503 in soft tissue sarcoma at Perpetual Succour Hospital, Cebu, Philippines. [PharmaEngine Inc.] Press Release

Nektar Therapeutics and Daiichi Sankyo Europe GmbH Sign European Licensing Agreement for ONZEALD™ (Etirinotecan Pegol)

Nektar Therapeutics announced that it has entered into an agreement with Daiichi Sankyo Europe for Nektar’s investigational drug therapy, ONZEALD, which has completed a Phase III clinical trial in patients with advanced breast cancer. The agreement grants Daiichi Sankyo Europe exclusive rights to market ONZEALD in Europe, Switzerland and Turkey. [Nektar Therapeutics] Press Release

RegeneRx and Lee’s Pharm Announce Acceleration of RGN-259 Development in China

RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. and Lee’s Pharmaceutical Holdings Ltd. announced acceleration of development of RGN-259 in China. [RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.] Press Release

NEW American Association for Cancer Research, Colorectal Cancer: From Initiation to Outcomes
September 17-20, 2016
Tampa, United States

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NEW Senior Research Scientist – Drug Discovery in Cancer (Vertex Pharmaceuticals)

NEW Team Leader – Immune-Oncology (Fondation Toulouse Cancer Sante)

NEW Postdoctoral Researcher – Cancer Stem Cells (Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica de Girona)

Scientific Communications and Publishing Coordinator (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Postdoctoral Training Fellow – Role of RNA Polymerase III in Cancer (Institute of Cancer Research)

Associate Director – Scientific Operations (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute)

Senior Scientist and Laboratory Manager – Novel Biomarkers of Disease (Manchester Cancer Research Centre)

Associate Director – Translational Science Oncology (AstraZeneca)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Adaptive T-Cell Therapy for Cancer (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Myeloid Cells in Cancer Patients (The Wistar Institute)

Faculty Position – Multidisciplinary Research Programs (St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Genome and Epigenome of Pediatric Cancer (St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital)

Group Leader – Normal Epithelium and Cancer Stem Cells (Institut Curie)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Prostate Epithelial Homeostasis and Carcinogenesis (Baylor College of Medicine)

Senior Scientist – Immune-Oncology (PTM Biolabs Inc.)

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