Cancer Stem Cell News Volume 5.24 | Jun 22 2016

TOP STORY

Scientists Identify Drugs to Target ‘Achilles Heel’ of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Cells

Research has revealed an ‘Achilles heel’ of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and found drugs to successfully target this weakness and eradicate the disease in mice. The study analyzed both CML and normal blood stem cells and found two proteins that were key to the survival of CML stem cells. [Press release from the Universities of Glasgow discussing online prepublication in Nature] Press Release | Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

RBPJ Maintains Brain Tumor–Initiating Cells through CDK9-Mediated Transcriptional Elongation

Investigators report that pharmacologic NOTCH inhibitors were less effective than targeting recombining binding protein suppressor of hairless (RBPJ) in suppressing tumor growth. While NOTCH inhibitors decreased canonical NOTCH gene expression, RBPJ regulated a distinct profile of genes critical to brain tumor–initiating cells stemness and cell cycle progression. [J Clin Invest] Full Article

Suspension Survival Mediated by PP2A-STAT3-Col XVII Determines Tumor Initiation and Metastasis in Cancer Stem Cells

Researchers previously demonstrated that tumor-initiating cells (TICs) have the capacity to survive under suspension conditions, while other cells undergo anoikis. Here they show that TICs exhibit increased phosphorylation levels of S727STAT3 because of PP2A inactivation. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Tumor-Initiating Cell-Specific miR-1246 and miR-1290 Expression Converge to Promote Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Progression

The authors identified the tumor-initiating cell (TIC)-specific microRNAs (miRNAs), miR-1246 and miR-1290, as crucial drivers for tumor initiation and cancer progression in human non-small cell lung cancer. The loss of either miRNA impacted the tumor-initiating potential of TICs and their ability to metastasize. [Nat Commun] Full Article

SIRT1-Mediated Transcriptional Regulation of SOX2 Is Important for Self-Renewal of Liver Cancer Stem Cells

SIRT1 is responsible for maintenance of self-renewal and tumorigenicity of liver cancer stem cells (CSCs) and overexpression of exogenous SIRT1 can restore self-renewal of non-CSCs. Investigators demonstrated that SOX2 is a main downstream regulator in SIRT1-mediated self-renewal and tumorigenicity potential of liver CSCs. [Hepatology] Abstract

Therapeutic Efficacy of Cancer Stem Cell Vaccines in the Adjuvant Setting

Researchers offer preclinical evidence this is the case for a cancer stem-like cell (CSC)-dendritic cell (DC) vaccine as tested in murine models of SCC7 squamous cell cancer and D5 melanoma. Vaccination of mice with an ALDH^high SCC7 CSC-DC vaccine after surgical excision of established SCC7 tumors reduced local tumor relapse and prolonged host survival. [Cancer Res] Abstract

BMI-1 Targeting Interferes with Patient-Derived Tumor-Initiating Cell Survival and Tumor Growth in Prostate Cancer

Investigators demonstrated that in cell lines and patient-derived tumor-initiating cells (TICs), BMI-1 expression is upregulated and associated with stem cell-like traits. From a screened library, they identified a number of post-transcriptional small molecules that target BMI-1 in prostate TICs. [Clin Cancer Res] Abstract

Inhibition of Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) Stress Sensors Sensitizes Cancer Stem-Like Cells to ER Stress-Mediated Apoptosis

Scientists isolated sphere-forming (cancer stem-like) cells from the cervical cancer cell line, SiHa, and examined the unfolded protein reaction to chemotherapeutic-induced ER stress. They revealed that tunicamycin-induced ER stress-mediated apoptosis occurred in monolayer, but not sphere-forming cells. [Oncotarget] Full Article

C-Met Inhibition Blocks Bone Metastasis Development Induced by Renal Cancer Stem Cells

In some renal tumors cancer stem cells (CSCs) overexpress the HGF receptor c-MET, speculating that c-MET targeting could lead to bone metastasis inhibition. To address this hypothesis researchers isolated renal CD105⁺/CD24^– CSCs, expressing c-MET receptor from a primary renal carcinoma. [Oncotarget] Full Article

EMMPRIN Down-Regulating miR-106a/b Modifies Breast Cancer Stem-Like Cell Properties via Interaction with Fibroblasts Through STAT3 and HIF-1α

Scientists investigated the effects of fibroblasts on breast cancer stem-like cells. They found that fibroblasts activated by co-cultured breast cancer cells produced higher levels of extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer, which stimulated the stem-like cell specific, self-renewal and sphere-forming phenotype in breast cancer cells. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Association Between Cancer Stem Cell-Like Properties and Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Primary and Secondary Cancer Cells

The authors examined the association between cancer stem cells and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in the mucoepidermoid carcinoma cell line YD15 and its derivative cell line YD15M. Relative protein expression levels were analyzed by western blotting, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence assays. In addition, cell cycle assay and aldehyde dehydrogenase activity assay were carried out. [Int J Oncol] Abstract

Targeting Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Cancer Stem Cells for Chemoresistant Ovarian Cancer

The reviewers focus on the role of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cancer stem cells in ovarian cancer chemoresistance and explore the therapeutic implications for developing epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cancer stem cells associated therapies for future ovarian cancer treatment. [Oncotarget] Full Article

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

AiVita Biomedical Receives FDA Approval for Phase II Ovarian Cancer Treatment

AiVita Biomedical announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the company’s Investigational New Drug application to begin a Phase II clinical study. The study will investigate the efficacy of AiVita’s novel immunotherapy in patients with ovarian cancer, an indication with a high unmet medical need. [AiVita Biomedical] Press Release

TapImmune Doses First Patient in Its Phase II Triple Negative Breast Cancer Trial for Cancer Vaccine TPIV 200

TapImmune, Inc. announced reaching a major milestone of dosing its first patient in a Phase II trial for triple negative breast cancer with its cancer vaccine TPIV 200. The first patient enrolled is being treated at the University of Maryland – one of eight sites being used in this study, conducted and funded by TapImmune. [TapImmune, Inc.] Press Release

NEW International Conference on Stem Cell Engineering 2016
October 23-26, 2016
Toronto, Canada

Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the cancer stem cell community.

NEW Research Associate – Stem Cell Biology of the Intestine (University of Cambridge)

NEW Postdoctoral Scientist – Leukemic Stem Cells (University of Oxford)

Senior Cancer Analyst – 100,000 Genomes Project (Queen Mary University of London)

Postdoctoral Researcher – DNA Damage Signaling (University of Oxford)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cancer Stem Cell Biology (Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Biology of Tumor Initiating Cells (German Cancer Research Center)

Assistant Professor – Molecular Pharmacology, Systems Biology, Cancer Therapeutics (German Cancer Research Center)

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

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

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

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)

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