Cancer Stem Cell News Volume 5.39 | Oct 5 2016

TOP STORY

Lysine-Specific Demethylase KDM3A Regulates Ovarian Cancer Stemness and Chemoresistance

Investigators identified that lysine demethylase KDM3A as a critical regulator of ovarian cancer stemness and cisplatin resistance by inducing the expressions of pluripotent molecules Sox2 and Nanog and anti-apoptotic B-cell lymphoma 2, respectively. [Oncogene] Full Article

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Identification of a Cancer Stem Cell-Specific Function for the Histone Deacetylases, HDAC1 and HDAC7, in Breast and Ovarian Cancer

Researchers present evidence that specific histone deacetylases (HDACs) play essential roles in the cancer stem cell (CSC) phenotype. Utilizing a novel CSC model, they discovered that the HDACs, HDAC1 and HDAC7, are specifically over-expressed in CSCs when compared to non-stem-tumor-cells. [Oncogene] Full Article

Transcriptional Profiling Reveals a Common Metabolic Program in High-Risk Human Neuroblastoma and Mouse Neuroblastoma Sphere-Forming Cells

The authors report the isolation and propagation of neuroblastoma sphere-forming cells with self-renewal and differentiation potential from tumors of the TH-MYCN mouse, an animal model of high-risk neuroblastoma with MYCN amplification. [Cell Reports] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

miR-612 Suppresses Stem Cell-Like Property of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Modulating Sp1/Nanog Signaling

Scientists elucidate underlying mechanism of the regulation, and find that miR-612 inversely modulated the mRNA and protein level of epithelial cell adhesion molecule as well as CD133, negatively regulated the numbers and sizes of tumor spheres, directly inhibited the protein level of Sp1, and subsequently reduce transcription activity of Nanog. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Novel Population of Small Tumor-Initiating Stem Cells in the Ovaries of Women with Borderline Ovarian Cancer

The authors showed that a comparable population of small stem cells can be found in the ovarian tissue of women with borderline ovarian cancer, which, in contrast to small stem cells in “healthy” ovaries, formed spontaneous tumor-like structures and expressed some markers related to pluripotency and germinal lineage. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Antiangiogenic Therapy Using Endostatin Increases the Number of ALDH⁺ Lung Cancer Stem Cells by Generating Intratumor Hypoxia

Scientists used xenograft tumor murine models to suggest that antiangiogenic agents actually increase the invasive and metastatic properties of lung cancer cells. In their experiments with murine lung cancer xenografts, they found that the antiangiogenic agent endostatin increased the population of ALDH⁺ cells, and did so by generating intratumoral hypoxia in the xenografts. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Low Expression of Galectin-3 Is Associated with Poor Survival in Node-Positive Breast Cancers and Mesenchymal Phenotype in Breast Cancer Stem Cells

To elucidate the role of Gal3 in breast cancer stem cells, investigators performed various in vitro and in vivo studies such as sphere-formation assays, Western blotting, flow cytometric apoptosis assays, and limited dilution xenotransplant models. Histological staining for Gal3 in tissue microarrays of breast cancer patients was performed to analyze the relationship of clinical outcome and Gal3 expression. [Breast Cancer Res] Full Article

HSP47 Promotes Glioblastoma Stem-Like Cell Survival by Modulating Tumor Microenvironment Extracellular Matrix through TGF-β Pathway

Scientists found that overexpression of HSP47 promotes primary glioma cell tumor formation, invasion, angiogenesis and stem-like properties. The overexpression of HSP47 was correlated and promoted extracellular matrix related genes through TGF-β pathway in glioblastoma multiforme. [ACS Chem Neurosci] Abstract

Activin Pathway Enhances Colorectal Cancer Stem Cell Self-Renew and Tumor Progression

The authors demonstrated activin pathway enhanced the colorectal cancer stem cells self-renew and contribute to colorectal cancer progression in vivo. Targeting activin pathway potentially provides an effective strategy for colorectal cancer therapy. [Biochem Biophys Res Commun] Abstract

Approaches for Targeting Cancer Stem Cells Drug Resistance

A better understanding of cancer stem cells (CSCs) biology, as well as more accurate study design, may maximize the therapeutic effects of these agents. In this respect, it is important to establish: i) which molecules should be targeted; ii) what drug combinations may be suitable; iii) which patient settings will CSC targeting offer the highest clinical benefit; and iv) how to integrate therapeutic approaches targeting CSCs with standard cancer therapy. [Expert Opin Drug Discov] Abstract

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

PharmaMar Shows New Clinical Data on Yondelis® and Lurbinectedin

PharmaMar will present new clinical data from its antitumoral compounds of marine origin: Yondelis^® (trabectedin) and lurbinectedin (PM1183). Results to be presented in both oral presentations and posters include single-agent lurbinectedin Phase II trial in patients with BRCA 1/2-associated metastatic breast cancer and Phase III prospective study carried out in France, which compares trabectedin versus the best supportive care in patients with pretreated advanced soft tissue sarcoma. [Press release from PharmaMar discussing research to be presented at the 2016 European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO), Copenhagen] Press Release

Clinical Results Demonstrating the Performance of Biocept’s Target Selector Platform to be Presented

Biocept, Inc. announced that clinical results featuring its liquid biopsy platform will be presented. Study results highlighting the concordance and clinical utility of detecting actionable biomarkers in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer will be presented by Lourdes Barrera, Ph.D., Diagnostics Manager, AstraZeneca Oncology BU, Mexico. [Press release from Biocept, Inc. discussing research to be presented at the 2016 European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO), Copenhagen] Press Release | Abstract

Tocagen Presents Updated Tumor Response Data for its Cancer-Selective Gene Therapy

Tocagen Inc. announced updated clinical data for Toca 511 (vocimagene amiretrorepvec) in combination with Toca FC (extended-release 5-fluorocytosine) for the treatment of recurrent high grade glioma. [Press release from Tocagen Inc. discussing research presented at the 10^th International Oncolytic Virus Meeting, Vancouver] Press Release

Dr. Allen Eaves of STEMCELL Technologies Inc. Named EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Pacific 2016

Dr. Allen Eaves, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of STEMCELL Technologies, a global biotechnology company that supplies tools and services to enable life science research, is this year’s Entrepreneur Of The Year Pacific winner. [Ernst & Young (CNW Group Ltd.)] Press Release

Grant to TSRI-Led Consortium Expands to $207 Million

The National Institutes of Health, as part of its national Precision Medicine Initiative Cohort Program, has expanded a five-year funding award to The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) from $120 million to $207 million. [The Scripps Research Institute] Press Release

Personal Genome Diagnostics Launches PlasmaSELECT^™ 64 Panel for Non-Invasive Pan-Cancer Tumor Profiling

Personal Genome Diagnostics Inc. announced the launch of its PlasmaSELECTTM 64 targeted panel for pan-cancer tumor profiling. PlasmaSELECT 64 identifies clinically actionable and functionally important sequence mutations and structural alterations across multiple cancer types without the need for invasive biopsies. [Personal Genome Diagnostics Inc.] Press Release

PEGPH20 Selected for Inclusion in Groundbreaking Clinical Trial Initiative Designed to Transform Outcomes for Pancreatic Cancer Patients

Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. announced that its investigational drug, PEGPH20, and a companion diagnostic assay for assessment of hyaluronan under development by Ventana Medical Systems, Inc. will be included in a groundbreaking pancreatic cancer clinical trial initiative called Precision Promise. [Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc.] Press Release

Dramatic Twists Could Upend Patent Battle over CRISPR Genome-Editing Method

The 9-month-old patent battle over CRISPR, a novel genome-editing tool that could have immense commercial value, has taken two surprising twists. Last week, attorneys for the Broad Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts, one of the research organizations vying for CRISPR rights, submitted motions that could let it win even if it loses. [Science Insider] Editorial

Democratic Databases: Science on GitHub

Scientists are turning to a software–development site to share data and code. [Nature Toolbox] Editorial

UK Bioethicists Eye Designer Babies and CRISPR Cows

From designer babies to engineered mosquitoes, advances in genome-editing technologies such as CRISPR–Cas9 have raised the possibility of tremendous scientific advances — and serious ethical concerns. [Nature News] Editorial

Biologists Plan Scoring System for Antibodies

Biomedical experts plan to create a scoring system that will help researchers choose reliable antibodies for their experiments. The only problems: figuring out how such a ranking would work — and getting manufacturers to adopt the standard. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW Cancer Metabolism and the Tumor Microenvironment Conference
November 9-12, 2016
Paphos, Cyprus

NEW Advances in Cell Engineering, Imaging and Screening
November 17-18, 2016
Leuven, Belgium

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

NEW Scientific Developer – Computational Systems Biology of Cancer (Institut Curie)

NEW Post-Doctoral Researcher – Influential Nodes and Links in Multi-Level Cancer-Related Networks (Luxembourg Institute of Health)

NEW Two Assistant Professor Positions – Molecular Medicine (University of Georgia)

Postdoctoral Associate – Glioma Stem Cell Biology and Cerebral Organoid (Weill Cornell Medicine)

Postdoctoral Positions – Stem Cell Research, Hematopoiesis, Cancer, Genome Editing (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai)

Postdoctoral Scientist – Cell Division (Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute)

Postdoctoral Position – Tumor Immunology (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center)

Cancer Scientists – Clinical and Translational Breast Cancer Research (Hamad bin Khalifa University)

Scientific Officer – Peer Review Office (Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul cancro)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Laboratory Studies Brain Cancer Stem Cells (Houston Methodist)

Associate Scientist – Epigenetics of Cancer (Celgene Corporation)

Postdoctoral Position – Metastatic Breast Cancer (Purdue Center for Cancer Research)

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