Cancer Stem Cell News Volume 6.22 | Jun 7 2017

TOP STORY

Tumor-Associated Macrophages Secrete Pleiotrophin to Promote PTPRZ1 Signaling in Glioblastoma Stem Cells for Tumor Growth

Researchers report that tumor-associated macrophages secrete abundant pleiotrophin (PTN) to stimulate glioma stem cells through its receptor PTPRZ1 thus promoting glioblastoma malignant growth through PTN–PTPRZ1 paracrine signaling. [Nat Commun] Full Article

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Activation of Tumor Suppressor LKB1 by Honokiol Abrogates Cancer Stem-Like Phenotype in Breast Cancer via Inhibition of Oncogenic Stat3

Investigators showed that low-liver kinase B1 (LKB1) expression significantly correlates with poor survival outcome in breast cancer. In line with this observation, loss-of-LKB1 rendered breast cancer cells highly migratory and invasive, attaining cancer stem cell-like phenotype. [Oncogene] Abstract

MicroRNA-Mediated Dynamic Bidirectional Shift between the Subclasses of Glioblastoma Stem-Like Cells

To reveal the underlying basis of microRNA-driven complex subpopulation dynamics within the heterogeneous intra-tumoral ecosystem, the authors characterized the expression of the subtype-enriched microRNA-128 in transcriptionally and phenotypically diverse subpopulations of patient-derived glioblastoma stem-like cells. [Cell Rep] Full Article

Cytoprotective Effect of Neuropeptides on Cancer Stem Cells: Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide-Induced Antiapoptotic Signaling

Investigators unravelled the cytoprotective effects of neuropeptides and identified antiapoptotic mechanisms activated by neuropeptides in response to anticancer drug treatment in CSCs. They enriched and purified CSCs from breast and prostate cancer cell lines, and demonstrated their stemness phenotype. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Transcription Factor Networks Derived from Breast Cancer Stem Cells Control the Immune Response in the Basal Subtype

Breast cancer stem cells (bCSC) are thought to be responsible for metastasis and chemoresistance. Based on whole transcriptome analysis from putative bCSC and reverse engineering of transcription control networks, scientists identified two networks associated with this phenotype. [Sci Rep] Full Article

The Cell Cycle Inhibitors p21^Cip1 and p27^Kip1 Control Proliferation but Enhance DNA Damage Resistance of Glioma Stem Cells

The members of the Cip/Kip family p21^Cip1 and p27^Kip1 were initially considered as tumor suppressors based on their ability to block proliferation. The authors determined the functions of these cell cycle inhibitors in five patient-derived glioma stem cell-enriched cell lines. [Neoplasia] Full Article

The Inhibition of FGF Receptor 1 Activity Mediates Sorafenib Antiproliferative Effects in Human Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Tumor-Initiating Cells

Researchers analyzed the molecular mechanisms of the antiproliferative effects of sorafenib in mesothelioma tumor-initiating cell cultures. Sorafenib inhibited cell cycle progression in all cultures, but only in MM3 and MM4 cells was this effect associated with Mcl-1-dependent apoptosis. [Stem Cell Res Ther] Full Article

CCL18 Upregulates Slug Expression to Promote Stem-Cell Like Features by Activating mTOR Pathway in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Investigators detected that chemokine ligand 18 (CCL18) induced the acquisition of cancer stem(-like) cell characteristics in oral cancer cells, but also demonstrated a significantly positive correlation between the expression of CCL18 and Bmi-1 in oral squamous cell carcinoma surgical specimens by immunohistochemistry analysis. [Cancer Sci] Abstract

Functional Analysis of the DEPDC1 Oncoantigen in Malignant Glioma and Brain Tumor Initiating Cells

Researchers analyzed the expression and function of DEP domain containing 1 (DEPDC1) in malignant glioma. DEPDC1 expression in glioma cell lines, glioma tissues, and brain tumor initiating cells was assessed by western blot and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. [J Neurooncol] Abstract

Characterization of Cancer Stem Cell Drug Resistance in the Human Colorectal Cancer Cell Lines HCT116 and SW480

The authors used serial colonosphere culture to enrich for CSCs from two human CRC cell lines. The expression of proposed colorectal CSC markers and multi-drug resistance genes were assessed via flow cytometry and RT-qPCR. [Biochem Biophys Res Commun] Abstract

Jak Stat Signaling and Cancer: Opportunities, Benefits and Side Effects of Targeted Inhibition

Stats act not only as transcriptional inducers, but affect gene expression via epigenetic modifications, induce epithelial mesenchymal transition, generate a pro-tumorigenic microenvironment, promote cancer stem cell self-renewal and differentiation, and help to establish the pre-metastatic niche formation. [Mol Cell Endocrinol] Abstract

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

Boston Biomedical Presents Data for Investigational Stemness Inhibitor Amcasertib

Boston Biomedical, Inc. will present data from a Phase Ib/II study evaluating amcasertib monotherapy in two solid tumor subpopulations – advanced adenoid cystic carcinoma and advanced head and neck cancers. [Press release from Boston Biomedical, Inc. discussing research presented at the 2017 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2017 Annual Meeting, Chicago] Press Release

Boston Biomedical Presents Data Suggesting Anti-Cancer Activity of Investigational Stemness Inhibitor Napabucasin in Seven Tumor Types

Boston Biomedical, Inc. will present Phase Ib/II clinical data evaluating napabucasin, an orally-administered investigational agent designed to inhibit cancer stemness pathways by targeting STAT3. [Press release from Boston Biomedical, Inc. discussing research presented at the 2017 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2017 Annual Meeting, Chicago] Press Release

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics Announces Data from ICT-121 Phase I Trial in Recurrent Glioblastoma

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd. announced the presentation of data from the Phase I clinical trial of ICT-121 in patients with recurrent glioblastoma. [Press release from ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd. discussing research presented at the 2017 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2017 Annual Meeting, Chicago] Press Release

GlycoMimetics Presents Updated Data from Ongoing Phase I/II Clinical Trial of GMI-1271 in Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia

GlycoMimetics, Inc. announced new and updated data from the Phase II portion of its ongoing Phase I/II clinical trial that showed high remission and low mortality rates of its drug candidate GMI-1271, an E-selectin antagonist being developed as a treatment for patients with acute myeloid leukemia. [Press release from GlycoMimetics, Inc. discussing research presented at the 2017 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2017 Annual Meeting, Chicago] Press Release

Yale School of Medicine Expands Partnership to Promote Clinical Trials and Training in Puerto Rico

An expanded partnership between the Yale School of Medicine and research institutions in Puerto Rico is set to foster collaborative clinical research and training opportunities in both countries. [Yale University] Press Release

Indo-American Cancer Association Honors City of Hope’s Ravi Salgia, M.D., Ph.D., for Outstanding Contributions to Oncology

The Indo-American Cancer Association (IACA) honored City of Hope’s Ravi Salgia, M.D., Ph.D., with the IACA Award for Outstanding Contributions to Oncology during its annual meeting. [The Indo-American Cancer Association (Business Wire Inc.)] Press Release

Trump Retains Collins as NIH Director

President Donald Trump announced that he is keeping Francis Collins as director of the National Institutes of Health. Collins, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama in 2009, was asked to stay on temporarily after the election. The decision comes despite a recent call from some conservative members of Congress to fire Collins because he supports embryonic stem cell research. Collins has said he would return to full-time research if Trump asked him to step down. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Romania’s Science Reforms Prompt Boycott

Researchers in Romania are stepping up protests against controversial government science reforms. Hundreds of scientists at leading research institutions say they will refuse to sit on national panels that assess and award grants, after the Romanian researchers’ association Ad Astra called for the boycott. But not all scientists in the country support the move. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW 3^rd CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference
September 6-9, 2017
Mainz/Frankfurt, Germany

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

NEW Postdoctoral Scholar – Cancer Research (UCLA G.O. Discovery Laboratory)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Stem Cell Biology and Epigenetics (University of South Carolina)

Professor – Stem Cell Biology (University College London)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cancer Biology (Case Western Reserve University)

Postdoctoral Position – Gene Regulation in Stem Cells and Tissue Regeneration (Northwestern University)

Postdoctoral Positions – Cancer Biology (University of Minnesota)

Faculty Positions – Cancer and Stem Cell Biology (Sun Yat-Sen University)

Postdoctoral Associate – Cancer Biology/Immunology/Leukemia Research (University of Miami)

Postdoctoral Associate – Cancer Research/Oncology (University of Miami)

Postdoctoral Fellow Positions – Signaling Pathways in Lymphoma and Multiple Myeloma (University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston)

Postdoctoral Fellows – Cancer Stem Cell Biology (Genome Institute of Singapore)

Research Officers – Cancer Stem Cell Biology (Genome Institute of Singapore)

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