Cancer Stem Cell News Volume 6.27 | Jul 12 2017

TOP STORY

Multiplexed RNAi Therapy against Brain Tumor-Initiating Cells via Lipopolymeric Nanoparticle Infusion Delays Glioblastoma Progression

Scientists showed that brain tumor-initiating cell (BTIC) growth arrest in vitro and in vivo is accomplished via concurrent siRNA knockdown of four transcription factors that drive the proneural BTIC phenotype delivered by multiplexed siRNA encapsulation in the lipopolymeric nanoparticle 7C1. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Cross Talk between Progesterone Receptors and Retinoic Acid Receptors in Regulation of Cytokeratin 5-Positive Breast Cancer Cells

Researchers investigated the mechanisms by which progesterone receptors (PR) and retinoic acid receptors regulate CK5 expression and breast CSC activity. After P4 treatment, sorted CK5⁺ compared to CK5⁻ cells were more tumorigenic in vivo. In vitro, P4-treated breast cancer cells formed larger mammospheres and silenced CK5 using a small hairpin RNA abolished by this P4-dependent increase in mammosphere size. [Oncogene] Abstract

Dual-Mode Imaging-Guided Synergistic Chemo- and Magnetohyperthermia Therapy in a Versatile Nanoplatform to Eliminate Cancer Stem Cells

Traditional therapies usually kill the bulk of cancer cells, but are often unable to effectively eliminate CSCs, which may lead to drug resistance and cancer relapse. Investigators proposed a novel strategy fabricating multifunctional magnetic Fe₃O₄@PPr@HA hybrid nanoparticles and loading it with the Notch signaling pathway inhibitor N-[N-(3,5-difluorophenacetyl-l-alanyl)]-S-phenylglycinet-butylester to eliminate CSCs. [ACS Appl Mater Interfaces] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

RBP4-STRA6 Pathway Drives Cancer Stem Cell Maintenance and Mediates High-Fat Diet-Induced Colon Carcinogenesis

Researchers showed that retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4) and STRA6 expression is associated with poor oncologic prognosis. They showed that high-fat diet increased LGR5 expression and promotes tumor growth in a xenograft model independent of obesity. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article | Press Release

Cervical Cancer Stem Cells Manifest Radioresistance: Association with Upregulated AP-1 Activity

Cervical cancer stem-like cells (CaCxSLCs) isolated and enriched from cervical cancer cell lines SiHa and C33a demonstrated an elevated AP-1 DNA-binding activity in comparison to non-stem cervical cancer cells. Upon UV-irradiation, CaCxSLCs showed a UV exposure duration-dependent higher proliferation and highly increased AP-1 activity whereas it was completely abolished in non-stem cancer cells. [Sci Rep] Full Article

The Effects of the Location of Cancer Stem Cell Marker CD133 on the Prognosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients

The authors investigated the location of CD133 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and this location’s potential value as a prognostic indicator of survival in patients with HCC. The results showed that the CD133 protein expression levels of HCC in both the cytoplasm and nucleus were significantly higher than adjacent normal liver tissue. [BMC Cancer] Full Article

The Extracellular Matrix and Focal Adhesion Kinase Signaling Regulate Cancer Stem Cell Function in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Investigators examined the impact of extracellular matrix proteins on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) CSCs. Type I collagen increased PDAC tumor initiating potential, self-renewal, and the frequency of CSCs through the activation of FAK. [PLoS One] Full Article

Evaluating of OCT-4 and NANOG was Differentially Regulated by a New Derivative Indole in Leukemia Cell Line

Scientists synthesized and investigated the potential of a new Indole-3-carbaldehyde derivative (NI-3-CD) in inhibiting the expression of self-renewal regulatory factors and cancer stem cell gene in a leukemia cell line NB4. There was a significant difference in cell viability, when various concentrations of NI-3- were used for 24, 48 and 72 hours in comparison to I3C regarding the cellular viability. [Immunol Lett] Abstract

Codelivery of Salinomycin and Docetaxel Using Poly(D,L-Lactic-Co-Glycolic Acid)-Poly(Ethylene Glycol) Nanoparticles to Target Both Gastric Cancer Cells and Cancer Stem Cells

Salinomycin, which has been reported to kill CSCs, was used in combination with docetaxel, a chemotherapeutic drug that is used as first-line therapy in gastric cancer (GC), to eradicate both GC stem cells (SCs) and cancer cells. The authors found that both salinomycin and salinomycin-loaded nanoparticles could selectively eradicate GC SCs whereas docetaxel and docetaxel-loaded nanoparticles could significantly eradicate GC cells. [Anticancer Drugs] Abstract

ROS-mediated Autophagy Defines the Fate of Cancer Stem Cells

Researchers summarize the most recent studies assessing the role of redox homeostasis, autophagy and chemoresistance in cancer stem cells, including some novel findings on micro-RNAs and their role in horizontal transfer within cancer cell populations. [Antioxid Redox Signal] Abstract

Multifaceted Interpretation of Colon Cancer Stem Cells

The authors review the recent evidence for intestinal stem cells and colon cancer stem cells, methods to detect the tumor-initiating cells, and clinical significance of cancer stem cell markers. They describe the emerging problems of cancer stem cell theory, including bidirectional conversion and intertumoral heterogeneity of stem cell phenotype. [Int J Mol Sci] Full Article

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

Regen BioPharma, Inc. Researchers Discover New Dynamic Compound Which Modulates the NR2F6 Checkpoint

Regen BioPharma Inc. reported continued progress in developing small molecule drugs that activate and inhibit NR2F6. The NR2F6 nuclear receptor has been identified as a potentially very important immune cell inhibitor and cancer stem cell differentiator. [Regen BioPharma Inc. (PR Newswire Association LLC.)] Press Release

Boston Biomedical Announces Orphan Drug Designation by FDA for Investigational WT1 Cancer Peptide Vaccine DSP-7888 in Myelodysplastic Syndrome

Boston Biomedical, Inc. announced the U.S. FDA has granted Orphan Drug Designation or DSP-7888, an investigational cancer peptide vaccine, for the treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome. [Boston Biomedical, Inc.] Press Release

In a Rare Move, FDA Reverses Course on Drug Developed by CEO with Ties to Trump

The Food and Drug Administration has changed its tune on an experimental drug for a deadly rare disease, withdrawing a request that the company developing it run another clinical trial. The unusual move comes after President Trump met with the company’s CEO — and promised to speed up what he called a “slow and burdensome” process for drug approvals. [STAT news] Editorial

White House’s Dwindling Science Office Leaves Major Research Programs in Limbo

US President Donald Trump has pledged to shrink the federal government, and he seems to be starting with science. Nearly six months after taking office, Trump has not chosen a science adviser, and the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy has dwindled from around 130 staff members under former president Barack Obama to 35. [Nature News] Editorial

Trump Administration Chooses Georgia Physician to Lead US Public-Health Agency

Obstetrician and gynecologist Brenda Fitzgerald will direct the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price announced. [Nature News] Editorial

French Scientist Fined for Failure to Disclose Industry Ties

In an unprecedented court case in Paris, an eminent French lung specialist has been fined €50,000 and given a six-month suspended jail sentence because he didn’t disclose his ties to the oil industry during a Senate air-pollution inquiry. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW 2017 National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Cancer Conference
November 5-8, 2017
Liverpool, United Kingdom

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NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Cell Signaling and Cancer Biology (Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Epithelial Stem Cell Biology (University of Michigan Healthcare System)

Postdoctoral, PhD and Technician Positions – Cancer Metabolism (Université Catholique de Louvain)

Postdoctoral Position – Stem Cell and Developmental Biology (University of Copenhagen)

Research Scientist – Bioinformatics (University of Glasgow)

Postdoctoral Position – Cancer Biology (UCLA)

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

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

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cancer Biology (Case Western Reserve University)

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

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

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

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

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