Cancer Stem Cell News Volume 7.02 | Jan 17 2018

TOP STORY

Clonal Evolution Mechanisms in NT5C2 Mutant-Relapsed Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Researchers used a conditional-and-inducible leukemia model to demonstrate that expression of NT5C2(R367Q), a highly prevalent relapsed-acute lymphoblastic leukemia NT5C2 mutation, induces resistance to chemotherapy with 6-mercaptopurine at the cost of impaired leukemia cell growth and leukemia-initiating cell activity. [Nature] Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Antitumor Effects of Blocking Protein Neddylation in T315I-BCR-ABL Leukemia Cells and Leukemia Stem Cells

Investigators suggest a novel strategy based on blocking protein neddylation to address BCR-ABL point mutations and leukemia stem cells that lie at the root of imatinib-resistant recurrences. [Cancer Res] Abstract

Differential Requirements of Androgen Receptor in Luminal Progenitors during Prostate Regeneration and Tumor Initiation

Scientists investigated androgen receptor function in castration-resistant Nkx3.1-expressing cells, a luminal stem/progenitor that functions in prostate regeneration. [Elife] Abstract | Full Article

A Synthetic Binder of Breast Cancer Stem Cells

A synthetic ligand (1) that specifically binds to CSCs over non-CSCs of breast cancer cells was identified via a cell-binding screening of a chemical library. The 1-binding population demonstrated accelerated tumor growth in vivo, and the resulting tumor displayed an increased migratory activity and high expressions of CSC markers. [Chemistry] Abstract

Anti-Cancer Effects of HNHA and Lenvatinib by the Suppression of EMT-Mediated Drug Resistance in Cancer Stem Cells

Histone deacetylase (HNHA)-lenvatinib (FGFR) combined treatment induced markers of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis and suppressed anti-apoptosis markers, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and the FGFR signaling pathway. [Neoplasia] Full Article

Stemness Is Enhanced in Gastric Cancer by a SET/PP2A/E2F1 Axis

Treatment of gastric cancer cells with the SET-targeting drug OP449 increased protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) activity, decreased E2F1 protein levels, and suppressed stemness of cancer cells. [Mol Cancer Res] Abstract

Targeting Melanoma Stem Cells with the Vitamin E Derivative δ-Tocotrienol

Researchers observed that A375 (but not BLM) cells are able to form melanospheres and show CSCs traits: expression of the pluripotency markers SOX2 and KLF4, higher invasiveness, and tumor formation capability in vivo with respect to parental adherent cells. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Targeting Murine Leukemic Stem Cells by Antibody Functionalized Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles

Scientists demonstrated that targeting of acute myeloid leukemic stem cells can be improved by using functionalized and antigen directed mesoporous silica nanoparticles as carriers for anti-leukemic drugs. [Sci Rep] Full Article

miR-3120-5p Promotes Colon Cancer Stem Cell Stemness and Invasiveness through Targeting Axin2

The authors used colon cancer cell lines HCT-116 and SW-480 to investigate the effects of miR-3120-5p on stemness and invasiveness of colon cancer. They found that the population of CD133⁺ and Lgr5⁺ stem cells in both cell lines expressed miR-3120-5p highly, and introducing miR-3120-5p into both cell lines increased the population of cancer stem cells, as measured by flow cytometry, qRT-PCR and sphere formation assays. [Biochem Biophys Res Commun] Abstract

Non-Coding RNAs in Cancer Stem Cells

Recent evidence suggests that different types of non-coding RNAs, such as miRNA and long non-coding RNA, play a role in regulating CSC growth and replication by modulating transcription factors and downstream signaling pathways activated in CSCs. Scientists review the recent major findings about how they affect stem cell quality acquisition and maintenance in CSCs, as well as metastasis and therapy resistance. [Cancer Lett] Abstract

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

STEMCELL Technologies Brings Groundbreaking Intestinal and Brain Organoid Culture Tools to the Global Research Community

STEMCELL Technologies Inc. has released two product lines for organoid research that will enable scientists to create powerful models for studying human disease in the lab. [STEMCELL Technologies Inc.] Press Release

Forty Seven Inc. to Collaborate on a Novel Immuno-Oncology Combination for Leukemia and Bladder Cancer

Forty Seven Inc. announced an agreement with Genentech Inc. for Genentech to sponsor two clinical trials combining Forty Seven’s CD47 antibody, Hu5F9-G4, with Genentech’s PD-L1 antibody, atezolizumab, in patients with acute myeloid leukemia and with urothelial cancer. [Forty Seven Inc.] Press Release

Helsinn Group and Mei Pharma Announce that Pracinostat Has Received Orphan Drug Designation from the European Medicines Agency for the Treatment of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)

Helsinn and MEI Pharma, Inc. announced that the European Medicines Agency has granted Orphan Drug Designation to pracinostat, an investigational drug candidate currently in a Phase III study in combination with azacitidine for the treatment of AML in adult patients unfit to induction chemotherapy. [Helsinn Group] Press Release

Make Replication Studies ‘A Normal and Essential Part of Science,’ Dutch Science Academy Says

Scientists, universities, funding agencies, and journals alike should be doing much more to ensure the reproducibility of scientific research, according to a new report released by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

South Korean Universities Reach Agreement with Elsevier after Long Standoff

After a months-long standoff, a consortium of hundreds of South Korean universities has reached a new deal with scientific publisher Elsevier for access to ScienceDirect, a database containing content from 3,500 academic journals and thousands of electronic books. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

NEW Annual Meeting of the Israel Stem Cell Society 2018
May 31, 2018
Tel Aviv, Israel

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

NEW Postdoctoral Associate – Cerebral Organoids and Tumor Stem Cell Biology (Weill Cornell Medicine)

Postdoctoral Scholarship – Translational Cancer Stem Cell Biology (Lund University)

Postdoctoral Position – Hematology and Cancer Biology (University of Florida)

Postdoctoral Positions – Gene Regulation and/or Cancer Biology (University of North Carolina)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cancer Biology (University of Pennsylvania)

Postdoctoral Associate – Control of Metastasis/Cancer Stem Cell Regulation (University of Miami)

PhD Student – Stem Cells in Tumor Initiation (German Cancer Research Center)

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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