Cancer Stem Cell News Volume 7.22 | Jun 6 2018

TOP STORY

Phase I Trial: Cirmtuzumab Inhibits ROR1 Signaling and Stemness Signatures in Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

For patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), self-renewing, neoplastic B cells express ROR1 in 95% of cases. High-level leukemia cell expression of ROR1 is associated with an unfavorable prognosis. Scientists conducted a Phase I study involving 26 patients with progressive, relapsed, or refractory CLL. [Cell Stem Cell] Abstract | Press Release 1 | Press Release 2 | Graphical Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Cigarette Smoke Induces Stem Cell Features of Pancreatic Cancer Cells via PAF1

Chronic exposure of HPNE and Capan1 cells to cigarette smoke extract caused them to increase markers of stem cells, including autofluorescence and sphere formation, compared to control cells. [Gastroenterology] Abstract

Ibrutinib Inactivates BMX-STAT3 in Glioma Stem Cells to Impair Malignant Growth and Radioresistance

Researchers demonstrated that bone marrow and X-linked (BMX) inhibition by ibrutinib potently disrupts glioblastoma (GBM) harbors glioma stem cells (GSCs), suppresses GBM malignant growth, and effectively combines with radiotherapy. Ibrutinib markedly disrupted the BMX-mediated STAT3 activation in GSCs but showed minimal effect on neural progenitor cells lacking BMX expression. [Sci Transl Med] Abstract

USP22 Deficiency Leads to Myeloid Leukemia upon Oncogenic Kras Activation through a PU.1 Dependent Mechanism

The transcriptome profile of ubiquitin-specific-peptidase 22 (USP22)-deficient Kras^G12D/+ progenitors resembled leukemic stem cells and was highly correlated with genes associated with poor prognosis in acute myeloid leukemia. [Blood] Abstract

Simvastatin Interferes with Cancer ‘Stem-Cell’ Plasticity Reducing Metastasis in Ovarian Cancer

The authors studied whether simvastatin, a lipophilic statin, could impair the metastatic potential of cancer-initiating cells in high-grade serous ovarian cancer, the most lethal among the gynecologic malignancies. [Endocr Relat Cancer] Abstract

Luteolin Attenuates Wnt Signaling via Upregulation of FZD6 to Suppress Prostate Cancer Stemness Revealed by Comparative Proteomics

Investigators report that luteolin suppresses prostate cancer (PCa) stemness through Wnt signaling by upregulation of frizzled class receptor 6 (FZD6). Luteolin inhibited PCa cell proliferation, migration, self-renewal as well as the expression of prostate cancer stem cell markers in vitro. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Overcoming Stemness and Chemoresistance in Colorectal Cancer through miR-195-5p-Modulated Inhibition of Notch Signaling

Researchers demonstrated that miR-195-5p inhibited the stem-like capacity of colorectal cancer cells. They established 5-FU-resistant SW620 and HT-29 cell lines and performed a variety of functional assays following exposure to miR-195-5p and anti-miR-195-5p. [Int J Biol Macromol] Abstract

IFI44L Is a Novel Tumor Suppressor in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Affecting Cancer Stemness, Metastasis, and Drug Resistance via Regulating met/Src Signaling Pathway

To explore the characteristics of hepatic CSCs, investigators successfully enriched hepatic cancer stem-like cells from three established liver cancer cell lines. [BMC Cancer] Full Article

mir-34a-5p Mediates Cross-Talk between M2 Muscarinic Receptors and Notch-1/EGFR Pathways in U87MG Glioblastoma Cells: Implication in Cell Proliferation

Investigators delved into the molecular mechanisms underlying the M2-mediated cell proliferation arrest. Exploiting U87MG and U251MG cell lines as model systems, they evaluated the ability of M2 receptors to interfere with Notch-1 and EGFR pathways, whose activation promotes glioblastoma proliferation. [Int J Mol Sci] Full Article

Clinicopathological Significance of Cancer Stem Cell Markers CD44 and ALDH1 Expression in Breast Cancer

CD44 and aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) has been reputed to be CSC markers in breast cancer. Scientists investigated the expression of these markers and their relation with conventional clinicopathologic tumor characteristic including molecular subtype. [Breast Cancer] Abstract

Deubiquitinating Enzymes in Cancer Stem Cells: Functions and Targeted Inhibition for Cancer Therapy

Researchers discuss the roles of various deubiquitination enzymes involved in the regulation of core stem cell transcription factors and CSC-related proteins that are implicated in the modulation of cellular processes and carcinogenesis. [Drug Discov Today] Abstract

Prostate Cancer Stem Cells: Current Understanding

The authors discuss the current methods for prostate cancer stem cell (PCSC) enrichment and analysis, the hallmarks of PCSC metabolism and the role of PCSCs in tumor progression. [Stem Cells] Abstract

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

Exelixis Announces Further Expansion to Clinical Research Protocol for Phase Ib COSMIC-021 Trial of Cabozantinib in Combination with Anti-PD-L1 Immunotherapy in Patients with Locally Advanced or Metastatic Solid Tumors

Exelixis, Inc. announced an amendment to the protocol for COSMIC-021, the Phase Ib trial of cabozantinib in combination with atezolizumab in patients with locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors to add 10 new expansion cohorts to the trial. [Exelixis, Inc.] Press Release

UT Health San Antonio Receives $24 Million NIH Research Boost

UT Health San Antonio will receive $24 million over the next five years under the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Program. The university is a CTSA Program hub and collaborates with eight regional partners. [The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio] Press Release

Evotec Forms Academic BRIDGE LAB591 with Arix Bioscience and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

Evotec AG announced the formation of the LAB591 academic BRIDGE with Arix Bioscience plc and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. LAB591 aims to accelerate research discoveries at Fred Hutch and leverage these discoveries to form new companies focused on cancer and infectious disease drug development. [Evotec AG] Press Release

Scientists Fare Poorly in Super Tuesday Primary Vote

Science-minded candidates seeking seats in the next U.S. Congress took a drubbing from their Democratic opponents in a raft of primary elections across the country. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Chile, Keen to Become a Knowledge Society, Creates a Ministry of Science

Scientists in Chile have welcomed a decision by Congress to create a science ministry. Many researchers hope that a dedicated ministry will give science more prominence and better-coordinated policies—provided the ministry’s budget matches the government’s ambitions to “bring Chile towards an information and knowledge society,” as Gonzalo Blumel, the country’s minister secretary-general of the presidency, put it in a statement issued after the 31 May vote. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Europe’s Top Science Funder Shows High-Risk Research Pays Off

A popular and unusual self-review carried out by Europe’s most prestigious science funder is back. The annual assessment, now in its third year, found that nearly one in five projects by the European Research Council led to a scientific breakthrough. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW The American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) Annual Meeting 2018
December 8-12, 2018
San Diego, California, United States

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

NEW Tenure-Track Faculty Positions – Various (The Ohio State University)

NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacogenomics (Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine)

PhD Student – Cell Signaling (German Cancer Research Center)

Postdoctoral Positions – High Mobility Group A Proteins in Cancer, Cancer Stem Cells, and Normal Development (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Position – Stem Cell Bioinformatics (University of Copenhagen)

Postdoctoral Research Associate – Stem Cell and Cancer Biology (University of North Texas Health Science Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Glioma Epigenetics and Signaling (NYU School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Position – Cancer Research (Institute for Research in Biomedicine)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Cancer Stem Cells (University of New South Wales)

Professor – Cancer Stem Cell Research (Cardiff University)

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