Cancer Stem Cell News Volume 8.00 | Jan 9 2019

TOP STORY

Phf6 Loss Enhances HSC Self-Renewal Driving Tumor Initiation and Leukemia Stem Cell Activity in T-ALL

Researchers showed that loss of plant homeodomain 6 gene (PHF6) is an early mutational event in leukemia transformation. Mechanistically, genetic inactivation of Phf6 in the hematopoietic system enhances hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) long-term self-renewal and hematopoietic recovery after chemotherapy by rendering Phf6 knockout HSCs more quiescent and less prone to stress-induced activation. [Cancer Discov] Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Hyper-Editing of Cell-Cycle Regulatory and Tumor Suppressor RNA Promotes Malignant Progenitor Propagation

The authors showed that adenosine deaminase associated with RNA1-induced hyper-editing in normal human hematopoietic progenitors impaired miR-26a maturation, which represses CDKN1A expression indirectly via EZH2, thereby accelerating cell-cycle transit. [Cancer Cell] Abstract | Press Release | Graphical Abstract

The Long Noncoding RNA LncHDAC2 Drives the Self-Renewal of Liver Cancer Stem Cells via Activation of Hedgehog Signaling

LncHDAC2 was highly expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma tumors and liver CSCs. LncHDAC2 promoted the self-renewal maintenance of liver CSCs and tumor propagation. [J Hepatol] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

TAp73 Modifies Metabolism and Positively Regulates Growth of Cancer Stem-Like Cells in a Redox-Sensitive Manner

TAp73 inhibition decreased the expression of stem cell transcription factors Oct4, Nanog and Sox-2, as well as tumorsphere formation capacity in embryonal carcinoma stem-like cells. [Clin Cancer Res] Abstract

AMPK Promotes SPOP-Mediated NANOG Degradation to Regulate Prostate Cancer Cell Stemness

Investigators report that NANOG is degraded by SPOP, a frequently mutated tumor suppressor of prostate cancer (PCa). Cancer-associated mutations of SPOP or the mutation of NANOG at S68Y abrogates the SPOP-mediated NANOG degradation, leading to elevated PCa cancer stemness and poor prognosis. [Dev Cell] Abstract | Graphical Abstract | Full Article

SPOP Promotes Nanog Destruction to Suppress Stem Cell Traits and Prostate Cancer Progression

Scientists report that SPOP suppresses stem cell traits of both embryonic stem cells and prostate cancer cells through promoting Nanog poly-ubiquitination and subsequent degradation. [Dev Cell] Abstract

Inhibition of Chemotherapy Resistant Breast Cancer Stem Cells by a ROR1 Specific Antibody

Investigators found that the expression of ROR1 increased in breast cancer cells following treatment with chemotherapy, which also enhanced expression of genes induced by the activation of Rho-GTPases, Hippo-YAP/TAZ, or B lymphoma Mo-MLV insertion region 1 homolog. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Full Article

Semaphorin Signaling via MICAL3 Induces Symmetric Cell Division to Expand Breast Cancer Stem-Like Cells

Researchers showed a cytokine, semaphorin 3 (Sema3), produced from the CSC niche, induced symmetric divisions of CSCs to expand the CSC population. They indicated that stimulation with Sema3 induced sphere formation in breast cancer cells through neuropilin 1 receptor that was specifically expressed in breast CSCs. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Full Article

A Sox2-Sox9 Signaling Axis Maintains Human Breast Luminal Progenitor and Breast Cancer Stem Cells

Investigators showed that Sox2 increases and estrogen reduces the expression of the transcription factor Sox9. Gain and loss of function assays indicated that Sox9 is implicated in the maintenance of human breast luminal progenitor cells. [Oncogene] Full Article

Spironolactone Inhibits the Growth of Cancer Stem Cells by Impairing DNA Damage Response

Researchers showed that spironolactone, apart from inhibiting cancerous cell growth, was also highly toxic to CSCs. They demonstrated that CSCs have high basal levels of DNA double-strand breaks. [Oncogene] Abstract

A miRNA-Mediated Approach to Dissect the Complexity of Tumor-Initiating Cell Function and Identify miRNA-Targeting Drugs

Scientists found that an miR-181a^high subpopulation of cells sorted from primary ovarian tumor cells exhibited tumor-initiating cell properties in vivo, were enriched in response to continuous cisplatin treatment, and showed activation of numerous major stem cell regulatory pathways. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article

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Cancer Stem Cells and Immunosuppressive Microenvironment in Glioma

The authors discuss the role of several resident or peripheral factors with distinct tumor-promoting features and their dynamic interactions in the development of glioma. Localized antitumor factors could be silenced or even converted to suppressive phenotypes, due to stemness-related cell reprogramming and immunosuppressive mediators in glioma-derived microenvironment. [Front Immunol] Full Article

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

Rafael Pharmaceuticals Announces Initiation of Patient Enrollment for Phase II Clinical Trial of CPI-613 for Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Burkitt Lymphoma/Leukemia

Rafael Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced the initiation of patient enrollment for a Phase II clinical trial of CPI-613 for patients with relapsed or refractory burkitt lymphoma/leukemia. [Rafael Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Business Wire, Inc.)] Press Release

Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Sprycel^® (Dasatinib) Tablets Now Approved in Combination with Chemotherapy in Certain Pediatric Patients with Philadelphia Chromosome-Positive Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company announced the FDA has expanded the indication for Sprycel^® tablets to include the treatment of pediatric patients one year of age and older with newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia in combination with chemotherapy. [Bristol-Myers Squibb Company] Press Release

Indian Scientists Protest against Unscientific Claims Made at Conference

Indian scientists have criticized two speakers at a major conference for making bizarre, unscientific claims, including that ancient Hindus invented stem cell science. Groups of researchers held protests in Bangalore, Kochi, Kolkata and Thiruvananthapuram on 6 January, calling for an end to presentations at the Indian Science Congress that promote unscientific personal beliefs. [Nature News] Editorial

Colombia Creates Its First Science Ministry

Colombian scientists are cautiously optimistic after the country’s Senate voted to create the nation’s first Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation. [Nature News] Editorial

Taiwanese Biochemist Cleared of Corruption

A Taiwanese court has cleared biochemist Wong Chi-huey of corruption. Wong, a former head of Taiwan’s foremost research institution, Academia Sinica, had been accused of accepting shares as a bribe for helping the Taiwanese biopharmaceutical firm OBI Pharma secure the rights to use enzyme-synthesis technology that he had developed. Wong denies he did anything illegal. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW 24^th Congress of the European Hematology Association (EHA)
June 13-16, 2019
Amsterdam, Netherlands

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

NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Epigenetics and Cancer (The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center)

NEW Postdoctoral Position – Stem Cells, Development and Cancer (Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University)

NEW Postdoctoral Scientist – Leukemia Biology Group (Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute)

NEW Computational Biologist – Cancer Research (University of Miami)

NEW Postdoctoral Associate – Pediatrics, Cancer Biology (University of Massachusetts)

NEW Postdoctoral Position – Colon Cancer (Vanderbilt University)

Postdoctoral Associate – Cancer Biology (University of Massachusetts)

Postdoctoral Researcher – RNA Biology (Queen Mary University of London)

Assistant Professor – Cancer Biology (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)

Tenure-Track/Tenured Faculty – Cancer Biology (University of Chicago)

Assistant Professor – Cancer Biology (University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine)

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