Cancer Stem Cell News Volume 8.01 | Jan 16 2019

TOP STORY

Circulating Tumor Cell Clustering Shapes DNA Methylation to Enable Metastasis Seeding

Researchers profiled the DNA methylation landscape of single circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and CTC clusters from breast cancer patients and mouse models on a genome-wide scale. They found that binding sites for stemness- and proliferation-associated transcription factors were specifically hypomethylated in CTC clusters, including binding sites for OCT4, NANOG, SOX2, and SIN3A, paralleling embryonic stem cell biology. [Cell] Abstract | Press Release | Graphical Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

JMJD1C-Mediated Metabolic Dysregulation Contributes to HOXA9-Dependent Leukemogenesis

Scientists uncovered that JMJD1C, a jumonji C-containing H3K9 demethylase, is a critical regulator of aberrant metabolic processes in homeobox A9 (HOXA9)-dependent acute myeloid leukemia. [Leukemia] Abstract

Biophysical Phenotyping and Modulation of ALDH⁺ Inflammatory Breast Cancer Stem‐Like Cells

The functional and biophysical characteristics of aggressive and lethal inflammatory breast cancer CSCs at the single‐cell level were comprehensively profiled using multiple microengineered tools. [Small] Abstract

Six2 Mediates Late-Stage Metastasis via Direct Regulation of Sox2 and Induction of a Cancer Stem Cell Program

Researchers identified Six2, a developmental transcription factor, as a critical regulator of a breast cancer stem cell program that enables metastatic colonization. [Cancer Res] Abstract

Constant Degradation of the Androgen Receptor by MDM2 Conserves Prostate Cancer Stem Cell Integrity

Using CSC-like cell models isolated from clinical biopsy tissues, the authors identified the E3 ligase MDM2 as a key regulator of prostate CSC integrity. [Cancer Res] Abstract

The Side Population Enriches for Leukemia Propagating Cell Activity and Wnt Pathway Expression in Zebrafish Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Scientists identified the side population within a zebrafish model of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and correlated the frequency of side population cells with the frequency of leukemia stem cells. [Haematologica] Abstract | Full Article

Superior Efficacy of Cotreatment with BET Protein Inhibitor and BCL2 or MCL1 Inhibitor against AML Blast Progenitor Cells

Bromodomain extra-terminal protein inhibitors treatment was shown to perturb accessible chromatin and activity of enhancers/promoters, attenuating MYC, CDK6, MCL1 and BCL2, while inducing BIM, HEXIM1, CDKN1A expressions and apoptosis of AML cells. [Blood Cancer J] Full Article

CD44s Is a Crucial ATG7 Downstream Regulator for Stem-Like Property, Invasion, and Lung Metastasis of Human Bladder Cancer (BC) Cells

Researchers indicated that the knockdown of autophagy-related gene 7 (ATG7) attenuated the expression of CD44 standard (CD44s), while ectopic introduction of CD44s, was capable of completely restoring sphere formation, invasion, and lung metastasis in T24T cells. [Oncogene] Abstract

B591, a Novel Specific Pan-PI3K Inhibitor, Preferentially Targets Cancer Stem Cells

The authors designed and identified B591, a dihydrobenzofuran-imidazolium salt, as a novel specific pan-phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor with potent inhibitory activity against class I PI3K isoforms, which showed effective inhibition of cellular PI3K/mTOR signaling pathway and robust antitumor activity in a set of cancer cell lines. [Oncogene] Full Article

Genetically Distinct Glioma Stem-Like Cell Xenografts Established from Paired Glioblastoma Samples Harvested before and after Molecularly Targeted Therapy

Investigators established a matched pair of glioblastoma stem-like cell cultures from patient glioblastoma samples before and after epidermal growth factor receptor-targeted therapy. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Blockade of Integrin β3 Signals to Reverse the Stem-Like Phenotype and Drug Resistance in Melanoma

Scientists proved that integrin β3 could serve as a marker of stem-like cancer cells in melanoma, along with the acquired chemotherapeutic drugs resistance. They observed that the membrane-proximal complex of integrin β3 with KRAS and Galectin-3 on the surface of melanoma cancer cells could recruit the RalB, resulting in the activation of TBK1. [Cancer Chemother Pharmacol] Abstract

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Metal Carcinogen Exposure Induces Cancer Stem Cell-Like Property through Epigenetic Reprograming: A Novel Mechanism of Metal Carcinogenesis

The authors first provide some brief introductions about CSCs, epigenetics and epigenetic regulation of CSCs; then summarize progresses in recent studies on metal carcinogen-induced CSC-like property through epigenetic reprograming as a novel mechanism of metal carcinogenesis. [Semin Cancer Biol] Abstract

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

AIVITA Biomedical Receives IND Clearance for Phase IB Melanoma Trial

AIVITA Biomedical, Inc. announced the FDA has cleared its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for a Phase IB clinical trial investigating the company’s ROOT OF CANCER technology in patients with metastatic melanoma. [AIVITA Biomedical, Inc.] Press Release

EMA Grants Orphan Drug Designation to Rafael Pharmaceuticals’ Devimistat (CPI-613^®) for Treatment of Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)

Rafael Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has granted orphan drug designation to devimistat, the company’s lead altered metabolism directed drug candidate, for the treatment of older patients with relapsed or refractory AML. [Rafael Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (GlobeNewswire, Inc.)] Press Release

Government Shutdown Keeps Young Scientists in Limbo

With the lapse in government funding in its fourth week, early-career researchers tell The Scientist how their businesses, jobs, and research have been affected. [The Scientist] Editorial

Mass Student Protests Bring Down Albania’s Science Minister

Albania’s education and science minister has been replaced in a government reshuffle amid weeks of mass student protests that brought the country’s public universities to a halt. For years, students have been complaining about growing privatization of education, which, they say, has hiked fees without adding benefits. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW 2^nd London Stem Cell Network Symposium
April 30, 2019
London, United Kingdom

NEW European CanCer Organisation (ECCO) 2019: European Cancer Summit
September 12-14, 2019
Brussels, Belgium

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

NEW Postdoctoral Position – Stem Cell Aging and Cancer (University of California – San Francisco)

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

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

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

Computational Biologist – Cancer Research (University of Miami)

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

Postdoctoral Position – Colon Cancer (Vanderbilt University)

Postdoctoral Associate – Cancer Biology (University of Massachusetts)

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

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

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

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