Cancer Stem Cell News Volume 8.05 | Feb 13 2019

TOP STORY

Aging-Like Spontaneous Epigenetic Silencing Facilitates Wnt Activation, Stemness, and Braf^V600E-Induced Tumorigenesis

Using mouse colon-derived organoids, the authors showed that promoter hypermethylation spontaneously arose in cells mimicking the human aging-like phenotype. The silenced genes activated the Wnt pathway, causing a stem-like state and differentiation defects. [Cancer Cell] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Phenotypic Plasticity of Invasive Edge Glioma Stem-Like Cells in Response to Ionizing Radiation

Researchers report that the invading edge and tumor core have two distinct types of glioma stem-like cells that resembled proneural and mesenchymal subtypes, respectively. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

MSC-Regulated LncRNA MACC1-AS1 Promotes Stemness and Chemoresistance through Fatty Acid Oxidation in Gastric Cancer

Investigators discovered that abundant mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in tumor tissues predicted a poor prognosis in gastric cancer (GC) patients. MSCs promoted stemness and chemoresistance in GC cells through fatty acid oxidation in vitro and in vivo. [Oncogene] Full Article

Targeting LIN28B Reprograms Tumor Glucose Metabolism and Acidic Microenvironment to Suppress Cancer Stemness and Metastasis

Researchers demonstrated a fundamental role of the stemness gene LIN28B in maintaining CSC glycolysis metabolism. Using LIN28B-expressing cancer cell lines, they found that the rate of extracellular acidification, glucose uptake, and lactate secretion were all suppressed by LIN28B knockdown in vitro and in vivo. [Oncogene] Abstract

“Energetic” Cancer Stem Cells (e-CSCs): A New Hyper-Metabolic and Proliferative Tumor Cell Phenotype, Driven by Mitochondrial Energy

The authors provide evidence that mitochondrial metabolism drove the anchorage-independent proliferation of CSCs. Two human breast cancer cell lines, MCF7 and MDA-MB-468, were used as model systems. To directly address the issue of metabolic heterogeneity in cancer, they purified a new distinct sub-population of CSCs, based solely on their energetic profile. [Front Oncol] Full Article | Press Release

ER Stress Sensor, Glucose Regulatory Protein 78 (GRP78) Regulates Redox Status in Pancreatic Cancer Thereby Maintaining “Stemness”

Scientists investigated how GRP78 was responsible for maintaining “stemness” in pancreatic cancer thereby contributing to its aggressive biology. They determined that GRP78 downregulation decreased clonogenicity and self-renewal properties in pancreatic cancer cell lines in vitro. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

MEK5/ERK5 Activation Regulates Colon Cancer Stem-Like Cell Properties

Investigators demonstrated that MEK5/ERK5 signaling activation was associated with stem-like malignant phenotypes. Conversely, using a panel of cell line-derived three-dimensional models, they showed that ERK5 inhibition markedly suppressed the molecular and functional features of colon cancer stem-like cells. [Cell Death Discov] Full Article

Hyperthermia Enhances Photodynamic Therapy by Regulation of HCP1 and ABCG2 Expressions via High Level ROS Generation

One hour of hyperthermia at 42°C increased the mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mitROS) production, and both the accumulation of cancer-specific porphyrins and the photodynamic therapy cytotoxicity increased. Moreover, the authors treated cells with N-acetyl-L-cysteine to examine the effect of mitROS. [Sci Rep] Full Article

IL1RL1 Is Dynamically Expressed on Cbfb-MYH11⁺ Leukemia Stem Cells and Promotes Cell Survival

Researchers used Cbfb-MYH11 knock-in mice to show that IL1RL1 was expressed by cell populations with high leukemia stem cell activity, and that the cell surface expression of IL1RL1 was dynamic, implying that the expression of IL1RL1 is not restricted to a specific stage of differentiation. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Subscribe to one of our other 19 science newsletters such as Neural Cell News & Hematopoiesis News.

Data Mining for Mutation-Specific Targets in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

The authors summarize the data sets and bioinformatic tools currently available to further the discovery of mutation-specific targets with an emphasis on web-based applications that are open, accessible, user-friendly, and do not require coding experience to navigate. They show examples of how available data can be mined to identify potential targets using synthetic lethality, drug repurposing, epigenetic sub-grouping, and proteomic networks while also highlighting strengths and limitations and the need for superior models for validation. [Leukemia] Abstract

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

Medicenna Presents Promising Clinical Data from Phase IIb Recurrent Glioblastoma Trial of MDNA55

Medicenna Therapeutics Corp. reported interim data from its on-going Phase IIb trial of MDNA55 for the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma. [Press release from Medicenna Therapeutics Corp. discussing research presented at the 5^th Annual Immuno-Oncology 360 Conference, New York] Press Release

VBI Vaccines Announces Third Positive DSMB Review in Phase I/IIa Study of VBI-1901 in Recurrent GBM Patients

VBI Vaccines Inc. announced that the independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) completed its third and final safety assessment of Part A of the ongoing Phase I/IIa clinical study of VBI-1901 in recurrent glioblastoma (GBM) patients. [VBI Vaccines Inc.] Press Release

AIVITA Identifies Mechanism to Enhance Patient Response Rate to Next Generation Cancer Stem Cell Immunotherapy

AIVITA announced new data indicating that non-responders to its immunotherapy had, on average, 150,000 times more pre-existing PD-1 proteins in their bloodstreams than responders. These findings suggest a means to optimize patient inclusion criteria in AIVITA’s trials evaluating ROOT OF CANCER. [AIVITA Biomedical] Press Release

Restructure Spurs Protest at Indonesia’s Largest Research Institution

Hundreds of scientists in Indonesia protested against a major reorganization of the country’s largest research institution that is set to relocate more than 1,400 science-support jobs. [Nature News] Editorial

Violent Drug Cartels Stifle Mexican Science

Abandoned projects and delayed research have become common problems as security issues crop up across the country. [Nature News] Editorial

Europe’s Next €1-Billion Science Projects: Six Teams Make It to Final Round

The European Commission has selected six research projects — in areas from health and energy to artificial intelligence and cultural heritage — to compete to become one of its next billion-euro ‘flagship’ science initiatives, Nature has learned. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW 3^rd SUNRiSE Meeting : New Advances in Cancer Stem Cells
May 16-17, 2019
Nice, France

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

NEW Postdoctoral Scholarship – Glioblastoma Stem Cell Research (Lund University)

Postdoctoral Positions – Stem Cell and Cancer Biology (Columbia University Irving Medical Center)

Tenure Track Faculty Position – Cancer Biology & Therapeutics (Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth)

Postdoctoral Position – Ovarian Cancer Stem Cells (University of Minnesota)

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)

Computational Biologist – Cancer Research (University of Miami)

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

Postdoctoral Position – Colon Cancer (Vanderbilt University)

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

Recruit Top Talent: Reach potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.

Have we missed an important article or publication in Cancer Stem Cell News? Click here to submit!

Comments or suggestions? Submit your feedback here.