Intestinal Cell News Volume 2.01 | Jan 15 2016

CFTR Is a Tumor Suppressor Gene in Murine and Human Intestinal Cancer
To investigate the effects of CFTR dysregulation on gastrointestinal cancer, researchers generated Apc^Min mice that carried an intestinal-specific knockout of Cftr. They indicate that Cftr is a tumor suppressor gene in the intestinal tract as Cftr mutant mice developed significantly more tumors in the colon and the entire small intestine. [Oncogene] Abstract

Oncogenic KRAS Activates an Embryonic Stem Cell-Like Program in Human Colon Cancer Initiation
Investigators found that KRAS mutation imposes the embryonic stem cell-like program during human colon cancer initiation from colon adenoma to stage I carcinoma. [Oncotarget] Full Article

Low Adherent Cancer Cell Subpopulations Are Enriched in Tumorigenic and Metastatic Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition-Induced Cancer Stem-Like Cells
The authors showed that low adherent breast and colon cancer cell subpopulations have stem-like properties. They demonstrated that trypsin-sensitive breast and colon cancer cells subpopulations show increased ALDH activity, higher ability to exclude Hoechst 33342, enlarged proportion of cells with a cancer stem-like cell phenotype and are enriched in sphere- and colony-forming cells in vitro. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Candida albicans Infection Leads to Barrier Breakdown and a MAPK/NF-κB Mediated Stress Response in the Intestinal Epithelial Cell Line C2BBe1
The authors identified NF-κB activation as an important protective signaling pathway in the response of epithelial cells to C. albicans. [Cell Microbiol] Abstract

NOD2 Is Regulated By miR-320 in Physiological Conditions but this Control Is Altered in Inflamed Tissues of Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Researchers showed that NOD (nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain) 2 expression is under the control of miR-320. They also showed in vitro and ex vivo that inflammation induces a decrease of miR-320 and the latter correlates negatively with NOD2 expression. [Inflamm Bowel Dis] Abstract

Gab2 Facilitates Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition via the MEK/ERK/MMP Signaling in Colorectal Cancer
Scientists confirmed that increased Grb2-associated binder 2 (Gab2) expression correlated with higher tumor node metastasis stage and highly invasive colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines. Ectopic expression of Gab2 promoted metastasis of CRC cells, whereas silencing of Gab2 resulted in inhibited metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. [J Exp Clin Cancer Res] Full Article

miR-137 Regulates the Tumorigenicity of Colon Cancer Stem Cells Through the Inhibition of DCLK1
Investigators demonstrated that microRNA-137 (miR-137) has the capacity to suppress the tumorigenicity of colon cancer stem cells and that maintained expression of miR-137 in normal colon stem cells contributes to suppressing uncontrolled cell proliferation through the inhibition of doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) expression. [Mol Cancer Res] Abstract

Checkpoint Kinase 1 Activation Enhances Intestinal Epithelial Barrier Function via Regulation of Claudin-5 Expression
Scientists examined the effects of daunorubicin and rebeccamycin, two anti-tumor chemicals that induce DNA damage, on tight junction integrity in human intestinal epithelial cells. [PLoS One] Full Article

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Takeda and enGene Establish Strategic Alliance to Develop Novel Therapeutics for Gastrointestinal Diseases
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd. and enGene, Inc. announced a strategic alliance to discover, develop and commercialize novel therapies for specialty gastrointestinal diseases using enGene’s “Gene Pill” gene delivery platform. [Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd.] Press Release

GE Healthcare, FedDev Ontario Commit CAD $40 Million for New CCRM-Led Centre to Solve Cell Therapy Manufacturing Challenges
GE Healthcare, the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), and the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM) are building a centre for advanced therapeutic cell technologies in Toronto with an investment of $40 million from GE and FedDev Ontario. [Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine] Press Release

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Faculty Position – Gastrointestinal Physiology (University of Ottawa)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cancer Genomics (Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute)

PhD Studentship – Cell Biology (Cologne Graduate School of Ageing Research)

Stem Cell Production Scientist (Definigen Ltd)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Stem Cell Biology/Genome Engineering (Amgen)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Host-Microbial Interactions (University of Oxford)

Postdoctoral Position – Gut Inflammation and IBD (University College Cork)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cancer Immunotherapy (Inserm)

Faculty Position – Autoimmune Disease and Rheumatologic Inflammation (Cleveland Clinic)

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