Mammary Cell News Volume 2.04 | Feb 4 2010

Scientists Discover Enzyme that ‘Cleans’ Cancer Cells
Scientists have found that the protease HtrA2 can “clean” cells of the expression of oncogene WT1, which is found at high levels in many leukemias and solid cancers such as breast and lung cancer. [Press release from The University of Manchester discussing online prepublication in Molecular Cell]

Gene Could Predict Tamoxifen Treatment Failure
When the FKBPL gene is found in high levels in breast cancer, it indicates a good response to tamoxifen and a better chance of survival. Conversely low levels of FKBPL indicate a poor response. [Press release from Queen’s University Belfast discussing online prepublication in Cancer Research]

Engineers Develop Cancer-Targeting Nanoprobe Sensors
Scientists have created smart nanoprobes that may one day be used in the battle against cancer to selectively seek out and destroy tumor cells, as well as report back on the mission’s status. [Press release from University of California, Berkeley]

LABORATORY RESEARCH

The Wilms’ Tumor Suppressor Protein WT1 Is Processed by the Serine Protease HtrA2/Omi
Researchers identify the serine protease HtrA2 as a WT1 binding partner and find that it cleaves WT1 at multiple sites following the treatment of cells with cytotoxic drugs. [Mol Cell]

Cellular and Genetic Diversity in the Progression of In Situ Human Breast Carcinomas to an Invasive Phenotype
Analyses showed a high degree of genetic heterogeneity both within and between distinct tumor cell populations that were defined based on markers of cellular phenotypes including stem cell–like characteristics. [J Clin Invest]

FKBPL Regulates Estrogen Receptor Signaling and Determines Response to Endocrine Therapy
Breast cancer cells stably overexpressing FKBPL became dependent on estrogen for their growth and were dramatically more sensitive to the antiestrogens tamoxifen and fulvestrant, whereas FKBPL knockdown reverses this phenotype. [Cancer Res]

Heterotrimerization of the Growth Factor Receptors erbB2, erbB3, and Insulin-like Growth Factor-I Receptor in Breast Cancer Cells Resistant to Herceptin
Trastuzumab resistance in breast cancer might be overcome by therapeutic strategies that jointly target erbB3, erbB2, and IGF-IR. [Cancer Res]

Pathways Contributing to Development of Spontaneous Mammary Tumors in BALB/c-Trp53+/- Mice
Researchers use BALB/c-Trp53+/- mice as a model to examine the sequence of events leading to mammary tumors. [Am J Pathol]

Grb7 Upregulation is a Molecular Adaptation to HER2 Signaling Inhibition Due to Removal of Akt-Mediated Gene Repression
Low-density arrays, quantitative PCR, and western blotting was used to determine how HER2 signaling inhibition with lapatinib or PI3K inhibitors affects the expression of genes involved in breast cancer metastatic spread and overall prognosis. [PLoS ONE]

CLINICAL RESEARCH

Significant Effect of Polymorphisms in CYP2D6 and ABCC2 on Clinical Outcomes of Adjuvant Tamoxifen Therapy for Breast Cancer Patients
Researchers investigated relationships of polymorphisms in transporter genes and CYP2D6 to clinical outcome of patients receiving tamoxifen. [J Clin Oncol]

Phase II Trial of Pertuzumab and Trastuzumab in Patients with Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2–Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer That Progressed During Prior Trastuzumab Therapy
This phase II trial assessed the efficacy and safety profile of the combination in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer whose disease had progressed during prior trastuzumab-based therapy. [J Clin Oncol]

 

GSK’s TYKERB® Receives Accelerated Approval for First-Line Combination Treatment of Hormone Receptor Positive, HER2+/ErbB2+ Metastatic Breast Cancer
GlaxoSmithKline announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted accelerated approval for a new combination regimen using TYKERB® (lapatinib) as a first-line, all-oral treatment for women with metastatic breast cancer. [GlaxoSmithKline Press Release]

Case Western Reserve Receives $2.8 Million to Further Breast Cancer Research
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine has been awarded six Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs grants for innovative medical research. [Case Western Reserve University Press Release]

Notice of Availability of Administrative Supplements for R25 Science Education Grants (NOT-DA-10-007) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Recovery Act Limited Competition: Program to Enhance NIH-supported Global Health Research Involving Human Subjects (S07) (RFA-OD-10-006) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Institutional Clinical and Translational Science Award (U54) (RFA-RM-10-001) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Notice of Intent to Publish a Request for Applications for NHLBI Research Centers at Minority-Serving Institutions (P30) (NOT-HL-11-150) [National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, United States]

Investigator Initiated Multi-Site Clinical Trials (Collaborative R01) (PAR-10-096) [National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, United States]

Public consultation (MLX 366): Intention to amend the Medicines for Human Use (Prescribing by EEA Practitioners) Regulations 2008 (SI 2008/1692) [The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, United Kingdom]

EVENTS

27th Annual Miami Breast Cancer Conference
March 3-6, 2010
Miami, United States

7th European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC)
March 24-27, 2010
Barcelona, Spain

American Society of Breast Disease’s (ASBD) 34th Annual Symposium
April 16-17, 2010,
New York City, Untied States

American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) 101st Annual Meeting 2010
April 17-21, 2010
Washington, DC, United States

BIT’s 3rd Annual World Cancer Congress 2010 – Breast Cancer Conference
April 25-27, 2010
Shanghai, China

IMPAKT Breast Cancer Conference
May 6-8, 2010
Brussels, Belgium

Breast Cancer Research 2010 Conference
May 18, 2010
London, United Kingdom

American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting
June 4-8, 2010
Chicago, United States

Gordon Research Conference: Mammary Gland Biology
June 6-11, 2010
Lucca (Barga), Italy

12th Milan Breast Cancer Conference
June 16-18, 2010
Milan, Italy

The 21st Meeting of the European Association for Cancer Research (EACR)
June 26-29, 2010
Oslo, Norway

Visit our events page to stay up to date with the latest events in the cell, gene and immunotherapy community.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

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Research & Development Scientist – Pancreatic Cell Biology (STEMCELL Technologies)

Research & Development Scientist – Endothelial Cell Biology (STEMCELL Technologies)

Research & Development Scientist – Epithelial Cell Biology (STEMCELL Technologies)

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