Mammary Cell News Volume 3.28 | Jul 21 2011

Key Metabolic Pathway Implicated in Intractable Form of Breast Cancer
Using a new in vivo screening system, researchers have identified a protein in the serine biosynthesis pathway that is essential in estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer. [Press release from Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research discussing online prepublication in Nature]

LABORATORY RESEARCH

Functional Genomics Reveal That the Serine Synthesis Pathway Is Essential in Breast Cancer
Scientists developed a method for identifying novel cancer targets via negative-selection RNA interference screening using a human breast cancer xenograft model at an orthotopic site in the mouse. [Nature]

Sensitization of BCL-2–Expressing Breast Tumors to Chemotherapy by the BH3 Mimetic ABT-737
Overexpression of the prosurvival protein BCL-2 is common in breast cancer. Here researchers have explored its role as a potential therapeutic target in this disease. [Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A]

Asymmetric Cancer Cell Division Regulated by AKT
Investigators show that rapidly proliferating cancer cells can divide asymmetrically to produce slowly proliferating “G0-like” progeny that are enriched following chemotherapy in breast cancer patients. [Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A]

HERC2 Interacts with Claspin and Regulates DNA Origin Firing and Replication Fork Progression
Scientists show that HERC2 is a component of the DNA replication fork complex that plays a critical role in DNA elongation and origin firing. [Cancer Res]

C-Kit Is Required for Growth and Survival of the Cells of Origin of Brca1-Mutation-Associated Breast Cancer
To address the functional significance of c-Kit expression in the mammary gland, c-Kit^– and c-Kit⁺ mammary epithelial subsets were isolated by flow cytometry, characterized for expression of lineage-specific cell markers and functionally analyzed by in vitro colony forming and in vivo transplantation assays. [Oncogene]

Wnt–ß-Catenin–Tcf-4 Signaling-Modulated Invasiveness Is Dependent on Osteopontin Expression in Breast Cancer
In this report, researchers have examined the importance of the regulation of osteopontin in human breast cancer. [Br J Cancer]

Contribution of Xanthine Oxidoreductase to Mammary Epithelial and Breast Cancer Cell Differentiation in Part Modulates Inhibitor of Differentiation-1
In the present study investigators hypothesized that the contribution of xanthine oxidoreductase to the development of the normal mammary gland may underlie its capacity to modulate breast cancer. [Mol Cancer Res]

Breast Field Cancerization: Isolation and Comparison of Telomerase Expressing Cells in Tumor and Tumor Adjacent, Histologically Normal Breast Tissue
In the current study, scientists first validated a reporter for measuring levels of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) promoter activity in early passage human mammary epithelial cells (HMECs) and then used this reporter to compare hTERT promoter activity in HMECs derived from tumor and paired tumor-adjacent histologically-normal tissues 1, 3 and 5 cm from the tumor. [Mol Cancer Res]

CLINICAL RESEARCH

Dextromethorphan as a Phenotyping Test to Predict Endoxifen Exposure in Patients on Tamoxifen Treatment
In this pharmacokinetic study, researchers investigated the value of dextromethorphan, a known probe drug for both CYP2D6 and CYP3A enzymatic activity, as a potential phenotyping probe for tamoxifen pharmacokinetics. [J Clin Oncol]

Randomized, Phase III Trial of Sequential Epirubicin and Docetaxel Versus Epirubicin Alone in Postmenopausal Patients with Node-Positive Breast Cancer
The Docetaxel Epirubicin Adjuvant (DEVA) trial evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of incorporating docetaxel after epirubicin to create a sequential anthracycline-taxane regimen in early breast cancer. [J Clin Oncol]

Four-Year Follow-Up of Trastuzumab Plus Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Operable Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2–Positive Breast Cancer: Joint Analysis of Data from NCCTG N9831 and NSABP B-31
Data demonstrates consistent disease-free survival and overall survival advantages of adjuvant trastuzumab over time, with the longest follow-up reported to date. [J Clin Oncol]

Genotype-Guided Tamoxifen Dosing Increases Active Metabolite Exposure in Women with Reduced CYP2D6 Metabolism: A Multicenter Study
Scientists examined the feasibility of using CYP2D6 genotyping to determine optimal tamoxifen dose and investigated whether the key active tamoxifen metabolite, endoxifen, could be increased by genotype-guided tamoxifen dosing in patients with intermediate CYP2D6 metabolism. [J Clin Oncol]

Central Nervous System Metastases in Patients with HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer: Incidence, Treatment, and Survival in Patients from RegistHER
For patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer evaluated in registHER, the use of trastuzumab, chemotherapy, and surgery following central nervous system metastases were each associated with longer survival. [Clin Cancer Res]

Pertuzumab Combined with Herceptin and Chemotherapy Significantly Extended the Time People with HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer Lived without their Disease Getting Worse
Roche announced that CLEOPATRA, a pivotal Phase III study, met its primary endpoint. The study showed that people with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer who received the combination of two targeted medicines, pertuzumab and Herceptin®, plus docetaxel chemotherapy lived significantly longer without their disease getting worse than people who received only Herceptin and docetaxel. [Roche Press Release]

Breast Cancer Physician Named “Outstanding Hispanic”
Orlando E. Silva, M.D., J.D. was chosen to receive the “Outstanding Hispanic Award” at The Americano’s First Annual Hispanic Forum. [University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Press Release]

Searching for Spread of Breast Cancer Cells without Radiation
Researchers from the MIRA Research Institute at the University of Twente, together with their research partners, have been awarded a €1.4 million grant to develop a new method of determining whether patients with breast cancer have developed secondary tumors. [University of Twente Press Release]

Novian Health Receives FDA Approval to Study Breast Cancer Therapy
Novian Health announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted investigational device exemption approval for the company to start a multi-center study of its Novilase® Interstitial Laser Therapy System. [Business Wire]

National Institutes of Health (United States)

Food and Drug Administration (United States)

Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (United States)

European Medicines Agency (European Union)

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (United Kingdom)

Therapeutic Goods Administration (Australia)

NEW Gordon Research Conferences: Epigenetics – Mechanisms, Development and Disease
August 7-12, 2011
Easton, United States

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

Lab Technologist – Tissue Culture (STEMCELL Technologies)

Research and Development Technologist, hPSC Media (STEMCELL Technologies)

Scientist (iPSC) (STEMCELL Technologies)

Postdoctoral Fellow (Indiana University School of Medicine-South Bend)

Postdoctoral Position (Tufts Medical Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow (Roswell Park Cancer Institute)

Laboratory Project Scientist (University of California, San Diego)

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