LABORATORY RESEARCH Lunatic Fringe Deficiency Cooperates with the Met/Caveolin Gene Amplicon to Induce Basal-Like Breast Cancer Notch receptor signaling promotes luminal cell fate specification in the mammary gland, while suppressing stem cell self-renewal. Researchers showed that deletion of Lfng, a sugar transferase that prevents Notch activation by Jagged ligands, enhances stem/progenitor cell proliferation. [Cancer Cell] Abstract The Stat6-Regulated KRAB Domain Zinc Finger Protein Zfp157 Regulates the Balance of Lineages in Mammary Glands and Compensates for Loss of Gata-3 Researchers showed that zinc finger protein 157 (Zfp157) is required to establish the balance between luminal alveolar pStat5- and Gata-3-expressing cells in the murine mammary gland. [Genes Dev] Abstract | Full Article Orally Bioavailable Small-Molecule Inhibitor of Transcription Factor Stat3 Regresses Human Breast and Lung Cancer Xenografts Researchers found that intravenous or oral gavage delivery of BP-1-102 furnishes micromolar or microgram levels in tumor tissues and inhibits growth of human breast and lung tumor xenografts. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract | Full Article Mevalonate Metabolism Regulates Basal Breast Cancer Stem Cells and Is a Potential Therapeutic Target Researchers sought to identify specific molecular pathways of cancer stem cells isolated from 13 different breast cancer cell lines of luminal or basal/mesenchymal subtypes. They compared the gene expression profiling of cancer cells grown in adherent conditions to those of matched tumorsphere cultures. [Stem Cells] Abstract CD44 Enhances Invasion of Basal-Like Breast Cancer Cells by Up-Regulating Serine Protease and Collagen-Degrading Enzymatic Expression and Activity Researchers found that hyaluronan-induced CD44 signaling increases a diverse spectrum of protease activity to facilitate the invasion associated with basal-like breast cancers cells, providing new insights into the molecular basis of CD44-promoted invasion. [Breast Cancer Res] Abstract | Full Article FES Kinase Promotes Mast Cell Recruitment to Mammary Tumors via the Stem Cell Factor/KIT Receptor Signaling Axis Researchers investigated whether FES protein-tyrosine kinase, a downstream effector of KIT signaling in mast cells (MCs), is required for migration of MCs towards stem cell factor-expressing mammary tumors. [Mol Cancer Res] Abstract CLINICAL RESEARCH JMJD6 Is a Driver of Cellular Proliferation and Motility and a Marker of Poor Prognosis in Breast Cancer Researchers developed an analytical strategy that correlates gene expression and clinical outcomes as a means to identify novel candidate oncogenes operative in breast cancer. This analysis, followed by functional characterization, resulted in the identification of Jumonji Domain Containing 6 (JMJD6) protein as a novel driver of oncogenic properties in breast cancer. [Breast Cancer Res] Abstract | Full Article Local-Regional Control According to Surrogate Markers of Breast Cancer Subtypes and Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Breast Conserving Therapy The goal of this study was to identify patients at high risk for local-regional recurrence according to response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surrogate markers of molecular subtypes in patients undergoing breast conserving therapy. [Breast Cancer Res] Abstract | Full Article  |