Mammary Cell News Volume 4.41 | Oct 18 2012

LABORATORY RESEARCH

Combined Targeting of HER2 and VEGFR2 for Effective Treatment of HER2-Amplified Breast Cancer Brain Metastases
Researchers developed a mouse model of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2)-amplified breast cancer brain metastasis using an orthotopic xenograft of BT474 cells. As seen in patients, the HER2 inhibitors trastuzumab and lapatinib controlled tumor progression in the breast but failed to contain tumor growth in the brain. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Full Article

Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition Induced by TGF-β1 Is Mediated by Blimp-1-Dependent Repression of BMP-5
TGF-β1 treatment of untransformed NMuMG mammary epithelial and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells was shown to induce Blimp-1 expression, which promoted an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition signature and cell migration. [Cancer Res] Abstract

The Milk Protein α-Casein Functions as a Tumor Suppressor via Activation of STAT1 Signaling, Effectively Preventing Breast Cancer Tumor Growth and Metastasis
Scientists identified the milk protein α-casein as a novel suppressor of tumor growth and metastasis. Met-1 mammary tumor cells expressing α-casein showed a ~5-fold reduction in tumor growth and a near 10-fold decrease in experimental metastasis. [Cell Cycle] Abstract

Estrogen Receptor α Signaling Regulates Breast Tumor-Initiating Cells by Downregulating miR-140 which Targets the Transcription Factor SOX2
The authors found that the stem cell self-renewal regulator SOX2 is a novel target of microRNA-140 (miR-140), and that this miR-140/SOX2 pathway critically regulates breast tumor initiating cell survival, providing a new link between estrogen receptor α signaling and breast cancer stem cell maintenance.[J Biol Chem] Full Article

Endocrine Disruptors Fludioxonil and Fenhexamid Stimulate miR-21 Expression in Breast Cancer Cells
Investigators examined the effect of Fenhexamid and Fludioxonil on the expression of the oncomiR miR-21 in MCF-7, T47D, and MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells and downstream targets of miR-21 in MCF-7 cells. [Toxicol Sci] Abstract

Surveillance of Spontaneous Breast Cancer Metastasis by TRAIL-Expressing CD34⁺ Cells in a Xenograft Model
Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), delivered as a membrane-bound molecule expressed on the surface of adenovirus-transduced CD34⁺ cells, was analyzed for its apoptotic activity in vitro on 12 breast cancer cell lines representing estrogen receptor-positive, HER2⁺ and triple-negative (TN) subtypes and for its effect on tumor growth, vascularization, necrosis, and lung metastasis incidence in NOD/SCID mice xenografted with the TN breast cancer line MDA-MB-231. [Breast Cancer Res Treat]
Full Article

Eliminating Drug Resistant Breast Cancer Stem-Like Cells with Combination of Simvastatin and Gamma-Tocotrienol
Researchers showed that drug resistant human breast cancer cells are enriched in cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) and express elevated levels of Stat-3 signaling mediators, which contribute to CSC enrichment. Simvastatin and gamma-tocotrienol eliminated enriched CSCs and suppress expression of Stat-3 signaling mediators via inhibition of the mevalonate pathway and activation of de novo ceramide synthesis pathway, respectively. [Cancer Lett] Abstract

Effects of the Missense Mutations in Canine BRCA2 on BRC Repeat 3 Functions and Comparative Analyses between Canine and Human BRC Repeat 3
Scientists focused on two previously reported canine BRCA2 mutations (T1425P and K1435R) in BRC repeat 3 (BRC3), derived from mammary tumor samples. These mutations affected the interaction of canine BRC3 with RAD51, and were considered deleterious. [PLoS One] Full Article

Pleiotrophin Expression and Function in the Mouse Mammary Gland and Mammary Epithelial Cells
Scientists examined the expression of Pleiotrophin and its receptor Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase at various stages of mouse mammary gland development and found that their expression in epithelial cells is regulated in parallel during pregnancy. [PLoS One] Full Article

CLINICAL RESEARCH

DNA Methylation Profiling in Breast Cancer Discordant Identical Twins Identifies DOK7 as Novel Epigenetic Biomarker
Using whole blood from 15 twin pairs discordant for breast cancer and high-resolution (450k) DNA methylation analysis researchers identified 403 differentially methylated CpG sites including known and novel potential breast cancer genes. [Carcinogenesis] Full Article | Press Release

Non-Sentinel Lymph Node Metastasis Prediction in Breast Cancer with Metastatic Sentinel Lymph Node: Impact of Molecular Subtypes Classification
To decipher the interaction between the molecular subtype classification and the probability of a non-sentinel node metastasis in breast cancer patients with a metastatic sentinel lymph-node, researchers applied two validated predictors on two large independent datasets. [PLoS One] Full Article

Bioniche Life Sciences Inc. Announces North American Market Launch of Immunocidin™
Bioniche Life Sciences Inc. announced that its Immunocidin™ canine oncology therapy is being launched in North America at the annual Veterinary Cancer Society conference. Immunocidin™ is indicated as an immunotherapy for the intratumoral treatment of mixed mammary tumor and mammary adenocarcinoma in dogs [PR Newswire Association LLC] Press Release

El Camino Hospital Launches Northern California’s Only Comprehensive High Risk Breast Program
El Camino Hospital announced the launch of its comprehensive high risk breast program, the only one in Northern California. The program, a collaboration between the Women’s Hospital, Genomic Medicine Institute, Cancer Center and Imaging Services, aims to identify women who are at high risk for developing breast cancer at some point in their lifetime and help them manage their risk or the resulting diagnosis. [El Camino Hospital] Press Release

Brillo^® Partnership with BCRF Enters into Third Year
Brillo^® is proud to be continuing its successful partnership with The Breast Cancer Research Foundation^® (BCRF). In their continued partnership, Brillo will once again be donating five cents for each purchase of specially marked packages of Brillo^® Steel Wool Soap Pads and Brillo^® Estracell^® Sponges up to $50,000. [PR Newswire Association LLC] Press Release

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)

Quality Control Operations Coordinator (STEMCELL Technologies, Inc.)

Scientific Communications & Publishing Coordinator (STEMCELL Technologies, Inc.)

Product Quality Scientist (STEMCELL Technologies, Inc.)

Product Manager – Hematopoietic (STEMCELL Technologies, Inc.)

Assistant Professor – Breast Cancer Research (Johns Hopkins University)

Postdoctoral Position – Stem Cell/Cancer/Developmental Biology (Tufts University School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Gene Regulation in Breast Cancer/Stem Cell Biology (University of Cincinnati)

Associate Attending Breast Pathologist (Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Breast Cancer Research (Mayo Clinic)

Postdoctoral Position – Tumor Stem Cells (Cancer Institute of New Jersey)


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