Mammary Cell News Volume 5.10 | Mar 14 2013

LABORATORY RESEARCH

Progesterone Drives Mammary Secretory Differentiation via RankL-Mediated Induction of Elf5 in Luminal Progenitor Cells
Progesterone-RankL paracrine signaling has been proposed as a driver of stem cell expansion in the mammary gland, and Elf5 is essential for the differentiation of mammary epithelial progenitor cells. Scientists demonstrated that Elf5 expression is induced by progesterone and that Elf5 and progesterone cooperate to promote alveolar development. [Development] Abstract

AXL Induces Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition and Regulates the Function of Breast Cancer Stem Cells
Researchers demonstrated a novel function of AXL in acting upstream to induce epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in normal and immortalized human mammary epithelial cells in an apparent positive feedback loop mechanism and regulate breast cancer stem cells self-renewal and chemoresistance. [Oncogene] Abstract

Protein Kinase Cδ Is Required for ErbB2-Driven Mammary Gland Tumorigenesis and Negatively Correlates with Prognosis in Human Breast Cancer
The authors present in-vivo evidence that protein kinase C δ (PKCδ) is essential for the development of mammary gland tumors in a ErbB2-overexpressing transgenic mouse model, and in-vitro evidence that PKCδ is required for proliferative signaling downstream of the ErbB2 receptor. [Oncogene] Abstract

Cucurbitacin I Inhibits Rac1 Activation in Breast Cancer Cells by a Reactive Oxygen Species-Mediated Mechanism and Independently of Jak2 and P-Rex1
As the Jak2/Stat3 pathway has been shown to be functionally associated with ErbB receptors, scientists asked if this pathway could mediate P-Rex1/Rac1 activation in response to ErbB ligands. [Mol Pharmacol] Abstract

Micro-RNA-584 and the Protein Phosphatase and Actin Regulator 1 (PHACTR1): New Signaling Route through which Transforming Growth Factor-Beta Mediates the Migration and Actin Dynamics of Breast Cancer Cells
The authors found TGF-beta to down-regulate the expression of mircoRNA (miR)-584 in breast cancer cells. Furthermore, they identified PHACTR1, an actin-binding protein, to be positively regulated by TGF-beta in a miR-584-dependent manner. [J Biol Chem] Abstract

Naïve Rat Umbilical Cord Matrix Stem Cells Significantly Attenuate Mammary Tumor Growth through Modulation of Endogenous Immune Responses
The possible mechanisms of tumor growth attenuation by rat umbilical cord matrix stem cells were studied using orthotopic Mat B III rat mammary tumor grafts in female F344 rats. [Cytotherapy] Abstract

AMR-Me Inhibits PI3K/Akt Signaling in Hormone-Dependent MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells and Inactivates NF-κB in Hormone-Independent MDA-MB-231 Cells
Scientists showed that AMR-Me dose-dependently inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells under serum-free conditions supplemented with 1nM estrogen with an IC₅₀ value of 0.15µM, 0.45µM, respectively. [Mol Carcinog] Abstract

CLINICAL RESEARCH

Phase II Study of Paclitaxel, Trastuzumab, and Lapatinib as Adjuvant Therapy for Early Stage HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
In a single-arm Phase II study, patients with stages I-III HER2-positive breast cancer received standard anthracycline-based chemotherapy followed by weekly taxane, with concurrent standard trastuzumab, plus daily lapatinib for a total of 12 months. [Breast Cancer Res Treat] Abstract | Full Article

Cardiac Tolerability of Pertuzumab plus Trastuzumab plus Docetaxel in Patients with HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer in CLEOPATRA: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Phase III Study
The authors report cardiac tolerability of pertuzumab plus trastuzumab plus docetaxel versus placebo plus trastuzumab plus docetaxel observed in the Phase III study CLEOPATRA in patients with HER2-positive first-line metastatic breast cancer. [Oncologist] Abstract

FDA Approves Navidea’s Lymphoseek® (Technetium Tc 99m Tilmanocept) Injection for Use in Lymphatic Mapping
Navidea Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. announced U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of Lymphoseek® Injection, a novel product indicated for use in lymphatic mapping procedures to assist in the localization of lymph nodes draining a primary tumor in patients with breast cancer or melanoma. [Navidea Biopharmaceuticals Inc.] Press Release

ZIOPHARM Oncology Initiates Phase II Study of Ad-RTS IL-12 and Palifosfamide Combination for Treatment of Advanced Breast Cancer
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. announced the initiation of a randomized, open label Phase II clinical study of Ad-RTS IL-12 in combination with palifosfamide to treat patients with non-resectable recurrent or metastatic breast cancer. [ZIOPHARM Oncology Inc.] 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)

Research Fellow – Breast Cancer Research (Monash University)

Research Associate – Lung and Breast Cancer Bioinformatics (University College London)

Vice President – Sales and Marketing for Breast and Colon Cancer (Genomic Health)

PhD Studentship – Signal Transduction and Cancer Research (McGill University)

Postdoctoral Position – Breast Cancer Research (Albert Einstein College Medicine)

Postdoctoral Position – Breast Cancer Research (Weizmann Institute of Science)

Postdoctoral Position – Hypoxia Signaling, Prolyl Hydroxylases and Cancer (UNC-Chapel Hill)

Chief Medical Officer (Genomic Health)

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