Mammary Cell News Volume 5.18 | May 9 2013

LABORATORY RESEARCH

Palb2 Synergizes with Trp53 to Suppress Mammary Tumor Formation in a Model of Inherited Breast Cancer
To understand the mechanisms underlying PALB2-mediated DNA repair and tumor suppression functions, researchers targeted Palb2 in the mouse. Palb2-deficient murine ES cells recapitulated DNA damage defects caused by PALB2 depletion in human cells, and germ-line deletion of Palb2 led to early embryonic lethality. Somatic deletion of Palb2 driven by K14-Cre led to mammary tumor formation with long latency. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

GDNF-RET Signaling in Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancers Is a Key Determinant of Response and Resistance to Aromatase Inhibitors
Scientists report the findings of a multidisciplinary strategy to address the impact of glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF)-RET signaling in the response to aromatase inhibitors (AI) treatment. In breast cancer cells in 2D and 3D culture, GDNF-mediated RET signaling was enhanced in a model of AI resistance. Further, GDNF-RET signaling promoted the survival of AI-resistant cells and elicited resistance in AI-sensitive cells. [Cancer Res] Abstract

A Network of Substrates of the E3 Ubiquitin Ligases MDM2 and HUWE1 Control Apoptosis Independently of p53
Breast cancers that are positive for the tyrosine receptor kinase human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) tend to be highly aggressive. In HER2-positive breast cancer cells treated with the HER2 tyrosine kinase inhibitor lapatinib, MDM2 was degraded and HUWE1 was stabilized. [Sci Signal]
Abstract | Press Release

Vacuolar ATPase Driven Potassium Transport in Highly Metastatic Breast Cancer Cells
Because cardiac glycosides (CGs) induce their cellular effects via the Na⁺, K⁺ ATPase, the authors treated four breast cancer cell lines and a non-cancerous breast ductal epithelial cell line with ouabain, a well-characterized CG, and measured cell proliferation by measuring bromodeoxyuridine incorporation. [Biochim Biophys Acta] Abstract

HMGA1: A Master Regulator of Tumor Progression in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells
Scientists showed for the first time that the high mobility group A1 (HMGA1) gene drives metastatic progression in triple negative breast cancer cells by reprogramming cancer cells to a stem-like state. Silencing HMGA1 expression in invasive, aggressive breast cancer cells dramatically halts cell growth and results in striking morphologic changes from mesenchymal-like, spindle-shaped cells to cuboidal, epithelial-like cells. [PLoS One] Full Article | Press Release

TRAIL-Induced miR-146a Expression Suppresses CXCR4-Mediated Human Breast Cancer Migration
Investigators report that tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) suppressed CXCR4-mediated human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell migration by up-regulating miR-146a expression through NF-κB. TRAIL receptor 1 was highly expressed in TRAIL-treated MDA-MB-231 cells. [FEBS J] Abstract

Repression of Mammary Adipogenesis by Genistein Limits Mammosphere Formation of Human MCF-7 Cells
To ascertain genistein’s role in mammary adipose deposition that may affect underlying epithelial cell phenotype, researchers evaluated genistein’s effects on SV40-immortalized mouse mammary stromal fibroblast-like cells during differentiation to adipocytes. [J Endocrinol] Abstract

CLINICAL RESEARCH

Randomized Phase II, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of Exemestane with or without Entinostat in Postmenopausal Women with Locally Recurrent or Metastatic Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer Progressing on Treatment with a Nonsteroidal Aromatase Inhibitor
This study evaluated entinostat combined with the aromatase inhibitor exemestane versus exemestane alone. Postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor-positive advanced breast cancer progressing on a nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor were randomly assigned to exemestane 25 mg daily plus entinostat 5 mg once per week or exemestane plus placebo. [J Clin Oncol] Abstract

Impact of PTEN Protein Expression on Benefit from Adjuvant Trastuzumab in Early-Stage Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-Positive Breast Cancer in the North Central Cancer Treatment Group N9831 Trial
The authors investigated the association between tumor PTEN protein expression and disease-free survival of patients randomly assigned to receive chemotherapy alone or chemotherapy with sequential or concurrent trastuzumab. [J Clin Oncol] Abstract

Meta-Analysis to Determine if Surgical Resection of the Primary Tumor in the Setting of Stage IV Breast Cancer Impacts on Survival
The role of primary tumor excision in patients with stage IV breast cancer is unclear. Therefore, a meta-analysis of relevant studies was performed to determine whether surgical excision of the primary tumor enhances oncological outcome in the setting of stage IV breast cancer. [Ann Surg Oncol] Abstract

Delivery of Gene Silencing Agents for Breast Cancer Therapy
This review summarizes the status of gene silencing agents in breast cancer and recent development of candidate cancer drugs in clinical trials. Nanotechnology-based delivery vectors for the formulation and packaging of gene silencing agents are also described. [Breast Cancer Res] Abstract

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the mammary cell research field.

Berkeley Lab Discoveries Open New Hope for MMP Cancer Therapies
New evidence supports earlier findings that cancer therapy drugs based on a family of enzymes called metalloproteinases (MMPs) failed in clinical trials because they were aimed at the wrong target. Berkeley Lab researchers who previously demonstrated that MMP14 interacts with a partner to promote mammary invasion and – under abnormal conditions – tumors through a mechanism distinct from catalytic activity, have now shown that MMP3 can also promote tumors but via interaction with a different partner. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory] Press Release

Use of Cryoablation for Treatment of Breast Cancer Shows Promising Results
Dr. Eisuke Fukuma has treated 58 breast cancer patients with cryoablation over the last six years under a research protocol at Kameda Medical Center in Japan.  As of today, none of the patients have had a tumor reoccur or distant metastases. The fact that none have had recurrences, suggests that, with further study, Cryoablation may offer significant, minimally-invasive breast health options. [PR Newswire Association LLC] Press Release

Eventus Diagnostics Receives CE Mark for Octava Pink™ Test to Verify Negative Mammography Results and Detect Missed Breast Cancers
Eventus Diagnostics, Inc. announced that it has received CE mark designation for its Octava Pink^TM breast cancer test intended for confirmatory use in women who have received negative mammography results. Studies suggest that the Octava Pink test confirms true negative mammography results with high accuracy, while identifying the presence of cancer in more than half of the cases when the mammography result is a false negative and cancer is actually present. [Eventus Diagnostics, Inc.] Press Release

From our sponsor:
Interested in assays for human mammary stem and progenitor cells? Request your free wallchart.

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 Advancements in Clinical Research Operations for Oncology Products Conference
June 20-21, 2013
Alexandria, United States

NEW  2nd International Breakthrough Breast Cancer Triple Negative Breast Cancer Conference 2013
June 26-28, 2013
London, United Kingdom

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

NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Stem Cell and Cancer Biology (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine)

NEW PhD Position – Cancer Biomarkers (University of Bergen)

NEW Postdoctoral Researcher – Novel Anticancer Targets for Killing Drug Resistant Breast Tumor Cells (Leiden University)

NEW PhD Student – Novel Anticancer Targets for Killing Drug Resistant Breast Tumor Cells (Leiden University)

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

Postdoctoral Fellow – Breast Cancer Cell Research (Mount Sinai School of Medicine)

Research Associate (University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Department of Biology)

Postdoctoral Position – Breast Cancer (UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas)

Product Director – Breast Marketing (Genomic Health)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Cancer Genomics and Computational Biology/Bioinformatics (University of British Columbia/Provincial Health Services Authority)

Recruit Top Talent: Reach more than 50,000 potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.

Have we missed an important article or publication in Mammary Cell News? Click here to submit!

Comments or Suggestions? Email info@connexoncreative.com with your feedback.