Mammary Cell News Volume 5.37 | Sep 19 2013

Dysregulated STAT1-SOCS1 Control of JAK2 Promotes Mammary Luminal Progenitor Cell Survival and Drives ERα⁺ Tumorigenesis
Scientists showed that STAT1-deficient mammary epithelial cells display persistent prolactin receptor signaling, resulting in activation of JAK2, STAT3 and STAT5A/5B, expansion of CD61⁺ luminal progenitor cells and development of estrogen receptor-α⁺ (ERα⁺) mammary tumors. [Cell Death Differ] Abstract

MiR-200 Can Repress Breast Cancer Metastasis Through ZEB1-Independent but Moesin-Dependent Pathways
In a xenograft orthotopic model of breast metastasis, researchers found that ectopic expression of members of the microRNA-200 (miR-200)b/200c/429, but not the miR-141/200a, functional groups limits tumor cell invasion and metastasis. [Oncogene] Abstract

MUC1-C Oncoprotein Activates ERK→C/EBPβ Signaling and Induction of Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1A1 in Breast Cancer Cells
In studies of breast cancer cells stably silenced for mucin 1 (MUC1) or overexpressing the oncogenic MUC1-C subunit, researchers demonstrated that MUC1-C is sufficient for induction of MEK→ERK signaling and that treatment with a MUC1-C inhibitor suppresses ERK activation. In turn, MUC1-C induces ERK-mediated phosphorylation and activation of the CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBPβ) transcription factor. [J Biol Chem] Abstract | Full Article

Low Intensity and Frequency Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields Selectively Impair Breast Cancer Cell Viability
Scientists investigated the potential of ultra-low intensity and frequency pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) to kill breast cancer cells. MCF7 breast cancer cells and their normal counterparts, MCF10 cells, were exposed to pulsed electromagnetic fields and cytotoxic indices measured in order to design PEMF paradigms that best kill breast cancer cells. [PLoS One] Full Article

Cold Atmospheric Plasma for Selectively Ablating Metastatic Breast Cancer Cells
Human metastatic breast cancer (BrCa) cells and bone marrow derived human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were separately treated with cold atmospheric plasma, and behavioral changes were evaluated after 1, 3, and 5 days of culture. With different treatment times, different BrCa and MSC cell responses were observed. [PLoS One] Full Article

Cytokines in Osteoblast-Conditioned Medium Promote the Migration of Breast Cancer Cells
Researchers observed a promoting effect of osteoblast-conditioned medium (OCM) on the migration of MCF-7, a noninvasive cell line of breast cancer cells. Cytokine antibody array was used to compare the cytokines of OCM with the conditioned medium of non-differentiated osteoblast cells, which consequently revealed factors related to migration, such as IL8, IL6, CSF2 (G-CSF), CSF3 (GM-CSF), and TNFRSF11B (osteoprotegerin). [Tumor Biol] Abstract

CLINICAL RESEARCH

BRCA1 Promoter Methylation Is a Marker of Better Response to Anthracycline-Based Therapy in Sporadic TNBC
Authors investigated the role of BRCA1 gene aberrations in sporadic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and its impact on anthracycline-based therapy. BRCA1 promoter methylation was analyzed in 70 TNBC and compared with the clinical and pathologic characteristics. [Breast Cancer Res Treat] Abstract

Serum Epidermal Growth Factor Is Associated With Prognosis and Hormone Receptor Status in Patients with HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer Treated with First-Line Trastuzumab Plus Taxane Chemotherapy
Scientists analyzed the serum epidermal growth factor levels from baseline serum samples of consecutive patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer who received first-line trastuzumab plus taxane chemotherapy and correlated them with treatment outcomes and pathologic features. [Cancer Chemother Pharmacol] Abstract

Folate Receptor α Associated with Triple-Negative Breast Cancer and Poor Prognosis
Researchers aimed to investigate the expression pattern of folate receptor α in a large cohort of patients with breast cancer and analyze its relationship with different clinicopathologic features, with expression of several key biomarkers, and with clinical outcome. [Arch Pathol Lab Med] Abstract

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FDA Advisory Committee Recommends Accelerated Approval of Genentech’s Perjeta for Neoadjuvant Use in HER2-Positive Early Stage Breast Cancer
Genentech announced that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee voted 13 to zero, with one abstention, in favor of recommending accelerated approval of a Perjeta® (pertuzumab) regimen for neoadjuvant treatment in people with high-risk, HER2-positive early stage breast cancer. [Genentech] Press Release

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NEW Faculty Position – Management/Research of Hematologic, Breast, Head and Neck, Gastrointestinal, and Thoracic Medicine (Vanderbilt University Medical Center)

NEW Vice President, Global Medical Affairs Position – Breast Disease (Celgene Corporation)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Breast Cancer Biology (Stephenson Cancer Center at the University of Oklahoma)

Postdoctoral Position – Metastasis of Human Breast Cancer Subtypes (Weizmann Institute of Science)

Research Assistant – Cellular Pathways Involved in Oncogenic Transformation of Breast Epithelial Cells (Mount Sinai School of Medicine)

Senior Research Assistant/Postdoctoral Researcher- Tumor Biology/Molecular Imaging (RCSI Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland)

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

Postdoctoral Fellow in Breast Cancer – (Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute [IDIBELL])

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

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