LABORATORY RESEARCH Interferon Regulatory Factor-1 Signaling Regulates the Switch between Autophagy and Apoptosis to Determine Breast Cancer Cell Fate Investigators report an inverse correlation in expression of nuclear interferon regulatory factor-1 and the autophagy regulator ATG7 in human breast cancer cells that directly impacts their cell fate. [Cancer Res] Abstract | Full Article Stem-Cell-Like Properties and Epithelial Plasticity Arise as Stable Traits after Transient Twist1 Activation The authors show that Twist1 activation primes a subset of mammary epithelial cells for stem-cell-like properties, which only emerge and stably persist following Twist1 deactivation. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract BRCA1-IRIS Inactivation Overcomes Paclitaxel Resistance in Triple Negative Breast Cancers Researchers investigated the role of BRCA1-IRIS as a novel treatment target for triple negative breast cancers (TNBC) and their paclitaxel-resistant recurrences. They analyzed the response of BRCA1-IRIS overexpressing normal mammary cells or established TNBC cells silenced from BRCA1-IRIS to paclitaxel in vitro and in vivo. [Breast Cancer Res] Abstract | Full Article A Co-Culture Genome-Wide RNAi Screen with Mammary Epithelial Cells Reveals Transmembrane Signals Required for Growth and Differentiation Investigators developed and utilized a cytogenetically normal clonal line of hTERT immortalized human mammary epithelial cells in a fibroblast-enhanced co-culture assay to conduct a genome-wide siRNA screen evaluating the functional effect of silencing each gene. [Breast Cancer Res] Abstract | Full Article Autophagy Supports Breast Cancer Stem Cell Maintenance by Regulating IL6 Secretion Inhibition of autophagy by knockdown of ATG7 or BECN1 modified the CD44+/CD24low/- population in breast cancer cells by regulating CD24 and IL6 secretion. [Mol Cancer Res] Abstract EMT Transition Alters Interstitial Fluid Flow-Induced Signaling in ERBB2-Positive Breast Cancer Cells Scientists identified a novel signaling mechanism for interstitial flow-induced invasion of ERBB2 expressing breast cancer cells, one that depends on epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and acts through a CXCR4/PI3K pathway. [Mol Cancer Res] Abstract Araguspongine C Induces Autophagic Death in Breast Cancer Cells through Suppression of c-Met and HER2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Signaling The authors evaluated the anticancer activity of the known oxaquinolizidine alkaloids araguspongines A, C, K and L, and xestospongin B against breast cancer cells. Araguspongine C inhibited the proliferation of multiple breast cancer cell lines in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. [Mar Drugs] Full Article Overexpression of VEGF183 Promotes Murine Breast Cancer Cell Proliferation In Vitro and Induces Dilated Intratumoral Microvessels To investigate the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)183 in carcinogenesis, scientists generated murine breast cancer cell clones stably overexpressing VEGF183, VEGF121, VEGF165, and VEGF189. [Tumor Biol] Abstract CLINICAL RESEARCH Preoperative Carboplatin-Paclitaxel-Bevacizumab in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Final Results of the Phase II Ca.Pa.Be Study Investigators evaluated preoperative carboplatin-paclitaxel in combination with bevacizumab in triple-negative breast cancer patients with previously untreated stage II-III disease. [Ann Surg Oncol] Abstract Phase III Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind, Randomized Trial of Pegfilgrastim to Reduce the Risk of Febrile Neutropenia in Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Docetaxel/Cyclophosphamide Chemotherapy Researchers conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial to determine the efficacy of pegfilgrastim in reducing the risk of febrile neutropenia in early-stage breast cancer patients. [Support Care Cancer] Abstract |