Mammary Cell News Volume 7.05 | Feb 12 2015

Loss of the E3 Ubiquitin Ligase HACE1 Results in Enhanced Rac1 Signaling Contributing to Breast Cancer Progression
To identify genes capable of cooperating with HER2/neu to fully transform mammary epithelial cells, scientists used an insertional mutagenesis screen on cells isolated from wild-type neu expressing mice and identified the E3 ligase HACE1 as HER2 cooperative tumor suppressor gene. [Oncogene] Full Article

Targeting the hsp70 Gene Delays Mammary Tumor Initiation and Inhibits Tumor Cell Metastasis
Investigators examined the role of heat-shock protein 70 (Hsp72) in mice, using animals in which the hsp70 gene was inactivated. They showed Hsp72 to be upregulated in a fraction of mammary cancer initiating cells within the mouse mammary tumor cell population. [Oncogene] Abstract

PTEN Loss Is Associated with Worse Outcome in HER2-Amplified Breast Cancer Patients but Is Not Associated with Trastuzumab Resistance
Researchers assessed PTEN status in two large adjuvant breast cancer trials using a PTEN IHC assay that was previously validated in a panel of 33 breast cancer cell lines and prostate cancer tissues with known PTEN gene deletion. [Clin Cancer Res] Abstract | Full Article

Preclinical Evaluation of Cyclin Dependent Kinase 11 and Casein Kinase 2 Survival Kinases as RNA Interference Targets for Triple Negative Breast Cancer Therapy
Expression levels of cyclin dependent kinase 11 (CDK11) and casein kinase 2 (CK2) mRNAs and associated proteins were examined in breast cancer cell lines and tissue arrays. Effects following transfection of small interfering RNAs against CDK11 and CK2 in cultured cells were examined by viability and clonal survival assays and by RNA and protein measures. [Breast Cancer Res] Abstract | Full Article

Estrogen Receptor-α Drives Adiponectin Effects on Cyclin D1 Expression in Breast Cancer Cells
Scientists demonstrate that in animals injected with human estrogen receptor (ER)-α-negative MDA-MB-231 cells pretreated with adiponectin, a significant reduction in tumor volume is observed, whereas an increased tumor growth is evidenced in the animals receiving human ER-α-positive MCF-7 cells. [FASEB J] Abstract

β-Catenin Regulates c-Myc and CDKN1A Expression in Breast Cancer Cells
Scientists found that c-Myc is highly expressed in basal-like breast cancer by microarray analyses and immunohistochemical staining. After silencing β-catenin using siRNA, c-Myc expression was decreased in non-basal-like breast cancer cells. In contrast, c-Myc mRNA and protein expression were up-regulated in the basal-like breast cancer cell lines. [Mol Carcinog] Abstract

DC-SCRIPT Is a Novel Regulator of the Tumor Suppressor Gene CDKN2B and Induces Cell Cycle Arrest in ERα-Positive Breast Cancer Cells
The effect of DC-SCRIPT on breast cancer cell growth and cell cycle arrest was investigated using novel DC-SCRIPT-inducible MCF7 breast cancer cell lines. [Breast Cancer Res Treat] Full Article

Trogocytosis-Mediated Expression of HER2 on Immune Cells May Be Associated with a Pathological Complete Response to Trastuzumab-Based Primary Systemic Therapy in HER2-Overexpressing Breast Cancer Patients
To assess the trogocytosis of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) from cancer cells to immune cells, and to evaluate the up- and down-regulation of HER2 on immune and cancer cells, peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy volunteers and breast cancer patients were co-cultured with HER2-overexpressing and HER2-negative breast cancer cell lines with and without trastuzumab, respectively. [BMC Cancer] Abstract | Full Article

Activation of KRAS Promotes the Mesenchymal Features of Basal-Type Breast Cancer
Investigators report that KRAS is a critical regulator for the maintenance of mesenchymal features in basal-type breast cancer cells. KRAS is preferentially activated in basal-type breast cancer cells as compared with luminal type. [Exp Mol Med] Full Article

CLINICAL RESEARCH

Is It Important to Adapt Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy to the Visible Clinical Response? An Open Randomized Phase II Study Comparing Response-Guided and Standard Treatments in HER2-Negative Operable Breast Cancer
Neoadjuvant treatment provides a unique opportunity to evaluate individual tumor sensitivity. Investigators evaluated whether a response-guided strategy could improve clinical outcome compared with a standard treatment. [Oncologist] Abstract | Full Article

Outcomes of Trastuzumab Therapy in HER2-Positive Early Breast Cancer Patients
Previous large trials with trastuzumab (TZM) showed improved outcome in patients with HER2-positive early-stage breast cancer. However, the efficacy and safety of TZM in Japanese patients have not been fully evaluated. Scientists therefore conducted an observational study in Japan. [Int J Clin Oncol] Abstract

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Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation Grants Prestigious Fellowship, Breakthrough Scientist Awards
The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation named six new recipients of the Damon Runyon-Dale F. Frey Award for Breakthrough Scientists. Each awardee will receive $100,000 to be used toward their research.
[The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation] Press Release

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NEW Postdoctoral Associate – LincRNAs in Tumorigenesis (Fox Chase Cancer Center)

Scientist – Mammary Cell Research (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Pluripotent Stem Cell Media Development, High Throughput Screening (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Cell Culture Support Products (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Associate – Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Stem Cells and Breast Cancer (Albert Einstein College of Medicine)

Director – Vector Production (Sangamo BioSciences, Inc.)

Senior Process Development Engineer (Sangamo BioSciences, Inc.)

Postdoctoral Positions – Cancer Bioengineering and Cancer Biology (University of Minnesota)

Director of Research (Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Post-Transcriptional Gene Regulation Governing Cancer Cell Behavior (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Wnt Signaling in Development and Disease (Van Andel Research Institute)

Postdoctoral Position – Experimental Breast Cancer Therapy (University of Pennsylvania)

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