Mammary Cell News Volume 7.20 | May 28 2015

Upregulation of ER Signaling as an Adaptive Mechanism of Cell Survival in HER2-Positive Breast Tumors Treated with Anti-HER2 Therapy
Researchers investigated the direct effect and therapeutic consequences of epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-targeting therapy on expression of estrogen receptor (ER) and Bcl2 in preclinical models and clinical tumor samples. [Clin Cancer Res] Abstract

Anti-EFNA4 Calicheamicin Conjugates Effectively Target Triple-Negative Breast and Ovarian Tumor-Initiating Cells to Result in Sustained Tumor Regressions
Scientists identified E-cadherin as a surface antigen able to reproducibly enrich for tumor-initiating cells in well annotated, low passage triple-negative breast cancer and ovarian cancer patient-derived xenografts. [Clin Cancer Res] Abstract | Full Article

HER2-mTOR Signaling-Driven Breast Cancer Cells Require ER-Associated Degradation to Survive
Genetic ablation or pharmacological inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated degradation (ERAD) led to irrecoverable endoplasmic reticulum stress and selectively killed human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2⁺) breast cancer cells. Cell death caused by ERAD inhibition partially depended on increased HER2-mTOR signaling, which imposed an increased proteotoxic burden on the ER. [Sci Signal] Abstract

MCL-1 Is a Key Determinant of Breast Cancer Cell Survival: Validation of MCL-1 Dependency Utilizing a Highly Selective Small Molecule Inhibitor
The authors identified breast cancer cell lines that depend upon MCL-1 for survival and subsequently determined the mechanism of apoptosis mediated by the MCL-1 selective inhibitor A-1210477. They demonstrated that apoptosis resulting from a loss in MCL-1 function requires expression of the pro-apoptotic protein BAK. [Mol Cancer Ther] Abstract

Curcumin Inhibits PhIP Induced Cytotoxicity in Breast Epithelial Cells through Multiple Molecular Targets
Researchers demonstrated the mechanisms by which curcumin inhibits amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP)-induced cytotoxicity in normal breast epithelial cells. [Cancer Lett] Abstract

Targeting ADAM-17 with an Inhibitory Monoclonal Antibody Has Antitumor Effects in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells
Researchers investigated the antitumor effects of a monoclonal antibody against ADAM-17 on an in vitro model of triple negative breast cancer. [Br J Cancer] Abstract

IRF-1 Inhibits NF-κB Activity, Suppresses TRAF2 and cIAP1 and Induces Breast Cancer Cell Specific Growth Inhibition
Investigators initiated studies comparing the effect of interferon regulatory factor (IRF)-1 in human nonmalignant breast cell and breast cancer cell lines. While IRF-1 in breast cancer cells results in growth inhibition and cell death, profound growth inhibition and cell death are not observed in nonmalignant human breast cells. [Cancer Biol Ther] Abstract

Requirement of ERα and Basal Activities of EGFR and Src Kinase in Cd-Induced Activation of MAP/ERK Pathway in Human Breast Cancer MCF-7 Cells
The role of cell surface receptors ERα, EGFR, and Src kinase was evaluated in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells treated with 1–3 μM cadmium(Cd). [Toxicol Appl Pharmacol] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

53BP1 Suppresses Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition by Down-Regulating ZEB1 through miR-200b/429 in Breast Cancer
Scientists demonstrated that 53BP1 negatively regulated the epithelial-mesenchymal transition by modulating ZEB1 through targeting miR-200b and miR-429. Furthermore, 53BP1 promoted ZEB1-mediated up-regulation of E-cadherin and also inhibited the expressions of mesenchymal markers, leading to increased migration and invasion in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. [Cancer Sci] Abstract

CLINICAL RESEARCH

Phase II Neoadjuvant Clinical Trial of Carboplatin and Eribulin in Women with Triple Negative Early-Stage Breast Cancer (NCT01372579)
Investigators evaluated the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant treatment with carboplatin and eribulin in patients with early-stage triple negative breast cancer, and explored biomarkers based on DNA and protein expression profiles as predictors of response. [Breast Cancer Res Treat] Abstract

Pegylated Liposomal Doxorubicin (Lipo-Dox^®) Combined with Cyclophosphamide and 5-Fluorouracil Is Effective and Safe as Salvage Chemotherapy in Taxane-Treated Metastatic Breast Cancer: An Open-Label, Multi-Center, Non-Comparative Phase II Study
Researchers evaluated the efficacy and safety of Lipo-Dox® used as part of a combination salvage therapy for patients with metastatic breast cancer whose tumors progressed during or after taxane-based treatment. [BMC Cancer] Full Article

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CPRIT Awards $16.6 Million for Cancer Research, Prevention, and Faculty Recruitment
The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) has awarded UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers more than $12.6 million in research grants for cancer research and prevention, as well as an additional $4 million for recruiting cancer scientists. [UT Southwestern Medical Center] Press Release

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Research Associate – Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Postdoctoral Research Assistant – Role of BRCA1 in the Repair of DNA Damage (University of Dundee)

Postdoctoral Position – Malignant Breast Cancer Cells in the Bone Marrow Microenvironment (Duke University)

Postdoctoral Position – Fatty Acid Metabolism Inhibition on Chemoresistant TNBC Models (University of Girona)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Regulation of Growth and Survival of Breast Cancer Cells (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai)

Postdoctoral Technician – Prostate/Breast Cancer (Baylor College of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow/Instructor – Prostate/Breast Cancer (Baylor College of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Positions – Molecular Cancer Biology (University of Pennsylvania)

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