Mammary Cell News Volume 7.49 | Dec 17 2015

A Basal-Like Breast Cancer-Specific Role for SRF–IL6 in YAP-Induced Cancer Stemness
Researchers showed that the serum response factor (SRF)-interleukin (IL)-6 axis is the critical mediator of YAP-induced stemness in mammary epithelial cells and breast cancer. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Expression and Function of Phosphodiesterase Type 5 in Human Breast Cancer Cell Lines and Tissues: Implications for Targeted Therapy
Researchers found that phosphodiesterase 5 is differentially expressed in each molecular subtype of both breast cancer cell lines and tissues, with higher levels representing a startling feature of HER2-positive and triple-negative breast cancers. [Clin Cancer Res] Abstract

Context-Specific Effects of TGF-β/SMAD3 in Cancer Are Modulated by the Epigenome
The transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) signaling pathway exerts opposing effects on cancer cells, acting as either a tumor promoter or a tumor suppressor. The authors showed that these opposing effects are a result of the synergy between SMAD3, a downstream effector of TGF-β signaling, and the distinct epigenomes of breast-tumor-initiating cells. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Anti-Breast Tumor Activity of Eclipta Extract In-Vitro and In-Vivo: Novel Evidence of Endoplasmic Reticulum Specific Localization of Hsp60 during Apoptosis
Scientists performed bio-guided fractionation of Eclipta alba extract and discovered that particularly the chloroform fraction is selectively inducing cytotoxicity to breast cancer cells over non-tumorigenic breast epithelial cells. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Effects of PI3K Inhibitor NVP-BKM120 on Overcoming Drug Resistance and Eliminating Cancer Stem Cells in Human Breast Cancer Cells
The tumorigenic properties of three multidrug resistance (MDR) breast cancer cell lines to a selective inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, NVP-BKM120 (BKM120), were assessed. The authors found that BKM120 showed a significant cytotoxic activity on MDR breast cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Cytoplasmic Levels of cFLIP Determine a Broad Susceptibility of Breast Cancer Stem/Progenitor-Like Cells to TRAIL
The authors found that tumor necrosis factor alpha receptor apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) universally suppressed the clonal expansion of stem/progenitors in all six of the breast cancer cell lines tested, irrespective of their phenotype or overall sensitivity to TRAIL. [Mol Cancer] Full Article

184AA3: A Xenograft Model of ER⁺ Breast Adenocarcinoma
The authors focused on six cell lines derived by minimal mutagenesis from normal human breast cells, and asked if any could generate clinically relevant xenografts, which we then extensively characterized. [Breast Cancer Res Treat] Abstract | Press Release

Mutation Screening of 1,237 Cancer Genes across Six Model Cell Lines of Basal-Like Breast Cancer
Researchers performed mutational profiling of six basal-like breast cancer cell lines and their matched normal lymphocyte DNA using targeted capture and next-generation sequencing of 1,237 cancer-associated genes, including all exons, UTRs and upstream flanking regions. [PLoS One] Full Article

CLINICAL RESEARCH

Levonorgestrel Intrauterine System for Endometrial Protection in Women with Breast Cancer on Adjuvant Tamoxifen
In tamoxifen users, the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) led to a reduction in the incidence of endometrial polyps over both a 12-month period and over a long-term follow-up period. Also the LNG-IUS led to a reduction in the incidence of endometrial hyperplasia over a long-term follow-up period. [Cochrane Database Syst Rev] Abstract

Multicentric Neoadjuvant Pilot Phase II Study of Cetuximab Combined with Docetaxel in Operable Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Epithelial growth factor receptor is overexpressed in around 50% of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) and may play a role in its pathogenesis. The authors performed a multicentric pilot Phase II neoadjuvant trial of cetuximab (anti-EGFR antibody) combined with docetaxel for patients with operable, stage II-III TNBC. [Int J Cancer] Abstract

The Roles and Therapeutic Potential of Cyclin-Dependent Kinases (CDKs) in Sarcoma
CDKs comprise an attractive set of targets for novel anti-sarcoma drug development. The authors discuss the roles of different members of CDKs in various sarcomas and provide a pre-clinical overview of promising therapeutic potentials of targeting CDKs with a special emphasis on sarcoma. [Cancer Metastasis Rev] Abstract

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New “Big Data” Brings Total Number of Breast Cancer Patients Studied to 50,000, Demonstrating Oncotype DX^® Accurately Predicts Clinical Outcomes
Genomic Health, Inc. announced results from multiple Oncotype DX^® breast cancer test studies reconfirming that Oncotype DX^® accurately predicts clinical outcomes – including risk of recurrence and breast cancer survival – in early-stage patients with invasive breast cancer. [Press release from Genomic Health, Inc. discussing research presented at the 38^th San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS), San Antonio] Press Release

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SuperSonic Imagine Installs Aixplorer® Ultrasound System at the BrustZentrum Breast Centre in Zürich, Switzerland
SuperSonic Imagine announced the installation of its Aixplorer^® Ultrasound System at the Brust-Zentrum Breast Centre in Zürich, Switzerland. The Brust-Zentrum Breast Centre is a renowned multidisciplinary practice specializing in providing diagnosis and state-ofthe-art treatment of breast lesions. [SuperSonic Imagine] Download Press Release

Spectrum Pharmaceuticals Announces Agreement with FDA on the Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) for the Registrational Trial of SPI-2012, a Novel, Long Acting G-CSF in Patients with Breast Cancer
Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that the company has reached an agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on the Special Protocol Assessment for the Phase III clinical trial of its novel, long-acting G-CSF, SPI-2012 (eflapegrastim). [Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc.] Press Release

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)

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NEW Director Clinical Research – Medical Oncology (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

NEW PhD Researcher – Cancer Signaling/Epigenetics/Tumor Biology (Institut Curie)

Research Assistant – Signaling in Breast Cancer (National University of Ireland)

Post-Doctoral/PhD Researcher – Molecular Cancer Biology (University of Pennsylvania)

Assistant Professor – Anatomic Pathology (University Hospitals Case Medical Center)

PhD Researcher – Drug Resistance (University of Antwerp)

PhD Researcher – Personalized Immunotherapy for Cancer (ISPIC Consortium Members)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Cancer Immune Microenvironment (Cornell University)

Postdoctoral Researcher – HIF-Mediated Alternative Splicing in Cancer (ETH Zurich)

Postdoctoral Position – Epigenetics and Cancer (Moffitt Cancer Center)

Cancer Biologist – (Wake Forest Baptist School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Ovarian and Breast Cancer (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Academic Breast Pathologist – (Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center)

Group Leader Position – Cancer Research (Oslo University Hospital)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Metastatic Breast Cancer (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

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