Mammary Cell News Volume 8.19 | May 19 2016

RAC1 GTPase Promotes the Survival of Breast Cancer Cells in Response to Hyper-Fractionated Radiation Treatment
The authors investigated the effect of Rac1 on the survival of breast cancer cells treated with hyper-fractionated radiation, which is used clinically for cancer treatment. [Oncogene] Abstract

The C/EBPδ Protein Is Stabilized by Estrogen Receptor α Activity, Inhibits SNAI2 Expression and Associates with Good Prognosis in Breast Cancer
Scientists report a different role for Ccaat/enhancer-binding protein δ (C/EBPδ, CEBPD) in breast cancer. They found that the C/EBPδ protein is expressed in normal breast epithelial cells and in low-grade cancers. [Oncogene] Abstract

CAP1 (Cyclase-Associated Protein 1) Exerts Distinct Functions in the Proliferation and Metastatic Potential of Breast Cancer Cells Mediated by ERK
Scientists found that CAP1 exerts cell type-dependent functions in the invasiveness of breast cancer cells. Depletion of CAP1 in the metastatic MDA-MB-231 and BT-549 cancer cells stimulated the metastatic potential while it actually inhibited it in the non-metastatic MCF-7 cancer cells or in normal cells. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Slug-Upregulated miR-221 Promotes Breast Cancer Progression through Suppressing E-Cadherin Expression
Researchers reveal a novel mechanism that E-cadherin is post-transcriptionally regulated by Slug-promoted miR-221, which serves as an additional blocker for E-cadherin expression in metastatic tumor cells. [Sci Rep] Full Article

CD24 Cell Surface Expression in Mvt1 Mammary Cancer Cells Serves as a Biomarker for Sensitivity to Anti-IGF1R Therapy
The authors demonstrated that downregulation of the insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF1R) specifically in cancer cells expressing CD24 on the cell surface membrane affect both their morphology (from mesenchymal-like into epithelial-like morphology) and phenotype in vitro. [Breast Cancer Res] Full Article

Heregulin/ErbB3 Signaling Enhances CXCR4-Driven Rac1 Activation and Breast Cancer Cell Motility via HIF-1α
Investigators found that breast cancer cells exposed to sustained growth factor heregulin treatment show markedly enhanced Rac1 activation and migratory activity in response to the CXCR4 ligand SDF-1/CXCL12, effects mediated by P-Rex1, a Rac-GEF aberrantly expressed in breast cancer. [Mol Cell Biol] Abstract

Janus Kinase 1 Is Essential for Inflammatory Cytokine Signaling and Mammary Gland Remodeling
Using a novel mammary gland-specific JAK1 knockout model, researchers demonstrated that this tyrosine kinase is essential for the activation of STAT1, STAT3, and STAT6 in the mammary epithelium. [Mol Cell Biol] Abstract

CLINICAL RESEARCH

Neoadjuvant Sequential Docetaxel followed by High-Dose Epirubicin in Combination with Cyclophosphamide Administered Concurrently with Trastuzumab: The DECT Trial
Investigators report the results of the DECT trial, a Phase II study of locally advanced or operable HER2-positive breast cancer treated with taxanes and concurrent anthracyclines and trastuzumab. [J Cell Physiol] Abstract

Deficiency of Mitochondrial Modulator MCJ Promotes Chemoresistance in Breast Cancer
Methylation-controlled J protein (MCJ, also known as DNAJC15) is a negative regulator of mitochondrial respiration and has been associated with chemotherapeutic drug sensitivity in cancer cell lines. Investigators showed, in a retrospective study of a large cohort of breast cancer patients, that low MCJ expression in breast tumors predicts high risk of relapse in patients treated with chemotherapy; however, MCJ expression did not correlate with response to endocrine therapy. [JCI Insight] Full Article | Press Release

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Cancer Research UK Invests £16 Million into Hard to Treat Cancers
Cancer Research UK UCL Centre will receive £4 million to roll out a national post-mortem tissue bank from patients with hard to treat and metastatic cancer. This study will be vital for understanding the evolution and final stages of the disease and researching the genetics of brain tumors which are hard for doctors to take samples from when patients are alive. [Cancer Research UK] Press Release

SmartPractice donates $50,000 to TGen cancer research
SmartPractice donated $50,000 to the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) to support research for the early detection and more precise treatment of breast cancer. [Translational Genomics Research Institute] Press Release

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Therapeutic Goods Administration (Australia)

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NEW Scientific Communications and Publishing Coordinator (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Technologist – Mammary and Prostate Stem Cell Biology (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

PhD Fellow – Small X-Ray Angle for Breast Cancer Diagnosis (CEA Tech)

Postdoctoral Fellow(s) – Various Projects (National University of Singapore)

Research Associate – Various Medical Disciplines (Jinan University)

Postdoctoral Fellow – RNA Splicing in Breast Cancer (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center)

Scientist – Cancer Research (Institute of Clinical Physiology)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Metastatic Reactivation of Cancer (MD Anderson Cancer Center)

Faculty Position – Cancer Immunology (University of New Mexico)

Faculty Position – Cancer Research (Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Breast Cancer (Northwestern University)

Faculty Position – Tumor Immunology (John Wayne Cancer Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Platelets in Metastatic Breast and Colon Cancer (Université de Strasbourg)

Manager – Medical and Breast Imaging (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

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

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