Mammary Cell News Volume 9.16 | Apr 27 2017

TOP STORY

Scientists Identify New Way of Attacking Breast Cancer

Scientists have discovered a brand new way of attacking breast cancer that could lead to a new generation of drugs. They revealed a new driver for the growth and spread of breast cancer cells and have designed a novel type of drug to block it. [Press release from The University of Manchester discussing online prepublication in Nature Communications] Press Release | Full Article

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

LABORATORY RESEARCH

LPP Is a Src Substrate Required for Invadopodia Formation and Efficient Breast Cancer Lung Metastasis

The authors demonstrated that diminished lipoma preferred partner (LPP) expression reduces circulating tumor cell numbers, impairs cancer cell extravasation and diminishes lung metastasis. LPP localizes to invadopodia, along with Tks5/actin, at sites of matrix degradation and at the tips of extravasating breast cancer cells as revealed by intravital imaging of the chick chorioallantoic membrane. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Dysregulation of Blimp1 Transcriptional Repressor Unleashes p130Cas/ErbB2 Breast Cancer Invasion

Scientists proved that the transcriptional repressor Blimp1 is a novel mediator of p130Cas/ErbB2-mediated invasiveness. High Blimp1 expression levels were detected in invasive p130Cas/ErbB2 cells and correlate with metastatic status in human breast cancer patients. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Novel SUMO-Protease SENP7S Regulates β-Catenin Signaling and Mammary Epithelial Cell Transformation

Investigators delineated the biological role of a novel SENP7 isoform SENP7S in mammary epithelial cells. SENP7S is the predominant SENP transcript in human mammary epithelia but is significantly reduced in precancerous ductal carcinoma in situ and all breast cancer subtypes. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Apigenin Inhibits TNFα/IL-1α-Induced CCL2 Release through IKBK-Epsilon Signaling in MDA-MB-231 Human Breast Cancer Cells

Scientists investigated the potential of apigenin, a known anti-inflammatory constituent of parsley, to downregulate TNFα mediated release of chemokines from human triple-negative cells. They showed that TNFα stimulation leads to large rise of CCL2, granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor, IL-1α and IL-6, all suppressed by apigenin. [PLoS One] Full Article

Autophagy Contributes to Falcarindiol-Induced Cell Death in Breast Cancer Cells with Enhanced Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress

Investigators found that falcarindiol (FAD) preferentially induces cell death in breast cancer cells. FAD-induced cell death is caspase-dependent. However, FAD induces autophagy to contribute to the cell death. [PLoS One] Full Article

Extracellular NAMPT/Visfatin Induces Proliferation through ERK1/2 and AKT and Inhibits Apoptosis in Breast Cancer Cells

The effect of extracellular visfatin on proliferation and apoptosis of breast cancer cells was investigated considering key regulatory molecules in these procedures. Visfatin induced proliferation of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells, an effect that was repressed by using AKT and ERK1/2 inhibitors, indicating involvement of these two signaling pathways in the proliferative effect of visfatin. [Peptides] Abstract

Marine Actinomycete Crude Extracts with Potent TRAIL-Resistance Overcoming Activity against Breast Cancer Cells

In the search for bioactive natural products to overcome tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-resistance, researchers isolated 47 actinomycete strains from different sediments and seawater samples collected from the Red Sea coast in Egypt and found four crude extracts displaying TRAIL sensitizing activity in the resistant breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. [Oncol Rep] Abstract

Dual PI3K and Wnt Pathway Inhibition Is a Synergistic Combination against Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Investigators demonstrated that pan-PI3K inhibition in triple negative breast cancers results in marked activation of the Wnt-pathway. Using the combination of two inhibitors currently in clinical trial as single agents, buparlisib and WNT974, they demonstrated significant in vitro and in vivo synergy against triple negative breast cancer cell lines and xenografts. [npj Breast Cancer] Full Article

Lgr5 Is a Marker for Fetal Mammary Stem Cells, but Is Not Essential for Stem Cell Activity or Tumorigenesis

Scientists showed that expression of a fluorescent protein driven by the endogenous Lgr5 promoter enables significant fetal mammary stem cell enrichment. They used lineage tracing to demonstrate embryonic cells expressing Lgr5 are bipotent, while their adult counterparts are myoepithelial restricted. [npj Breast Cancer] Full Article

CLINICAL RESEARCH

Randomized Phase III Trial of Trastuzumab plus Capecitabine with or without Pertuzumab in Patients with Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2–Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer Who Experienced Disease Progression during or after Trastuzumab-Based Therapy

Researchers assessed the efficacy and safety of trastuzumab plus capecitabine with or without pertuzumab in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive metastatic breast cancer who experienced disease progression during or after trastuzumab-based therapy and received a prior taxane. [J Clin Oncol] Full Article

HER2 in Breast Cancer Stemness: A Negative Feedback Loop towards Trastuzumab Resistance

The authors review the hypothesis that a negative feedback loop between HER2 and stemness signaling drives resistance of breast cancer to trastuzumab. [Cancers] Full Article

Regulation of Breast Cancer Progression by Extracellular Matrix Mechanics: Insights from 3D Culture Models

The authors review the 3D materials systems that have pioneered mammary epithelial cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) studies and innovations in engineered biomaterials that may advance the field of ECM-regulated breast cancer progression. [ACS Biomater Sci Eng] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the mammary cell research field.

Lilly Announces Phase III MONARCH 3 Breast Cancer Study of Abemaciclib Demonstrated Superior Progression-Free Survival at Interim Analysis

Eli Lilly and Company announced that following a pre-planned interim analysis for MONARCH 3, the trial met its primary endpoint of demonstrating statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival. In addition, improvement was shown in a key secondary endpoint of objective response rate. [Eli Lilly and Company] Press Release

Stony Brook University Gala Raises More than $6.9 Million for Cancer Research and Scholarships

The University raised $6,946,000 in gifts and pledges including $2,051,000 for scholarships and $4,895,000 to support the Stony Brook University Cancer Center. [Stony Brook University] Press Release

BioRxiv Preprint Server Gets Cash Boost from Chan Zuckerberg Initiative

BioRxiv, the hub for preliminary versions of biology research papers, has announced that it will begin receiving “significant” financial support from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, a philanthropic effort started by Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg and his physician wife Priscilla Chan. [Nature News] Editorial

California’s $3-Billion Bet on Stem Cells Faces Final Test

When California voters approved US$3 billion in funding for stem-cell research in 2004, biologists flocked to the state, and citizens dreamed of cures for Parkinson’s disease and spinal-cord injuries. Now, the pot of money — one of the biggest state investments in science — is running dry before treatments have emerged, raising questions about whether Californians will pour billions more into stem-cell research. [Nature News] Editorial

NSF’s Uphill Road to Making Prestigious Early Career Award More Diverse

Only five women have won the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) annual Alan T. Waterman Award in its 41-year history, and no woman of color has ever been selected. The 2017 winners announced this month mark the 13^th year in a row that the $1 million research prize has gone to a man (two, actually, including the second black scientist ever chosen.) [ScienceInsider] Editorial

NEW Gordon Research Conferences: Cell Growth & Proliferation
July 9-14, 2017
Mount Snow, United States

Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.

NEW Postdoctoral Positions – Cancer Research (Baylor College of Medicine)

Researcher – Tumor Microenvironment and Invasion Program (SUNY Upstate Medical University)

Postdoctoral Fellow Position(s) – Gene Regulation in Cancer Progression (University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio)

Postdoctoral Research – Cancer Biology (University of Pennsylvania)

Research Fellow – Molecular Biology (Monash University)

Bioinformatics Scientist – Breast Cancer (Windber Research Institute)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Genetics, Genomics and Informatics (The University of Tennessee Health Science Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Breast Cancer Stem Cell (University of Kentucky)

Postdoctoral Position – Metastatic Breast Cancer (Purdue University)

Research Assistant/Associate – Breast Cancer Biology (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai)

Assistant or Associate Professor – Breast Cancer Research (Georgetown University School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Position – Breast Cancer (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center)

Postdoctoral Research Scholar – Breast Tumor Growth (University of Iowa)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Breast Cancer (Tufts University School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Associate – Mammary Stem Cell and Cancer Biology (University of Miami)

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