Mammary Cell News Volume 9.20 | May 25 2017

TOP STORY

IGF1R Protein Expression Is Not Associated with Differential Benefit to Concurrent Trastuzumab in Early-Stage HER2⁺ Breast Cancer from the North Central Cancer Treatment Group (Alliance) Adjuvant Trastuzumab Trial N9831

Researchers evaluated insulin-like growth factor receptor-1 prevalence, relationship with demographic data, and association with disease-free survival of patients randomized to chemotherapy alone or chemotherapy with sequential or concurrent trastuzumab in the prospective Phase III HER2⁺ adjuvant N9831 trial. [Clin Cancer Res] Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

LABORATORY RESEARCH

Activation of Phenyl 4-(2-Oxo-3-alkylimidazolidin-1-yl)benzenesulfonates Prodrugs by CYP1A1 as New Antimitotics Targeting Breast Cancer Cells

Scientists report the rationale, preparation, biological evaluation and mechanism of action of phenyl 4-(2-oxo-3-alkylimidazolidin-1-yl)benzenesulfonates (PAIB-SOs), that are antimicrotubule prodrugs activated by CYP1A1. Although PAIB-SOs were inert in most cells tested, they were highly cytocidal towards several human breast cancer cells, including hormone-independent and chemoresistant types. [J Med Chem] Abstract

TRPV4 Plays a Role in Breast Cancer Cell Migration via Ca²⁺-Dependent Activation of AKT and Downregulation of E-Cadherin Cell Cortex Protein.

Scientists elucidated the molecular mechanisms mediated by transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) in the metastatic breast cancer cells. TRPV4-mediated signaling was demonstrated to involve Ca²⁺-dependent activation of AKT and downregulation of E-cadherin expression, which was abolished upon TRPV4 silencing. [Oncogenesis] Full Article

CCN5/WISP-2 Restores ER-∝ in Normal and Neoplastic Breast Cells and Sensitizes Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells to Tamoxifen

Researchers determined the role of CCN5 in regulation of estrogen receptor-α (ER-α) in different cellular settings and their functional relationship. In a genetically engineered mouse model, induced expression of CCN5 in the mammary ductal epithelial cells by doxycycline promoted ER-α expression. [Oncogenesis] Full Article

CD44⁺ Fibroblasts Increases Breast Cancer Cell Survival and Drug Resistance via IGF2BP3-CD44-IGF2 Signaling

Investigators isolated CD44-positive (CD44⁺Fbs) and CD44-negative carcinoma-associated fibroblasts and cocultured them with breast cancer cells for analysis of cell survival and drug resistance. They found that CD44⁺ fibroblasts promoted breast cancer cell survival and paclitaxel resistance and inhibited paclitaxel-induced apoptosis. [J Cell Mol Med] Full Article

Elevated Expression of CST1 Promotes Breast Cancer Progression and Predicts a Poor Prognosis

Scientists found that Cystatin SN (CST1) was generally upregulated in breast cancer at both mRNA and protein level. [J Mol Med] Abstract

Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 Exerts Negative Transcriptional Regulation on Human Sodium Iodide Symporter Gene Expression in Breast Cancer

The authors identified the presence of three p53 binding sites on the human sodium iodide symporter promoter sequence by conducting genome-wide transcription factors analysis, and further investigated their regulatory role. [Breast Cancer Res Treat] Abstract

Estrogen Receptor-α36 Is Involved in Icaritin Induced Growth Inhibition of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells

Scientists evaluated the effects of icaritin, a prenylflavonoid derivant purified from Epimedium Genus, on growth of triple-negative breast cancer cells and examined the possible underlying mechanisms. They demonstrated that icartin decreased both ER-α36 and EGFR protein expression, and induced apoptosis in triple-negative breast cancer MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-453 cells. They also found that icaritin inhibited ER-α36-mediated MAPK/ERK pathway and cyclin D1 induction by estrogen. [J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

Autophagy Inhibitor Facilitates Gefitinib Sensitivity in Vitro and in Vivo by Activating Mitochondrial Apoptosis in Triple Negative Breast Cancer

The authors investigated the effect of autophagy inhibitor to gefitinib in triple negative breast cancers cells in vitro and in nude mice vivo. [PLoS One] Full Article

Differential Expression of VEGFR2 Protein in HER2 Positive Primary Human Breast Cancer: Potential Relevance to Anti-Angiogenic Therapies

Investigators analyzed tumor vascular density and VEGFR2 protein expression in various subsets of primary human breast cancers using a tissue microarray. [Cancer Cell Int] Full Article

CLINICAL RESEARCH

Optimal Duration of Adjuvant Chemotherapy for High-Risk Node-Negative (N-) Breast Cancer Patients: Six-Year Results of the Prospective Randomized Multicenter Phase III UNICANCER-PACS 05 Trial (UCBG-0106)

Women between 18 and 65 years of age, with node negative N(−) high-risk early-stage breast cancer, were included in the study following breast surgery and axillary lymph node dissection or procedure by sentinel node technique. Whether six cycles of FEC 100 present an advantage, or not, compared with only four cycles was tested directly in a Phase III prospective multicentre trial. [Eur J Cancer] Abstract

High Expression of Cyclin D1 Is Associated to High Proliferation Rate and Increased Risk of Mortality in Women with ER-Positive but Not in ER-Negative Breast Cancers

The authors previously showed that high cyclin D expression is related to aggressive features of ER-positive but not ER-negative breast cancer. They aimed to validate this differential ER-related effect and explore the relationship between cyclin D overexpression and CCND1 gene amplification status in a node-negative breast cancer case–control study. [Breast Cancer Res Treat] Full Article

Breast Cancer Metastasis: Putative Therapeutic Role of Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1

The authors focus on recent progress on the role of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, an important glycoprotein belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily of cell surface adhesion molecules in breast cancer angiogenesis, survival and metastasis. [Cell Oncol] Abstract

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

FDA Approves Merck’s KEYTRUDA^® for Adult and Pediatric Patients with Unresectable or Metastatic, Microsatellite Instability-High or Mismatch Repair Deficient Cancer

Merck announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new indication for KEYTRUDA^® (pembrolizumab), the company’s anti-PD-1 therapy. [Merck] Press Release

Puma Biotechnology Receives FDA Advisory Committee Support for Neratinib

Puma Biotechnology, Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee voted to recommend approval of neratinib for the extended adjuvant treatment of HER2-positive early stage breast cancer based on finding that the risk-benefit profile of neratinib is favorable. [Puma Biotechnology, Inc. (BusinessWire, Inc.)] Press Release

Phoenix Molecular Designs Announces New Preclinical Data for Targeted Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) Therapy

Phoenix Molecular Designs announced that it has made a significant research breakthrough in the development of a novel therapy for the treatment of TNBC with new preclinical data for its lead asset, PMD-026, an oral small molecule that selectively targets p90 ribosomal S6 kinase in TNBC and suppresses tumor growth. [Phoenix Molecular Designs (PR Newswire Association LLC.)] Press Release

Fund to Curb Outbreaks and Chronic Disease on the Chopping Block

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stands to lose 12% of its budget through proposed cuts in the American Health Care Act. [Nature News] Editorial

Colombian Biologist Cleared of Criminal Charges for Posting Another Scientist’s Thesis Online

A Colombian biologist who faced a criminal trial for posting another scientist’s thesis online has been cleared of copyright violation — an offence that, under Colombian law, might have brought him a jail sentence. [Nature News] Editorial

Tissue-Independent Cancer Drug Gets Fast-Track Approval from US Regulator

The US Food and Drug Administration has issued its first approval of a cancer drug that targets tumors with specific mutations, regardless of where in the body the tumor first took root. [Nature News] Editorial

China Expands DNA Data Grab in Troubled Western Region

Police in the northwestern region of Xinjiang, China, have been collecting DNA samples from citizens and are now ramping up their capacity to analyse that genetic cache, according to evidence compiled by activists and details gathered by Nature. [Nature News] Editorial

Vaccine Could Soon Be Enlisted in the Fight Against Ebola in the DRC

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has moved a step closer to using an unlicensed vaccine to battle an Ebola outbreak that began last month in a remote northeastern part of the country. The country’s government submitted a formal vaccine trial protocol, developed with Epicentre, the Paris-based research arm of Doctors Without Borders, to an ethical review board. [Science Insider] Editorial

NEW Gordon Research Conferences: Wnt Signaling
August 6-11, 2017
Stowe, United States

NEW 3^rd CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference
September 6-9, 2017
Mainz/Frankfurt, Germany

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

NEW Postdoctoral Training Fellow – Cancer Metabolism (The Francis Crick Institute)

Higher Scientific Officer – 3D Cell Culture (Institute of Cancer Research)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Metastatic Breast Cancer Stem Cells (Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center)

Statistical Bioinformatician – Breast Cancer Research (Institute of Cancer Research)

Postdoctoral Researcher Positions – Fundamental Mechanisms of Tyrosine Kinase Mediated Epigenetic Modifications (Moffitt Comprehensive Cancer Center)

Postdoctoral Positions – Cancer Research (Baylor College of Medicine)

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

Postdoctoral Research – Cancer Biology (University of Pennsylvania)

Postdoctoral Position – Metastatic Breast Cancer (Purdue University)

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

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

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