Mammary Cell News Volume 9.49 | Dec 14 2017

TOP STORY

BRCA-Deficient Mouse Mammary Tumor Organoids to Study Cancer-Drug Resistance

Scientists developed three-dimensional cancer organoids derived from genetically engineered mouse models for BRCA1- and BRCA2-deficient cancers. Unlike conventional cell lines or mammospheres, organoid cultures can be efficiently derived and rapidly expanded in vitro. [Nat Methods] Abstract | Press Release

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Proapoptotic PUMA Targets Stem-Like Breast Cancer Cells to Suppress Metastasis

Researchers identified rare stem-like cells in patients’ tumors characterized by low levels of the proapoptotic molecule p53-upregulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA) and showed that these cells play a critical role in tumor progression that is independent of clinical subtype. [J Clin Invest] Full Article | Press Release

Differentiation Dynamics of Mammary Epithelial Cells Revealed by Single-Cell RNA Sequencing

The authors report the use of single-cell RNA sequencing to determine the gene expression profile of mammary epithelial cells across four developmental stages; nulliparous, mid gestation, lactation and post involution. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Breast Cancer Metastasis Suppressor OTUD1 Deubiquitinates SMAD7

Researchers report a loss-of-function screen in mice with metastasis as readout and identify OTUD1 as a metastasis-repressing factor. OTUD1-silenced cancer cells showed mesenchymal and stem-cell-like characteristics. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Interferon-Beta Represses Cancer Stem Cell Properties in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

The authors found that repressed IFN signaling in triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) with CSC-like properties is due to high levels of U-ISGF3 and that treatment with IFN-β reduces CSC properties, suggesting a therapeutic strategy to treat drug-resistant, highly aggressive TNBC tumors. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Full Article

Tamoxifen Resistance in Breast Cancer Is Regulated by the EZH2-ERα-GREB1 Transcriptional Axis

Scientists discovered that tamoxifen resistance in breast cancer is driven by a regulatory axis consisting of a master transcription factor, its cofactor and an epigenetic regulator. [Cancer Res] Abstract

HN1L Promotes Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Stem Cells through LEPR-STAT3 Pathway

HN1L silencing reduced the population of breast cancer stem cells, inhibited tumor initiation, resensitized chemoresistant tumors to docetaxel, and hindered cancer progression in multiple triple-negative breast cancer cell line-derived xenografts. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article

Therapeutic Relevance of the PP2A-B55 Inhibitory Kinase MASTL/Greatwall in Breast Cancer

The authors showed that MASTL overexpression predicts poor survival and shows prognostic value in breast cancer patients. MASTL knockdown or knockout using RNA interference or CRISPR/Cas9 systems impaired proliferation of a subset of breast cancer cells. [Cell Death Differ] Full Article

TGF-β Transactivates EGFR and Facilitates Breast Cancer Migration and Invasion through Canonical Smad3 and ERK/Sp1 Signaling Pathway

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) was positively correlated with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression in breast cancer tissues, and a functional linkage was observed between TGF-β signaling and EGFR transactivation in breast cancer cell lines. [Mol Oncol] Abstract

Long Noncoding RNA HOTAIR Modulates MiR-206-Mediated Bcl-w Signaling to Facilitate Cell Proliferation in Breast Cancer

Scientists observed that HOX transcript antisense RNA (HOTAIR) was able to up-regulate the expression of Bcl-w in breast cancer cells. Mechanistically, they found that miR-206 was capable of inhibiting the expression of Bcl-w by directly binding to the 3′UTR of Bcl-w mRNA. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Leveraging Ectopic Hsp90 Expression to Assay the Presence of Tumor Cells and Aggressive Tumor Phenotypes in Breast Specimens

Investigators developed a completely non-destructive strategy using HS-27, a fluorescently-tethered Hsp90 inhibitor, to assay Hsp90 expression on intact tissue specimens with comparable contrast to in vivo administration routes, and demonstrate the feasibility of our approach in breast cancer patients. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Suppression of eEF-2K-Mediated Autophagy Enhances the Cytotoxicity of Raddeanin A against Human Breast Cancer Cells In Vitro

Researchers investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying raddeanin A (RA)-induced autophagy as well as the relationship between RA-induced autophagy and its cytotoxicity in human breast cancer cells in vitro. [Acta Pharmacol Sin] Abstract

RANKL and RANK: From Mammalian Physiology to Cancer Treatment

The authors summarize the functions of the RANKL/RANK pathway in mammalian physiology and focus on its recently uncovered role in breast cancer. They propose that anti-RANKL therapy should be pursued as a preventative strategy for breast cancer. [Trends Cell Biol] Abstract

Epithelial Plasticity in the Mammary Gland

Many epithelial tissues rely on multipotent stem cells for the proper development and maintenance of their diverse cell lineages. Nevertheless, the identification of multipotent stem cell populations within the mammary gland has been a point of contention over the past decade. [Curr Opin Cell Biol] Abstract

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

TapImmune Announces Enrollment of First Patient in Phase II Clinical Trial for Treating Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Funded by U.S. Department of Defense

TapImmune Inc. announced that the first patient has been enrolled in a Phase II randomized, multi-center, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial of TapImmune’s novel therapeutic vaccine candidate TPIV200. [TapImmune Inc.] Press Release

Puma Biotechnology Announces Meeting of Scientific Advisory Group on Oncology in Europe to Review Neratinib for Extended Adjuvant Treatment of HER2-Positive Early Stage Breast Cancer

Puma Biotechnology, Inc. announced that the European Medicines Agency has requested that the Scientific Advisory Group on Oncology provide an opinion on the clinical aspects of the Marketing Authorization Application for neratinib. In Europe, neratinib is an investigational therapy for the extended adjuvant treatment of early stage HER2-positive breast cancer that has previously been treated with a trastuzumab containing regimen. [Puma Biotechnology, Inc.] Press Release

French Researchers Hope New Chief Will Revitalize Troubled Funding Agency

French scientists are hopeful that the newly appointed chief of a major research-funding agency will revive an organization suffering from squeezed budgets and staff discontent. [Nature News] Editorial

Iran’s Supreme Court Confirms Death Sentence for Jailed Scholar

Iran’s Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence handed to Ahmadreza Djalali, a scholar who worked in Europe, according to the human-rights group Amnesty International. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW The London Stem Cell Network Symposium 2018
February 26, 2018
London, United Kingdom

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

NEW PhD Candidate – Tumor Cell Biology (Leiden University)

NEW PhD Program – Breast Cancer (Institut Curie)

Professor – Tenure System – Cancer Biology (Michigan State University)

Postdoctoral Associate – Breast Cancer Research (University of Miami)

Postdoctoral Associate – Melanoma and Breast Cancer Research (University of Miami)

Postdoctoral Research Scientist/Fellow – Epigenetic Gene Regulation in Breast Cancer (Columbia University Medical Center)

Postdoctoral Research Scientist/Fellow – Breast Cancer (Columbia University)

Postdoctoral Positions – Breast Cancer (Northwestern University – Feinberg School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Breast Cancer Research (Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth)

Postdoctoral Position – Transcriptomics and Cancer Epigenetics (Universität Basel)

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