Prostate Cell News Volume 2.06 | Feb 18 2011

 Cell Therapy News is now on Facebook. Join us!

 Follow us on Twitter! @ProstateCell

Interested in recruiting talented individuals? Post your career opportunities in Prostate Cell News at no cost. Contact us at info@connexoncreative.com

Aeterna Zentaris Presented Poster on Oral Prostate Cancer Vaccine, AEZS-120
Aeterna Zentaris Inc. announced the presentation of the preclinical data on its oral prostate cancer vaccine candidate, AEZS-120. The presentation underlined the feasibility of an oral therapeutic vaccination approach against prostate cancer. [Press release from Aeterna Zentaris Inc. discussing data presented at the 32nd Congress of the Société Internationale d’Urologie, Fukuoka] Press Release | Poster

Tasquinimod Biomarker Phase II Data Presented at ESMO 2012
Active Biotech and Ipsen presented a new set of data on biomarkers from the previously concluded tasquinimod phase II study in chemotherapy-naïve metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer. [Press release from Ipsen Group discussing data presented during the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2012 Annual Meeting, Vienna] Press Release

Phase I/II ARADES Trial of a New Generation Anti-Androgen, ODM- 201
Researchers presented initial results from the phase I component of the Arades trial. ARADES trial is the first-in-man, open-label, phase I/II safety, pharmacokinetic, and proof-of-concept study of ODM-201 in patients with progressive metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. [Press release from Orion Corporation discussing data presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2012 Congress, Vienna] Press Release

Preliminary Phase I Data for Cabozantinib in Japanese Patients
Exelixis, Inc. reported preliminary data from an ongoing phase I dose escalation study of cabozantinib in Japan. The primary objective of the phase I, open label, multiple cohort dose escalation study is to determine the recommended phase II dose of cabozantinib administered once-daily over a four-week cycle in Japanese patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors. [Press release from Exelixis, Inc. discussing data presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2012 Congress, Vienna]
Press Release

LABORATORY RESEARCH

Identification of a Clinically Relevant Androgen-Dependent Gene Signature in Prostate Cancer
A combination of microarray and in silico analyses led scientists to identify a 158-gene signature that relies on androgen receptor along with the transcription factor serum response factor, representing less than 6% of androgen-dependent genes. [Cancer Res]

MicroRNA-21 Targets Tumor Suppressor Genes ANP32A and SMARCA4
Investigators used two experimental-based strategies to search for novel miR-21 targets. On the one hand, they performed a proteomic approach using two-dimensional differential gel electrophoresis to identify proteins suppressed upon enhanced miR-21 expression in LNCaP human prostate carcinoma cells. On the other hand, they applied a mathematical approach to select correlated gene sets that are negatively correlated with primary-miR-21 in published transcriptome data from 114 B-cell lymphoma cases. [Oncogene]

In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of ⁶⁴Cu-Labeled SarAr-Bombesin Analogs in Gastrin-Releasing Peptide Receptor-Expressing Prostate Cancer
The objective of this study was to conjugate the previously described 1-N-(4-aminobenzyl)-3,6,10,13,16,19-hexaazabicyclo[6.6.6]-eicosane-1,8-diamine (SarAr) chelator to bombesin(7-14), radiolabel the conjugate with ⁶⁴Cu, and evaluate in vitro and in vivo. [J Nucl Med]

Hormone Depletion-Insensitivity of Prostate Cancer Cells Is Supported by the AR Without Binding to Classical Response Elements
Researchers examined the importance of androgen receptor (AR) binding to DNA in prostate cancer cells in which proliferation in the absence of hormone was profoundly (~90%) dependent on endogenous AR and where the receptor was not up-regulated or mutated but was predominantly nuclear. [Mol Endocrinol]

Synthetic Triterpenoid CDDO Prevents the Progression and Metastasis of Prostate Cancer in TRAMP Mice by Inhibiting Survival-Signaling
Scientists examined the efficacy of 2-cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9(11)-dien-28-oic acid (CDDO) in preventing the development and/or progression of prostate cancer in the Transgenic Adenocarinoma of the Mouse Prostate (TRAMP) model. [Carcinogenesis]

Pentamidine Reduces Expression of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1 Alpha in DU145 and MDA-MB-231 Cancer Cells
Investigators report that pentamidine inhibits expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha in cancer cells. [Cancer Lett]

Androgen Receptor and Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein K Colocalize in the Nucleoplasm and Are Modulated by Bicalutamide and 4-Hydroxy-Tamoxifen in Prostatic Cancer Cell Lines
This study confirms the pivotal role of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K in prostate carcinoma and suggest that this role might be played by the interaction with the androgen receptor. [Prostate]

Phosphorylated Akt Up-Regulates Angiotensin II Type-1 Receptor Expression in Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer
In this study researchers used C4-2 and C4-2AT6 cells, which were PTEN-null, androgen receptor positive, PSA-producing castration-resistant prostate cancer cell lines. They investigated the association between phosphorylated Akt and angiotensin II type-1 receptor expression, and used LY294002 as a PI3K/Akt inhibitor. [Prostate]

CLINICAL RESEARCH

Polymorphisms Inside MicroRNAs and MicroRNA Target Sites Predict Clinical Outcomes in Prostate Cancer Patients Receiving Androgen-Deprivation Therapy
Scientists hypothesized that genetic variations in microRNAs (miRNAs) and miRNA target sites could be associated with the efficacy of androgen-deprivation therapy in men with prostate cancer. [Clin Cancer Res]

Male Pattern Baldness and the Risk of Prostate Cancer
Researchers set out to study if early-onset androgenic alopecia was associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer later in life. [Ann Oncol]

Fine Mapping the KLK3 Locus on Chromosome 19q13.33 Associated with Prostate Cancer Susceptibility and PSA Levels
Based on a resequencing analysis of a 56 kb region on chromosome 19q13.33, centered on the KLK3 gene, investigators fine mapped this locus by genotyping tag SNPs in 3,522 prostate cancer cases and 3,338 controls from five case-control studies. [Hum Genet]

The Anti-Interleukin-6 Antibody Siltuximab Down-Regulates Genes Implicated in Tumorigenesis in Prostate Cancer Patients from a Phase I Study
This study was designed to assess preliminary safety of siltuximab in patients with early prostate cancer. [Prostate]

Genta Initiates Trial with Tesetaxel as First- and Second-Line Chemotherapy for Patients with Advanced Prostate Cancer
Genta Incorporated announced that the Company has initiated a new Phase II clinical trial of tesetaxel in patients with advanced prostate cancer. Tesetaxel, the leading oral taxane in clinical development, will be evaluated for its use as both first- and second-line chemotherapy. [Genta Incorporated Press Release]

Genus Oncology, LLC Announces Initiation of Phase I Trial of GO-203-2c in Patients with Solid Tumors
Genus Oncology, LLC announced it has successfully filed an Investigational New Drug application with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and has dosed the first patient in a Phase I trial to test its lead compound, GO-203-2c, in patients with solid tumors. [Genus Oncology, LLC Press Release]

Sonablate® HIFU for Prostate Cancer in New Locations Outside the U.S.
USHIFU LLC announces that HIFU with the Sonablate (Sonablate HIFU) is available to prostate cancer patients for the first time in Brazil at Hospital Nossa Senhora das Gracas in Curitiba. In addition, prostate cancer patients may now seek Sonablate HIFU treatments at Russia’s Center Zdorovie in Rostov-on-the-Don, the second institution in that country to offer the minimally invasive procedure. [PR Newswire]

First FDA-Approved Cancer Treatment Vaccine Available at Roswell Park
The nation’s first U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA)-approved cancer treatment vaccine, Provenge (sipuleucel-T), is being offered for the first time in Western New York at Roswell Park Cancer Institute. The vaccine is designed for men with advanced prostate cancer who have limited treatment options and who meet eligibility requirements. [Roswell Park Cancer Institute Press Release]

HJF Signs Distribution Agreement for Antibody to Evaluate Prostate Cancer
The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. (HJF) has signed a licensing agreement with Biocare Medical for the exclusive worldwide sales and distribution rights for the immunohistochemistry of an antibody designed to detect tumor prevalence in prostate cancer patients. [The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. Press Release]

Statement by the American Society of Clinical Oncology On President Obama’s FY 2012 Budget Request
The American Society of Clinical Oncology commends President Obama for his commitment to the health of this nation and to patients around the world who benefit from U.S. medical innovation. [American Society of Clinical Oncology, United States]

National Institutes of Health (United States)

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)

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

Have we missed an important article or publication in Prostate Cell News? Click here to submit!

Comments or Suggestions? Email 

info@connexoncreative.com with your feedback.