Cancer Stem Cell News Volume 3.43 | Nov 5 2014

ISG15 Is a Critical Microenvironmental Factor for Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cells
Scientists show that tumor-associated macrophages secrete the interferon-stimulated factor ISG15 which enhances cancer stem cell phenotypes in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma in vitro and in vivo. [Cancer Res] Abstract

Targeting of miR-34a-NOTCH1 Axis Reduced Breast Cancer Stemness and Chemoresistance
Researchers found that primary and mature microRNA-34a (miR-34a) were suppressed by treatment with p53 RNAi or the dominant negative p53 mutant in MCF7 cells. Ectopic miR-34a expression reduced cancer stem cell properties and increased sensitivity to doxorubicin treatment, by directly targeting NOTCH1. [Cancer Res] Abstract

Notch3 Interactome Analysis Identified WWP2 as a Negative Regulator of Notch3 Signaling in Ovarian Cancer
Ectopic expression of WWP2 decreased tumor development in a mouse xenograft model and suppressed the Notch3-induced phenotypes including increase in cancer stem cell-like cell population and platinum resistance. [PLoS Genet] Full Article

TLX Activates MMP-2, Promotes Self-Renewal of Tumor Spheres in Neuroblastoma and Correlates with Poor Patient Survival
The authors show that TLX (Drosophila tailless homolog) is essential for the formation of tumor spheres in three different neuroblastoma cell lines, when grown in neural stem cell media. They demonstrate that the knock down of TLX in IMR-32 cells diminishes its tumor sphere-forming capacity. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Towards Elucidating the Connection between Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transitions and Stemness
Incorporating the activation of OCT4 by LIN28, the authors found that the hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal (E/M) phenotype has high likelihood to gain stemness. Combining the LIN28/let-7 regulation by NF-κB and c-MYC, they found that NF-κB, but not c-MYC, elevates the likelihood of E/M phenotype to gain stemness. [J R Soc Interface] Abstract | Press Release

Myelin-Forming Cell-Specific Cadherin-19 Is a Marker for Minimally Infiltrative Glioblastoma Stem-Like Cells
Current molecular identifiers of glioblastoma stem-like cells (GSCs) are scarce and controversial. Scientists describe differential cell-surface gene expression profiling to identify GSC-specific markers. [J Neurosurg] Abstract

Epigenetic Regulation of CD271, a Potential Cancer Stem Cell Marker Associated with Chemoresistance and Metastatic Capacity
Investigators aimed to identify esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) stem-like cells, the epigenetic mechanism and identify novel biomarkers for targeting ESCC cancer stem cells. [Oncol Rep] Abstract

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BerGenBio Announces First Patient Dosed in BGB324 AML Trial
BerGenBio AS announced that the first patient has been dosed in its multi-center Phase Ib trial of BGB324, a selective inhibitor of Axl, in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). [BerGenBio AS] Press Release

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NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Cancer Biology (Lund University)

Postdoctoral Position – Intestinal Stem Cell Biology and Gastrointestinal Malignancies (Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University)

PhD Student Position – Cancer Biology (Queen Mary University of London)

Postdoctoral Position – Stem Cells and Cancer (Brigham & Women’s Hospital – Harvard Medical School)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Gene Regulation in Breast Cancer/Stem Cell Biology (UC College of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Position – Leukemic Stem Cells (BC Cancer Agency)

Assistant or Associate Professor – Cancer Biology (University of Pennsylvania)

Faculty Positions – Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine (Baylor College of Medicine)

Scientist – Pluripotent Stem Cell Media Development, High Throughput Screening (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Cell Culture Support Products (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Immunology/Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

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