Cancer Stem Cell News Volume 2.02 | Jan 16 2013

PUBLICATIONS (Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Induction of Cells with Cancer Stem Cell Properties from Nontumorigenic Human Mammary Epithelial Cells by Defined Reprogramming Factors
Researchers demonstrated that the introduction of defined reprogramming factors (OCT4, SOX2, Klf4 and c-Myc) into MCF-10A nontumorigenic mammary epithelial cells, followed by partial differentiation, transforms the bulk of cells into tumorigenic CD44⁺/CD24^low cells with cancer stem cell (CSC) properties, termed here as induced CSC-like-10A or iCSCL-10A cells. [Oncogene] Abstract

Stem Cell CD44v Isoforms Promote Intestinal Cancer Formation in Apc(min) Mice Downstream of Wnt Signaling
A prominent intestinal stem cell (ISC)-signature gene is the cancer stem cell marker CD44, which encodes various splice variants comprising a diverse repertoire of adhesion and signaling molecules. Using Lgr5 as ISC marker, researchers have fluorescence-activated cell sorting-purified ISCs to define their CD44 repertoire. Data identify CD44 variant isoforms (CD44v) as a component of the ISCs program critical for tumor initiation, and as potential treatment target in colorectal cancer. [Oncogene] Abstract

Multiple Pluripotent Stem Cell Markers in Human Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer: The Putative Upstream Role of SOX-2
Investigators aimed to characterize cancer stem cells (CSCs) from ex vivo anaplastic thyroid carcinoma specimens by investigating the expression of several pluripotent stem cell markers and to evaluate in vitro drug resistance modifications after specific CSC transcription factor switch off. [Thyroid] Abstract

FGFR2 Promotes Breast Tumorigenicity through Maintenance of Breast Tumor-Initiating Cells
Data suggest that FGFR2 is essential in sustaining the breast tumor-initiating cell (TIC) pool through promotion of self-renewal and maintenance of bipotent TICs, and raise the possibility of FGFR2 inhibition as a strategy for anti-cancer therapy by eradicating breast TICs. [PLoS One] Full Article

Is 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D₃ Receptor Expression a Potential Achilles’ Heel of CD44+ Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells?
Researchers provided evidence that decreased 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃ receptor (VDR) expression in oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) might be associated with tumor relapse. Tumor cells of a putative CD44+ cancer stem cell compartment express VDR indicating a potential Achilles’ heel for the treatment of OSCC although, the results do not allow any conclusion on the function of VDR. [Target Oncol] Abstract

Oncogenic Effects of miR-10b in Glioblastoma Stem Cells
Scientists investigated the expression and function of microRNA-10b (miR-10b) in glioblastoma cells and stem cells. [J Neurooncol] Abstract

PI3K/Akt and Stat3 Signaling Regulated by PTEN Control of the Cancer Stem Cell Population, Proliferation and Senescence in a Glioblastoma Cell Line
Ectopic expression of PTEN in the U-87MG human glioblastoma-astrocytoma cell line was shown to result in the depletion of glioblastoma stem cells and to cause growth retardation and senescence. [Int J Oncol] Abstract

The Combination of Sorafenib and Radiation Preferentially Inhibits Breast Cancer Stem Cells by Suppressing Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α Expression
Researchers demonstrated that the preclinical therapeutic efficacy of combining the multikinase inhibitor sorafenib with radiation was more effective in hypoxia-exposed breast cancer stem cells. [Oncol Rep] Abstract | Download Full Article

Hypoxia-Inducing Factors as Master Regulators of Stemness Properties and Altered Metabolism of Cancer- and Metastasis-Initiating Cells
Accumulating lines of experimental evidence have revealed that hypoxia-inducible factors, HIF-1α and HIF-2α, are key regulators of the adaptation of cancer- and metastasis-initiating cells and their differentiated progenies to oxygen and nutrient deprivation during cancer progression under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. [J Cell Mol Med] Abstract | Full Article

Lung Cancer-Initiating Cells: A Novel Target for Cancer Therapy
This review discusses lung cancer, stem cells, the role of cancer-initiating cells in tumorigenesis, markers and functional characteristics associated with lung cancer-initiating cells and the potential to selectively target this subpopulation of tumor cells. [Target Oncol] Full Article

Project to Capture, Interrogate Single Cancer Cells Wins Innovator Award
From a single cell gone bad, cancer evolves into an increasingly complex tumor built of a variety of normal cells and diverse malignant cells, some of which escape to create dangerous colonies in other organs, further jumbling the treatment picture. Nicholas Navin, Ph.D. believes the key to sorting out this cellular chaos is by identifying important mutations in single tumor cells at various stages of the cancer’s development. The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation wants Navin to test his idea, naming him the Nadia’s Gift Foundation Innovator, providing $150,000 a year for three years. [The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center] Press Release | Video

Scientists Seek Out Cancer Cells Hiding from Treatment
Researchers will begin a three year project to explore how some cancer cells evade treatment, thanks to new funding from blood cancer charity Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research. [Imperial College London]
Press Release

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)

NEW 2013 International Conference of RNA Nanotechnology and Therapeutics
April 3-5, 2013
Lexington, United States

NEW Gordon Research Conferences: Cancer Genetics & Epigenetics
April 21-26, 2013
Lucca (Barga), Italy

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

Scientist or Engineer – hPSC Bioengineer (STEMCELL Technologies, Inc.)

Postdoctoral Position – Cancer Research (Charite Universitatsmedizin Berlin – MKFZ)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cancer Biology and Stem Cell (University of Texas at Houston, Medical School)

PhD Student and Postdoctoral Positions – Tumor Immunology and Cancer Stem Cell Research (University Clinics Freiburg)

Postdoctoral Associate (University of California, Berkeley)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (Mount Sinai Medical Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Stem Cells and Cancer (Tsinghua University)

Postdoctoral Position – Cancer Stem Cell Biology (Spanish National Cancer Research Centre [CNIO])

Postdoctoral Fellow (University of Michigan – Ann Arbor)


Recruit Top Talent: Reach more than 55,000 potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.

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

Comments or Suggestions? Email info@connexoncreative.com with your feedback.