Cancer Stem Cell News Volume 9.19 | May 20 2020

TOP STORY

A New Combination Treatment Targeting “Cancer Stem Cells” May Overcome Drug Resistance in Blood Cancers

​Building off the discovery of an enzyme called integrin-linked kinase (ILK) made 24 years ago, scientists have made a significant advancement in understanding the role of this enzyme in blood cancers. They found that not only is ILK highly abundant in chronic myeloid leukemia but when this enzyme is inhibited in addition to the current standard-of-care treatment, the results are more effective. [Press release from BC Cancer discussing online prepublication in Cell Stem Cell] Press Release | Abstract | Graphical Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Disrupting Mitochondrial Copper Distribution Inhibits Leukemic Stem Cell Self-Renewal

Genetic and chemical inhibition of ALR reduced acute myeloid leukemia growth and viability, disrupted leukemic stem cell self-renewal, and induced their differentiation. ALR inhibition preferentially decreased its substrate COX17, a mitochondrial copper chaperone, and knockdown of COX17 phenocopies ALR loss. [Cell Stem Cell] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

SH3RF3 Promotes Breast Cancer Stem-Like Properties via JNK Activation and PTX3 Upregulation

Scientists identified a scaffold protein SH3RF3 that was upregulated in CSCs of breast cancer clinical tumors and cancer cell lines, and enhanced the CSC properties of breast cancer cells. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Translational Control of Breast Cancer Plasticity

Researchers observed that mTOR inhibitors and chemotherapeutics induced translational activation of a subset of NANOG, SNAIL and NODAL mRNA isoforms akin to hypoxia, engendering stem-cell-like phenotypes. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Peptidylarginine Deiminase IV Regulates Breast Cancer Stem Cells via a Novel Tumor Cell-Autonomous Suppressor Role

The authors investigated a possible role for peptidylarginine deiminase 4 (PADI4) in regulating breast CSCs. PADI4 activity limited the number of CSCs in multiple breast cancer models in vitro and in vivo. [Cancer Res] Abstract

Curcumin Loaded in Niosomal Nanoparticles Improved the Anti-Tumor Effects of Free Curcumin on Glioblastoma Stem-Like Cells: An In Vitro Study

The cytotoxic effects of free curcumin (CM) and curcumin-loaded niosome nanoparticles (CM-NPs) were investigated on glioblastoma stem-like cells (GSCs) obtained during the removal of a brain tumor. Both CM and CM-NPs caused a dose-dependent decrease in cell proliferation and viability of GSCs. [Mol Neurobiol] Full Article

Inhibition of Tumor Cell Growth and Cancer Stem Cell Expansion by a Bispecific Antibody Targeting EGFR and HER3

In triple-negative breast cancer cell lines, treatment with a bispecific antibody inhibited the proliferation and oncosphere formation efficiency driven by HER3 signaling. In an orthotopic MDA-MB-468 tumor model, this translated into antitumor effects superior to those obtained by the parental antibodies alone or in combination and was associated with a reduced number of cells with stem-like properties. [Mol Cancer Ther] Abstract

MicroRNA-135a-Induced Formation of CD133⁺ Subpopulation with Cancer Stem Cell Properties in Cervical Cancer

MicroRNA-135a induced the formation of a CD133⁺ subpopulation from a human papillomavirus-immortalized cervical epithelial cell line. [Carcinogenesis] Abstract

USP38 Regulates the Stemness and Chemoresistance of Human Colorectal Cancer via Regulation of HDAC3

Scientists identified that an ubiquitin-specific protease (USP), USP38, was downregulated in clinical colorectal cancer samples and colorectal cancer cell lines. They showed that USP38 was a specific deubiquitinase of histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3), which cleaved the lysine 63 ubiquitin chain. [Oncogenesis] Full Article

Critical Role of SOX2-IGF2 Signaling in Aggressiveness of Bladder Cancer

Researchers found SOX2 expression signified poor recurrence-free survival and correlated with advanced pathological grade in bladder cancer. SOX2 silencing attenuated bladder cancer cell growth, while its expression promoted cancer cell survival and proliferation. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Aggressiveness Potential of Spontaneous Canine Mucosal Melanoma Can Dictate Distinct Cancer Stem Cell Compartment Behaviors in Regard to Their Initial Size and Expansion Abilities

Scientists identified quiescent CSC subpopulations in canine cell lines that displayed similarities to human quiescent CSCs: canine melanoma CSCs had the ability to self-renew, produced non-stem cell progeny and formed melanospheres that recapitulated the phenotypic profile of the parental tumor. [Stem Cells Dev] Abstract

Subscribe to one of our other 19 science newsletters such as Neural Cell News & Hematopoiesis News.

Different Shades of L1CAM in the Pathophysiology of Cancer Stem Cells

The authors summarize the role of L1 cell adhesion molecule (L1CAM) in cancer focusing on its functional contribution to CSC pathophysiology. They also discuss the clinical usefulness of therapeutic strategies aimed at targeting L1CAM in the context of anti-CSC treatments. [J Clin Med] Abstract | Download Full Article

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

NCCN Foundation Awards Leading Young Investigators Advancing Cancer Research for Adults and Children

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network^® (NCCN^®) and the NCCN Foundation® announced five new recipients for the 10^th annual NCCN Foundation Young Investigator Awards Program. The honorees will receive up to $150,000 in funding to study ways to improve care and help find cures for people with breast, colorectal, pancreatic, and small cell lung cancer, as well as pediatric acute myeloid leukemia. [National Comprehensive Cancer Network] Press Release

Open-Access Science Funders Announce Price Transparency Rules for Publishers

Science journals will have to disclose the costs of publishing articles in order for them to be paid for by a coalition of research funders pushing for open access. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Publishers Launch Joint Effort to Tackle Altered Images in Research Papers

The world’s largest science publishers are teaming up to discuss how to automatically flag altered or duplicated images in research papers. A new working group – the first formal cross-industry initiative to discuss the issue – aims to set standards for software that screens papers for problematic images during peer review. [Nature News] Editorial

In light of COVID-19, many conferences are being cancelled or postponed. As such:

We are suspending new event postings in our newsletters and on Twitter.
We will strive to keep our current event listings updated with event status.
We encourage you to visit event sites directly for updates.

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

NEW Postdoctoral Position – Epigenetic Control of Cancer Stem Cell Biology (University of Freiburg)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Hematopoiesis, Leukemia, and Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes (The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center)

Postdoctoral Position – Bioinformatics and Computational Biology of Stem Cell and Cancer Epigenetics (Albert Einstein College of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Stem Cell and Leukemia Metabolism (Children’s Medical Center Research Institute)

Postdoctoral Scholarship – RNA Biology in Stem Cells and Cancer Models (University of Gothenburg)

Assistant Professor – Cell Cycle and Cancer Biology (Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Leukemia Stem Cell Research (Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute)

PhD Positions – Head and Neck Cancer Stem Cells (The Mildred Scheel Nachwuchszentrum for Cancer Research)

Scientist – Stem Cells and Cellular Biology (Athersys, Inc.)

Postdoctoral Positions – DNA Repair in Leukemia (Temple University School of Medicine)

Associate Professor – Regenerative Medicine (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory)

Recruit Top Talent: Reach 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? Submit your feedback here.