Stopping Anti-CCL2 Breast Cancer Treatment Aggravates the Disease
Researchers show that a promising therapeutic approach for metastatic breast cancer elicits deleterious effects after cessation of the treatment. Stopping CCL2 inhibition paradoxically increases metastasis formation and leads to premature death thus thwarting the initially beneficial effects of the treatment. [Press release from Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research discussing online prepublication in Nature] Press Release|Abstract
Identification of Multipotent Mammary Stem Cells by Protein C Receptor Expression
Researchers demonstrate that protein C receptor (Procr), a novel Wnt target in the mammary gland, marks a unique population of multipotent mouse mammary stem cells . Procr-positive cells localize to the basal layer, exhibit epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition characteristics, and express low levels of basal keratins. [Nature] Abstract
Cancer Exosomes Perform Cell-Independent MicroRNA Biogenesis and Promote Tumorigenesis
Investigators report that breast cancer associated exosomes contain microRNAs (miRNAs) associated with the RISC-Loading Complex and display cell-independent capacity to process precursor miRNAs into mature miRNAs. Exosomes derived from cells and sera of patients with breast cancer instigate nontumorigenic epithelial cells to form tumors in a Dicer-dependent manner. [Cancer Cell] Abstract|Editorial|Press Release
MSC-Regulated MicroRNAs Converge on the Transcription Factor FOXP2 and Promote Breast Cancer Metastasis
Researchers show that mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) cause aberrant expression of microRNAs, which, led by microRNA-199a, provide breast cancer cells with enhanced cancer stem cell properties. They demonstrate that such MSC-deregulated microRNAs constitute a network that converges on and represses the expression of FOXP2, a forkhead transcription factor tightly associated with speech and language development. [Cell Stem Cell] Abstract|Graphical Abstract|Press Release
Combined Deletion of Pten and p53 in Mammary Epithelium Accelerates Triple-Negative Breast Cancer with Dependency on eEF2K
Investigators show that mammary-specific deletion of Pten via WAP-Cre, which targets alveolar progenitors, induced tumors with shortened latency compared to those induced by MMTV-Cre, which targets basal/luminal progenitors. Combined Pten-p53 mutations accelerated formation of claudin-low, triple-negative-like breast cancer that exhibited hyper-activated AKT signaling and more mesenchymal features relative to Pten or p53 single-mutant tumors. [EMBO Mol Med] Full Article
Topoisomerase IIα in Chromosome Instability and Personalized Cancer Therapy
The authors highlight the biological function of topoisomerase IIα (TOP2A) in chromosome segregation and the mechanisms that regulate this enzyme’s expression and activity. They also review the roles of TOP2A and related proteins in human cancers, and raise a perspective for how to target TOP2A in personalized cancer therapy. [Oncogene] Abstract
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Biocept and Rosetta Genomics Collaborate to Evaluate MicroRNAs from Circulating Tumor Cells
Biocept, Inc. and Rosetta Genomics, Ltd. announced a collaboration that will combine both companies’ platform technologies in an innovative approach to cancer diagnostics. The collaboration will utilize Biocept’s patented microfluidic channel technology to capture circulating tumor cells and then apply Rosetta Genomics’ technical expertise and proprietary methods to extract and analyze microRNA from these cells. [Biocept, Inc.] Press Release
Researchers Use ScreenCell® to Enrich Breast Cancer CTC Biomarkers
ScreenCell has entered into a collaborative study with the Jefferson Breast Care Center to evaluate the effectiveness of ScreenCell’s proprietary devices and protocols for enrichment of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from peripheral blood. [ScreenCell (Business Wire)] Press Release
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