US Patent 7632678 about CSC

Cancer stem cells and uses thereof, United States Patent 7632678. Issued on December 15, 2009. (Filing Date was November 22, 2006).

Inventors: Loen M Hansford, Kristen M Smith, Alessandro Datti, Freda M Miller and David R Kaplan (Toronto, Canada).

Assignee: The Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto, Ontario, Canada).

Abstract:

Disclosed are enriched preparations of neuroblastoma tumor initiating cells (NB TICs). The NB TICs are capable of self-renewal, initiating neuroblastoma tumor growth in vivo and are capable of being passaged in high frequency. These NB TICs have chromosomal abnormalities and are capable of giving rise to secondary tumor spheres. Methods are also disclosed for preparing the enriched preparations of NB TICs, such as from neuroblastoma tumor tissue and metastasized bone marrow. Also disclosed are methods of screening candidate substances to identify therapeutic agents for the treatment of neuroblastoma. Methods are also provided for screening a sample for neuroblastoma, as well as for screening a sample to identify the stage of neuroblastoma present. Kits are also provided for selecting appropriate anti-neuroblastoma compounds for a patient, and utilize isolated compositions of the patients' neuroblastoma tumor initiating cells. In this manner, a customized medicinal profile for the patient may be devised.

MicroRNA-181 and liver cancer

Identification of microRNA-181 by genome-wide screening as a critical player in EpCAM-positive hepatic cancer stem cells by Junfang Ji and 15 co-authors, including Carlo M Croce and Xin Wei Wang, Hepatology 2009(Aug); 50(2): 472-80. [PubMed Abstract][Full text of author manuscript, available in PMC 2009(Aug 5)].

See also: EpCAM-positive hepatocellular carcinoma cells are tumor-initiating cells with stem/progenitor cell features by Taro Yamashita and 15 co-authors, including Xin Wei Wang, Gastroenterology 2009(Mar); 136(3): 1012-24.e4 [Epub 2008(Dec 5)]. [PubMed Abstract].

And: New kids on the block: Diagnostic and prognostic microRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma by Junfang Ji and Xin Wei Wang, Cancer Biology & Therapy 2009(Sep 15); 8(18) [Forthcoming].

Gene signatures in residual breast cancers after conventional therapy

Gene Signature of Breast Cancer Stem Cells Revealed, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News, August 4, 2009. First paragraph:

A consortium of researchers have identified the gene expression patterns of breast cancer stem cells that remain post treatment with either chemotherapy or antihormone treatments. They report that this gene signature differs from those linked to the bulk of epithelial cells in the tumor.

Based on: Gene signature for cancer stem cells may provide drug targets, Glenna Picton, News Release, Baylor College of Medicine, August 4, 2009.

See also: Gene signature for cancer stem cells may provide drug targets, Science Centric, August 4, 2009. First paragraph:

A subset of tumour cells that remain after a woman with breast cancer undergoes treatment with either anti-cancer or anti-hormone therapy shows a 'gene signature' that could be used to define targets for developing new drugs against the disease, said a consortium of researchers led by Baylor College of Medicine. The report appears in the current issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The report referred to in the above excerpt is an Open Access publication: Residual breast cancers after conventional therapy display mesenchymal as well as tumor-initiating features by Chad J Creighton and 22 co-authors, including Michael T Lewis, Jeffrey M Rosen and Jenny C Chang, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2009(Aug 3). [Epub ahead of print].[Abstract][Early version of OA full text].

Human bladder tumor-initiating cells

Scientists discover bladder cancer stem cell by Krista Conger, News Release, Stanford University, August 3, 2009. First paragraph:

Researchers at Stanford's School of Medicine have identified the first human bladder cancer stem cell and revealed how it works to escape the body's natural defenses.

See also: Stanford scientists discover bladder cancer stem cell, EuekAlert, August 3, 2009. And: Scientists Discover Bladder Cancer Stem Cell, ScienceDaily, August 4, 2009. [FriendFeed entry].

The news releases are based on this Open Access publication: Identification, molecular characterization, clinical prognosis, and therapeutic targeting of human bladder tumor-initiating cells by Keith Syson Chan and 11 co-authors, including Irving L Weissman, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2009(Aug 4) [Epub ahead of print]. [Abstract][Early version of OA full text].

A post about another recent publication from Stanford: Leukemia SC cloak themselves to avoid detection (July 28, 2009).

Luminal progenitor cells in breast cancer

A new progenitor cell population in breast cancer, Nature Asia-Pacific, August 3, 2009. First paragraph:

Some breast cancers are thought to arise from mammary stem cells that mutate, but a study published in this week's Nature Medicine indicates that luminal cells that line the mammary ducts may also be tumor progenitors.

This Research Highlight is based on the publication: Aberrant luminal progenitors as the candidate target population for basal tumor development in BRCA1 mutation carriers by Elgene Lim and 20 co-authors, including kConFab, Jane E Visvader and Geoffrey J Lindeman, Nat Med 2009(Aug 2) [Epub ahead of print]. Final sentence of the PubMed Abstract:

Our findings suggest that an aberrant luminal progenitor population is a target for transformation in BRCA1-associated basal tumors.

See also: Breast cancer discovery heralds diagnosis hope by Nick Miller, theage.com.au, August 3, 2009. Excerpt:

The breakthrough research came from the study of a unique collection of breast cancer tissue donated by Australian women.

And: Stem cell 'daughters' lead to breast cancer, EurekAlert, August 2, 2009. [FriendFeed entry]. Note to anyone who might find this title confusing: The word 'daughters' refers to cells that are produced by stem cells, not to the 'daughters' of patients!

Tumor-initiating cells in murine mammary tumors

SCA-1 Identifies the Tumor-Initiating Cells in Mammary Tumors of BALB-neuT Transgenic Mice by Cristina Grange and 4 co-authors, including Benedetta Bussolati, Neoplasia 2008(Dec); 10(12): 1433-43. [PMC version]. PubMed Abstract:

Cancer stem cells, initiating and sustaining the tumor process, have been isolated in human and murine breast cancer using different cell markers. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the presence and characteristics of stem/tumor-initiating cells in the model of the mouse mammary neoplasia driven by the activated form of rat Her-2/neu oncogene (BALB-neuT mice). For this purpose, we generated tumor spheres from primary spontaneous BALB-neuT tumors. Tumor sphere cultures were characterized for clonogenicity, self-renewal, and ability to differentiate in epithelial/myoepithelial cells of the mammary gland expressing basal and luminal cytokeratins and alpha-smooth muscle actin. In addition, tumor spheres were more resistant to doxorubicin compared with parental tumor cells. In the attempt to identify a selected marker for the sphere-generating cells, we found that Sca-1(+) cells, present in tumors or enriched in mammospheres, and not CD24(+) or CD29(+) cells, were responsible for the sphere generation in vitro. Moreover, cells from the tumor spheres showed an increased tumor-generating ability in respect to the epithelial tumor cells. Sca-1(+) sorted cells or clonal mammospheres derived from a Sca-1(+) cell showed a superimposable tumor-initiating ability. The data of the present study indicate that a Sca-1(+) population derived from mammary BALB-neuT tumors is responsible for sphere generation in culture and for initiating tumors in vivo.

[Obtain search results for Sca-1 via Pathway Commons].