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Cancer checkpoint

Researchers discovered SIRT4 plays a crucial role in preventing DNA damage-induced cancer by controlling glutamine metabolism and arresting cell cycle. In mice lacking SIRT4, lung cancer developed spontaneously, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target.

SourceHarvard Medical School·JournalCancer Cell·DateApr 4, 2013

Detecting circulating tumor cells

Researchers have developed a multi-stage, multi-orifice flow fractionation system to detect and separate circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from blood with high efficiency, improving separation efficiency to 98.9%. The device, called MS-MOFF, employs hydrodynamic sorting and can collect viable CTCs after sorting.

SourceAmerican Institute of Physics·JournalBiomicrofluidics·DateMar 23, 2013

Asterix's Roman foes -- Researchers have a better idea of how cancer cells move and grow

Scientists at the University of Montreal's IRIC have identified a key mechanism that enables cancer cells to coordinate their movement, allowing them to disseminate efficiently in the body. By understanding this mechanism, researchers hope to develop molecular targets to disrupt collective cell migration and fight metastasis formation.

SourceUniversity of Montreal·JournalNature Cell Biology·DateMar 12, 2013

The right dose for oncology

A new tool developed by EPFL researchers can accurately determine the optimal dose of chemotherapy for individual patients, reducing the risk of resistance mechanisms and relapse. The method measures a cancerous cell's electrical conductivity to assess the treatment's effect, allowing oncologists to make more patient-specific decisions.

Protein central to cancer stem cell formation provides new potential target

Researchers have identified FOXC2 as a protein vital to the formation of cancer stem cells and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in breast cancer. The study found that blocking FOXC2 with the FDA-approved drug sunitinib inhibited the growth of cancer stem cells and reduced metastasis in mice with triple-negative breast cancer.

JCI early table of contents for Feb. 8, 2013

Studies reveal that blocking TGF-β can prevent tumor recurrence in mice with triple negative breast cancer. Additionally, targeting specific subsets of immune cells, such as CD8+ regulatory T-cells, may provide a new approach to treating rheumatoid arthritis.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateFeb 8, 2013

Rooting out recurrent breast cancer

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation found that TGF-β is highly expressed in triple negative breast cancer cells after chemotherapy. In a mouse model, blocking TGF-β prevented tumor recurrence and enhanced chemotherapy action against triple negative breast cancer.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateFeb 8, 2013

MicroRNA molecule may serve as biomarker, target for brain metastases in breast cancer patients

Researchers identified miR-7 as a metastasis suppressor that suppressed cancer stem-like cells' ability to metastasize to the brain. The miR-7/KLF4 axis played a critical role in cancer stem-like cell brain metastasis, suggesting its potential as a diagnostic or therapeutic target for predicting or treating brain metastases.

SourceAmerican Association for Cancer Research·JournalCancer Research·DateFeb 5, 2013

Researchers use new molecular inhibitors to successfully hit difficult cancer target

Researchers developed a small-molecule inhibitor Y16 that blocks a hard-to-target part of a protein complex linked to several types of invasive cancer. The compound, combined with Rhosin/G04, suppresses RhoA cell signaling and downstream molecular events fueling cancer growth in breast cancer cells.

SourceCincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateFeb 5, 2013

Enzyme helps cancer cells avoid genetic instability

Researchers found that cancer cells lacking BRCA1 compensate by reducing 53BP1 levels, which allows them to resume homologous recombination and grow. The study suggests a new pathway for how breast cancer cells lose 53BP1, enabling resistance to chemotherapy and potentially identifying patients who respond to cathepsin inhibitors.

SourceRockefeller University Press·JournalJournal of Cell Biology·DateJan 21, 2013

Understanding cell organization to tackle cancer

Scientists have discovered a vital interplay between transport machinery and integrin receptors that ensures proteins are transported to the correct area of the cell. This understanding could lead to better diagnosis for cancer patients as it reveals how cells become disorganized in early stages of the disease.

SourceUniversity of Manchester·JournalNature Cell Biology·DateDec 23, 2012

miR-205 can be responsible for breast cancer

A new study challenges previous views on miR-205's function in breast cancer. Research found that miR-205 is overexpressed in transformed cells and contributes to the abnormal morphology of acini. The findings suggest miR-205 can act as an oncogene, promoting cell growth or inhibiting apoptosis.

SourceDe Gruyter·JournalOncomiRs·DateDec 21, 2012

New form of cell division found

Researchers at University of Wisconsin-Madison discovered a new form of cell division called klerokinesis, which helps prevent faulty cell division leading to cancer. In experiments with human cells, they observed that cells with extra chromosomes could recover normal sets through klerokinesis, potentially lowering cancer incidence.

Breast cancer cells enticed to spread by 'tumorous environment' as well as genetic changes

Researchers discover that breast cancer cells' ability to spread is influenced by the tumor's protein-rich environment as much as genetic changes within the cells. The study reveals that a specific molecular signal in the protein meshwork can initiate metastasis to distant sites, while a healthy environment can even coax healthy cells ...

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 22, 2012