Preclinical development of CD126 CAR-T cells with broad antitumor activity.

Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy is a transformative approach to cancer eradication. CAR-T is expensive partly due to the restricted use of each CAR construct for specific tumors. Thus, a CAR construct with broad antitumor activity can be advantageous.

Metformin inhibits IL-6 signaling by decreasing IL-6R expression on multiple myeloma cells.

IL-6 signaling plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of a number of diseases, including multiple myeloma, primary amyloidosis, cytokine release syndrome and other inflammatory conditions. It is central for the growth and survival of malignant plasma cells. IL-6R and IL-6ST receptors transduce IL-6 signaling.

Chemotherapy-induced differential cell cycle arrest in B-cell lymphomas affects their sensitivity to Wee1 inhibition.

Chemotherapeutic agents, e.g., cytarabine and doxorubicin, cause DNA damage.

Leptin signals via TGFB1 to promote metastatic potential and stemness in breast cancer.

Epidemiological studies have shown obesity to be linked with poorer outcomes in breast cancer patients. The molecular mechanisms responsible for the increased risk of invasive/metastatic disease with obesity are complex, but may include elevated levels of adipokines such as leptin. Using physiological levels of leptin found in obesity in a novel chronic in vitro treatment model (≤200 ng/ml for 14 days), we confirmed the occurrence of leptin-mediated changes in growth, apoptosis and metastatic behavior, and gene expression changes representing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and a cancer stem cell (CSC) like phenotype in breast epithelial and cancer cell lines (MCF10A, MCF10AT1, MCF7 and MDA-MB-231).

Squamous cell carcinomas escape immune surveillance via inducing chronic activation and exhaustion of CD8+ T Cells co-expressing PD-1 and LAG-3 inhibitory receptors.

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second commonest type of skin cancer. Moreover, about 90% of head and neck cancers are SCCs. SCCs develop at a significantly higher rate under chronic immunosuppressive conditions, implicating a role of immune surveillance in controlling SCCs.

Unexpected effects of different genetic backgrounds on identification of genomic rearrangements via whole-genome next generation sequencing.

Background: Whole genome next generation sequencing (NGS) is increasingly employed to detect genomic rearrangements in cancer genomes, especially in lymphoid malignancies. We recently established a unique mouse model by specifically deleting a key non-homologous end-joining DNA repair gene, Xrcc4, and a cell cycle checkpoint gene, Trp53, in germinal center B cells. This mouse model spontaneously develops mature B cell lymphomas (termed G1XP lymphomas).

Fulvestrant inhibits growth of triple negative breast cancer and synergizes with tamoxifen in ERα positive breast cancer by up-regulation of ERβ.

The estrogen receptor-alpha (ERα) is used as a predictive marker for anti-estrogen therapy in breast cancer patients. In addition to aromatase inhibitors, ERα can be targeted at the receptor level using the receptor modulator tamoxifen or by the pure anti-estrogen fulvestrant. The role of the second ER, ER-beta (ERβ), as a therapeutic target or prognostic marker in breast cancer is still elusive.