Heterotypic clustering of circulating tumor cells and circulating cancer-associated fibroblasts facilitates breast cancer metastasis.

Background: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are recruited to the tumor microenvironment (TME) and are critical drivers of breast cancer (BC) malignancy. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) travel through hematogenous routes to establish metastases. CTCs circulate both individually and, more rarely, in clusters with other cell types.

Liquid biopsy: expanding the frontier of circulating biomarker discovery and validation in breast cancer.

Liquid biopsies represent an attractive, minimally-invasive alternative to surgical sampling or complex imaging of breast cancer and breast cancer metastasis. Here we present a summary of the major biomarker components often evaluated in liquid biopsy samples from patients with breast cancer, including circulating tumor cells, circulating cell-free tumor DNA, and cancer-associated plasma proteins. We discuss recent advancements in methods of detection and use of these biomarkers in breast cancer.

Paget's disease of the nipple in a Her2-positive breast cancer xenograft model.

Purpose: Paget's disease (PD) of the breast is an uncommon disease of the nipple usually accompanied by an underlying carcinoma, often HER2 + , and accounting for 0.5-5% of all breast cancer. To date, histogenesis of PD of the breast remains controversial, as two theories-transformation and epidermotropic-have been proposed to explain this disease.

Transcriptome sequencing and annotation of the halophytic microalga Dunaliella salina.

The unicellular green alga Dunaliella salina is well adapted to salt stress and contains compounds (including β-carotene and vitamins) with potential commercial value. A large transcriptome database of D. salina during the adjustment, exponential and stationary growth phases was generated using a high throughput sequencing platform.

Tumoral expression of drug and xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes in breast cancer patients of different ethnicities with implications to personalized medicine.

Drug and xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes (DXME) play important roles in drug responses and carcinogenesis. Recent studies have found that expression of DXME in cancer cells significantly affects drug clearance and the onset of drug resistance. In this study we compared the expression of DXME in breast tumor tissue samples from patients representing three ethnic groups: Caucasian Americans (CA), African Americans (AA), and Asian Americans (AS).

MAPK Activation Predicts Poor Outcome and the MEK Inhibitor, Selumetinib, Reverses Antiestrogen Resistance in ER-Positive High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer.

Purpose: Although 67% of high-grade serous ovarian cancers (HGSOC) express the estrogen receptor (ER), most fail antiestrogen therapy. Because MAPK activation is frequent in ovarian cancer, we investigated if estrogen regulates MAPK and if MEK inhibition (MEKi) reverses antiestrogen resistance.

Experimental Design: Effects of MEKi (selumetinib), antiestrogen (fulvestrant), or both were assayed in ER-positive HGSOC in vitro and in xenografts.

Identification of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Circulating Blood from Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer.

Metastasis is facilitated by cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) in the tumor microenvironment through mechanisms yet to be elucidated. In this study, we used a size-based microfilter technology developed by our group to examine whether circulating CAF identified by FAP and α-SMA co-expression (cCAF) could be distinguished in the peripheral blood of patients with metastatic breast cancer. In a pilot study of patients with breast cancer, we detected the presence of cCAFs in 30/34 (88%) patients with metastatic disease (MET group) and in 3/13 (23%) patients with localized breast cancer (LOC group) with long-term disease-free survival.

A novel MAPK-microRNA signature is predictive of hormone-therapy resistance and poor outcome in ER-positive breast cancer.

Purpose: Hyperactivation of ERK1/2 MAPK (hMAPK) leads to loss of estrogen receptor (ER) expression and poor outcome in breast cancer. microRNAs (miRNA) play important regulatory roles and serve as biomarkers of disease. Here, we describe molecular, pathologic, and clinical outcome associations of an hMAPK-miRNA expression signature in breast cancer.

A home-based pain management and rehabilitation programme: an evaluation.

We report on a comprehensive and intensive cognitive-behavioural treatment programme which is conducted by behavioural therapists working primarily in patients' homes. All 72 patients reported chronic pain, several previous attempts at traditional treatment and all patients had been vocationally disabled for over 2 years because of pain at the time of assessment. After an average of 5.

Comparative field water relations of four co-occurring chaparral shrub species.

The seasonal course of water relations was measured in the field in Adenostoma fasciculatum, Quercus dumosa, Ceanothus greggii, and Arctostaphylos glauca, four prominent members of the southern California chaparral vegetation. Ceanothus greggii and A. glauca developed similar seasonal patterns of minimum leaf water potentials, as estimated by xylem pressure measurements, which were much less negative than A.

A simulation model of plant water relations and production in the alpine tundra, Colorado.

A model to predict the daily courses of leaf resistance, leaf water potential, transpiration, leaf temperature and net photosynthesis based on soil-plant-atmosphere continuum and energy budget concepts is presented. The principle water relations parameters required by the model are the minimum leaf resistance, the response curves of leaf resistance to light, temperature, and leaf water potential, and the relationship between leaf water potential and water deficit. Predictions of the effects of changes in soil water potential on the daily patterns of leaf resistance, leaf water potential, leaf temperature, and net photosynthesis in an alpine climate are examined.