Liver X receptors induce antiproliferative effects in basal-like breast cancer.

Liver X receptors (LXRs) are nuclear transcription factors important in the regulation of cholesterol transport, and glucose and fatty acid metabolism. The antiproliferative role of LXRs has been studied in a variety of malignancies and may represent a therapeutic opportunity in cancers lacking targeted therapies, such as triple-negative breast cancer. In this study, we investigated the impact of LXR agonists alone and in combination with carboplatin in preclinical models of breast cancer.

Breast cancer patient-derived explant cultures recapitulate drug responses.

Assessment of drug sensitivity in tumor tissue may significantly contribute to functional diagnostics to guide personalized treatment of cancer. Tumor organoid- and explant-cultures have become attractive tools towards this goal, although culturing conditions for breast cancer (BC) tissue have been among the most challenging to develop. Validation of possibilities to detect concordant responses in individual tumors and their respective cultures is still needed.

Novel human melanoma brain metastasis models in athymic nude fox1 mice: Site-specific metastasis patterns reflecting their clinical origin.

Background: Malignant melanomas frequently metastasize to the brain, but metastases in the cerebellum are underrepresented compared with metastases in the cerebrum.

Methods: We established animal models by injecting intracardially in athymic nude fox1 mice two human melanoma cell lines, originating from a cerebral metastasis (HM19) and a cerebellar metastasis (HM86).

Results: Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), metastases were first detected after a mean of 34.