Co-transfer of tumor-specific effector and memory CD8+ T cells enhances the efficacy of adoptive melanoma immunotherapy in a mouse model.

Background: Adoptive cell transfer (ACT) is a promising cancer immunotherapeutic strategy that remains ineffective for a large subset of patients. ACT with memory CD8+ T cells (T) has been shown to have superior efficacy compared to traditional ACT with effector CD8+ T cells (T). T and T have complementary physiological advantages for immunotherapy, but previous publications have not examined ACT using a combination of T and T.

RAD51 Mediates Resistance of Cancer Stem Cells to PARP Inhibition in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Introduction: PARP inhibitors have shown promising results in early studies for treatment of breast cancer susceptibility gene (BRCA)-deficient breast cancers; however, resistance ultimately develops. Furthermore, the benefit of PARP inhibitors (PARPi) in triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC) remains unknown. Recent evidence indicates that in TNBCs, cells that display "cancer stem cell" properties are resistant to conventional treatments, mediate tumor metastasis, and contribute to recurrence.

HER2 drives luminal breast cancer stem cells in the absence of HER2 amplification: implications for efficacy of adjuvant trastuzumab.

Although current breast cancer treatment guidelines limit the use of HER2-blocking agents to tumors with HER2 gene amplification, recent retrospective analyses suggest that a wider group of patients may benefit from this therapy. Using breast cancer cell lines, mouse xenograft models and matched human primary and metastatic tissues, we show that HER2 is selectively expressed in and regulates self-renewal of the cancer stem cell (CSC) population in estrogen receptor-positive (ER(+)), HER2(-) luminal breast cancers. Although trastuzumab had no effects on the growth of established luminal breast cancer mouse xenografts, administration after tumor inoculation blocked subsequent tumor growth.