American Association for Cancer Research

January 1 Cancer Research Highlights

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Selected Articles from the January 1, 2008 Issue

The articles referenced in this Highlights section will be available online in HTML and PDF formats to all interested users at no charge until the next issue of Cancer Research is published. Click on the article title to view the complete article.

View the Table of Contents for the January 1 issue of Cancer Research.


MicroRNA Expression Profiles for Esophageal Cancer

Guo et al.

Page 26

By examining 133 cancerous lesions and adjacent normal tissues of the esophagus, Guo and colleagues defined high expression of the microRNA (miRNA) hsa-miR-103/107 as a predictive correlate of poor survival. Additionally, they constructed a classifier signature of seven miRNAs that could distinguish malignant esophageal cancer lesions from adjacent normal tissues. These results provide evidence that simple miRNA expression profiles determined by RT-PCR can be used as diagnostic and prognostic markers of esophageal cancer. 
 

Microenvironment Signature in Bronchial Lavage May Identify Lung Cancer

Stearman et al.

Page 34

Stearman et al. Early detection of lung cancer may save lives. Using a microarray strategy, Stearman and colleagues report an expression profile of “Field Effect” genes that might be used to identify lung cancer by analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells. This expression profile, which is attributable to tumor-associated macrophages, was obtained through investigations of the tumor microenvironment in the mouse-urethane model of human lung adenocarcinoma. It correctly classified microarray datasets from BAL cells in the mouse model, and mRNA and protein levels of the Field Effect genes were validated in cells and cell-free fluid. The results suggest a method to screen high-risk, asymptomatic individuals for the presence of occult lung cancers.  


Novel ETS Oncogene Family Fusions in Prostate Cancer

Helgeson et al.

Page 73

Gene fusions involving oncogenic ETS transcription factors have been identified in a large fraction of prostate cancers. Helgeson and colleagues have now identified ETV5 as an ETS family member involved in recurrent gene rearrangements in prostate cancer. Cases identified as TMPRSS2:ETV5 or SLC45A3:ETV5 fusions were confirmed by quantitative PCR and FISH analyses. Overexpression promoted invasion in benign immortalized prostatic epithelial cells and expression profiling confirmed the induction of an invasive transcriptional program. These findings suggest that, as a group, ETS family members make numerous rare gene fusion permutations in prostate cancer. 


Paxillin Mutations in Lung Cancer

Jagadeeswaran et al.

Page 132

Paxillin is an important actin-binding protein that localizes to focal adhesions and interacts with the Src, BCR/ABL, and papilloma virus E6 oncoproteins. Jagadeeswaran and colleagues have now identified somatic mutations of paxillin in lung cancer. The most frequent mutation identified in paxillin, A127T, was found to enhance stress fiber formation and Bcl-2 association along with cell growth, survival, and invasion. Paxillin alterations were also found to affect angiogenesis in lung cancer xenografts. These findings suggest an important role for paxillin in the pathophysiology of lung cancer, also offering a possible therapeutic target for this disease. 


Engineering a Pan PI3K Inhibitor to Target Tumor Vasculature

Garlich et al.

Page 206

Garlich et al.The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway is among the most frequently activated pathways in human cancer. Validation of PI3K as a therapeutic target remains incomplete in part because of the lack of a clinically viable small molecule inhibitor. Garlich and colleagues have described the engineering of a widely known pan PI3K inhibitor, LY294002, into a water-soluble, vascular-targeted, and clinically applicable prodrug termed SF1126. The results suggest that SF1126 may be applicable for phase I clinical trials. SF1126 may support a new paradigm for cancer treatment based upon the use of pan PI3K inhibitory prodrugs. 


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