New prospects for targeting telomerase beyond the telomere
Nature Reviews Cancer 16, 508 (2016).
doi:10.1038/nrc.2016.55
Authors: Greg M. Arndt & Karen L. MacKenzie
Telomerase activity is responsible for the maintenance of chromosome end structures (telomeres) and cancer cell immortality in most human malignancies, making telomerase an attractive therapeutic target. The rationale for targeting components of the telomerase holoenzyme has been strengthened by accumulating evidence indicating that these molecules (Source: Nature Reviews Cancer)
Source: Nature Reviews Cancer - June 23, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Greg M. Arndt Karen L. MacKenzie Tags: Review Source Type: research
The role of myeloid cells in cancer therapies
Nature Reviews Cancer 16, 447 (2016).
doi:10.1038/nrc.2016.54
Authors: Camilla Engblom, Christina Pfirschke & Mikael J. Pittet
Recent clinical trials have demonstrated the ability to durably control cancer in some patients by manipulating T lymphocytes. These immunotherapies are revolutionizing cancer treatment but benefit only a minority of patients. It is thus a crucial time for clinicians, cancer scientists and immunologists to determine (Source: Nature Reviews Cancer)
Source: Nature Reviews Cancer - June 23, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Camilla EngblomChristina PfirschkeMikael J. Pittet Tags: Review Source Type: research
Epigenetics: Histone mutations reprogramme chondroblastoma
Nature Reviews Cancer 16, 411 (2016).
doi:10.1038/nrc.2016.70
Author: Sarah Seton-Rogers
Lysine-to-methionine mutations in histone H3.3 at position 36 (H3.3K36M) occur in >90% of chondroblastomas. Fang et al. found that the global reduction in H3K36 methylation observed in chondrocytes and chondroblastoma cells with H3.3K36M results from inhibition of the methyltransferases MMSET and NSD2 and SET (Source: Nature Reviews Cancer)
Source: Nature Reviews Cancer - June 23, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Sarah Seton-Rogers Tags: Research Highlight Source Type: research
Pancreatic cancer: Connecting obesity and cancer mechanistically
Nature Reviews Cancer 16, 411 (2016).
doi:10.1038/nrc.2016.69
Author: Sarah Seton-Rogers
How obesity worsens outcomes in pancreatic ductal adenoocarcinoma (PDAC) is not clear. Incio et al. showed that obesity promoted desmoplasia, increased tumour growth and impaired delivery of chemotherapy in mouse models of PDAC; these phenotypes were reversed by inhibition of angiotensin II receptor type (Source: Nature Reviews Cancer)
Source: Nature Reviews Cancer - June 23, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Sarah Seton-Rogers Tags: Research Highlight Source Type: research
Genetics: Transfer RNAs in the driver's seat
Nature Reviews Cancer 16, 411 (2016).
doi:10.1038/nrc.2016.68
Author: Anna Dart
Transfer RNAs (tRNAs) may not be silent partners in mRNA translation. Goodarzi et al. developed a high-throughput tRNA profiling method, which showed that specific tRNAs are upregulated in breast cancer cells with increased metastatic potential. Changing the tRNA expression landscape drives the stability and (Source: Nature Reviews Cancer)
Source: Nature Reviews Cancer - June 23, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Anna Dart Tags: Research Highlight Source Type: research
Metastasis: CXCR2-targeted therapy for pancreatic cancer
Nature Reviews Cancer 16, 411 (2016).
doi:10.1038/nrc.2016.67
Author: Anna Dart
Steele et al. found that C-X-C chemokine receptor type 2 (CXCR2) expression in neutrophils and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) at tumour borders correlates with poor prognosis in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Genetic ablation and inhibition of CXCR2 in PDAC mouse models reduced metastasis but (Source: Nature Reviews Cancer)
Source: Nature Reviews Cancer - June 23, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Anna Dart Tags: Research Highlight Source Type: research
Metastasis: Brain metastasis bridges the gap
Nature Reviews Cancer 16, 410 (2016).
doi:10.1038/nrc.2016.64
Author: Anna Dart
Cancer cells form CX43-based gap junctions with astrocytes via PCDH7 to promote brain metastatic outgrowth and chemoresistance. (Source: Nature Reviews Cancer)
Source: Nature Reviews Cancer - June 16, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Anna Dart Tags: Research Highlight Source Type: research
Genetics: Evading antitumour immunity
Nature Reviews Cancer 16, 410 (2016).
doi:10.1038/nrc.2016.65
Author: Bryony Jones
A recent article published in Nature describes a novel genetic mechanism of immune evasion in a number of cancers that is caused by structural variants (SVs) disrupting the 3′ regulatory region of programmed cell death ligand 1 (PDL1). (Source: Nature Reviews Cancer)
Source: Nature Reviews Cancer - June 16, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Bryony Jones Tags: Research Highlight Source Type: research
Neutrophils in cancer: neutral no more
Nature Reviews Cancer 16, 431 (2016).
doi:10.1038/nrc.2016.52
Authors: Seth B. Coffelt, Max D. Wellenstein & Karin E. de Visser
Neutrophils are indispensable antagonists of microbial infection and facilitators of wound healing. In the cancer setting, a newfound appreciation for neutrophils has come into view. The traditionally held belief that neutrophils are inert bystanders is being challenged by the recent literature. Emerging evidence indicates that (Source: Nature Reviews Cancer)
Source: Nature Reviews Cancer - June 9, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Seth B. CoffeltMax D. WellensteinKarin E. de Visser Tags: Review Source Type: research
RNA splicing factors as oncoproteins and tumour suppressors
Nature Reviews Cancer 16, 413 (2016).
doi:10.1038/nrc.2016.51
Authors: Heidi Dvinge, Eunhee Kim, Omar Abdel-Wahab & Robert K. Bradley
The recent genomic characterization of cancers has revealed recurrent somatic point mutations and copy number changes affecting genes encoding RNA splicing factors. Initial studies of these 'spliceosomal mutations' suggest that the proteins bearing these mutations exhibit altered splice site and/or exon recognition preferences relative to (Source: Nature Reviews Cancer)
Source: Nature Reviews Cancer - June 9, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Heidi DvingeEunhee KimOmar Abdel-WahabRobert K. Bradley Tags: Review Source Type: research
The isomerase PIN1 controls numerous cancer-driving pathways and is a unique drug target
Nature Reviews Cancer 16, 463 (2016).
doi:10.1038/nrc.2016.49
Authors: Xiao Zhen Zhou & Kun Ping Lu
Targeted drugs have changed cancer treatment but are often ineffective in the long term against solid tumours, largely because of the activation of heterogeneous oncogenic pathways. A central common signalling mechanism in many of these pathways is proline-directed phosphorylation, which is regulated by many kinases (Source: Nature Reviews Cancer)
Source: Nature Reviews Cancer - June 2, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Xiao Zhen ZhouKun Ping Lu Tags: Review Source Type: research
Epigenetics: Misdirecting methylation to drive oncogenesis
Nature Reviews Cancer 16, 410 (2016).
doi:10.1038/nrc.2016.61
Author: Elizabeth Zuccala
Lu et al. identify a potential mechanism driving chondroblastoma and sarcoma development in patients with lysine-to-methionine mutations in histone H3 at position 36 (H3K36M). (Source: Nature Reviews Cancer)
Source: Nature Reviews Cancer - June 2, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Elizabeth Zuccala Tags: Research Highlight Source Type: research
Tumorigenesis: Cancer goes tick tock
Nature Reviews Cancer 16, 409 (2016).
doi:10.1038/nrc.2016.60
Author: Anna Dart
Two new studies present novel insights into how cancer can control or be controlled by the body's circadian clock and suggest that chronotherapies could have a wider therapeutic impact. (Source: Nature Reviews Cancer)
Source: Nature Reviews Cancer - June 2, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Anna Dart Tags: Research Highlight Source Type: research
Mechanisms of human lymphoid chromosomal translocations
Nature Reviews Cancer 16, 387 (2016).
doi:10.1038/nrc.2016.40
Author: Michael R. Lieber
Analysis of chromosomal translocation sequence locations in human lymphomas has provided valuable clues about the mechanism of the translocations and when they occur. Biochemical analyses on the mechanisms of DNA breakage and rejoining permit formulation of detailed models of the human chromosomal translocation process in (Source: Nature Reviews Cancer)
Source: Nature Reviews Cancer - May 24, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Michael R. Lieber Tags: Review Source Type: research
Bone metastasis: the importance of the neighbourhood
Nature Reviews Cancer 16, 373 (2016).
doi:10.1038/nrc.2016.44
Authors: Peter I. Croucher, Michelle M. McDonald & T. John Martin
During the past decade preclinical studies have defined many of the mechanisms used by tumours to hijack the skeleton and promote bone metastasis. This has led to the development and widespread clinical use of bone-targeted drugs to prevent skeletal-related events. This understanding has also identified (Source: Nature Reviews Cancer)
Source: Nature Reviews Cancer - May 24, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Peter I. CroucherMichelle M. McDonaldT. John Martin Tags: Review Source Type: research
