Featured Publications
Molecular differences between younger versus older ER-positive and HER2-negative breast cancers
Qing T, Karn T, Rozenblit M, Foldi J, Marczyk M, Shan N, Blenman K, Holtrich U, Kalinsky K, Meric-Bernstam F, Pusztai L. Molecular differences between younger versus older ER-positive and HER2-negative breast cancers. Npj Breast Cancer 2022, 8: 119. PMID: 36344517, PMCID: PMC9640562, DOI: 10.1038/s41523-022-00492-0.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchBreast cancerYounger patientsHER2-negative breast cancerNode-positive breast cancerNode-negative diseaseSame clinical featuresHigh mutation burdenLower mRNA expressionAdjuvant chemotherapyMicroarray cohortTAILORx trialOvarian suppressionOlder patientsPatient ageClinical featuresProliferation-related gene expressionScore 0Mutation burdenCopy number gainsOlder womenGATA3 mutationsAge groupsGene signatureMRNA expressionChemotherapyVitamin D compounds inhibit cancer stem-like cells and induce differentiation in triple negative breast cancer
Shan N, Wahler J, Lee H, Bak M, Gupta S, Maehr H, Suh N. Vitamin D compounds inhibit cancer stem-like cells and induce differentiation in triple negative breast cancer. The Journal Of Steroid Biochemistry And Molecular Biology 2016, 173: 122-129. PMID: 27923595, PMCID: PMC5459680, DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2016.12.001.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTriple-negative breast cancerVitamin D compoundsCancer stem-like cellsNegative breast cancerBreast cancerStem-like cellsVitamin DCancer stem cellsD compoundsGemini vitamin D analog BXL0124Early breast cancer preventionBreast cancer stem-like cellsBreast cancer stem cell maintenanceBasal-like breast cancerMammosphere cultureBreast cancer preventionCancer cellsCancer stem cell markersPotential preventive agentBreast cancer subtypesBreast cancer cell linesTriple-negative breast cancer cell linesSmooth muscle actinBreast cancer cellsStem-like propertiesBreast cancer stem cells: A review of their characteristics and the agents that affect them
Shan N, Shin Y, Yang G, Furmanski P, Suh N. Breast cancer stem cells: A review of their characteristics and the agents that affect them. Molecular Carcinogenesis 2021, 60: 73-100. PMID: 33428807, PMCID: PMC7855917, DOI: 10.1002/mc.23277.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsConceptsBreast cancer stem cellsCancer stem cellsBreast cancerCell surface markersCombination therapyTherapeutic effectNew tumorsEffective treatmentXenografted miceCancer developmentSurface markersSerial transplantationCancerPotential agentFurther studiesTranscription factorsTumorsStem cellsBiological effects
2024
Circulating tumor DNA fraction predicts residual cancer burden post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy in triple negative breast cancer
Shan N, Gould B, Wang X, Bonora G, Blenman K, Foldi J, Campos G, Walsh M, Du P, Pusztai L. Circulating tumor DNA fraction predicts residual cancer burden post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy in triple negative breast cancer. The Journal Of Liquid Biopsy 2024, 6: 100168. DOI: 10.1016/j.jlb.2024.100168.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchTriple negative breast cancerResidual cancer burdenCirculating tumor DNANegative breast cancerPathological responsePost-NACBreast cancerPlasma circulating tumor DNATriple negative breast cancer patientsResidual cancer burden scoreCirculating tumour DNA fractionPost-neoadjuvant chemotherapyPre-NAC samplesWeekly nab-paclitaxelTumor DNA methylation profilesTumor DNA fractionHot spot mutationsYouden's J statisticNab-paclitaxelPre-NACTumor variantsTumor DNATumor fractionClinical trialsDNA methylation profilesPhosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase-2 (PCK2) is a therapeutic target in triple-negative breast cancer
Gunasekharan V, Lin H, Marczyk M, Rios-Hoyo A, Campos G, Shan N, Ahmed M, Umlauf S, Gareiss P, Raaisa R, Williams R, Cardone R, Siebel S, Kibbey R, Surovtseva Y, Pusztai L. Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase-2 (PCK2) is a therapeutic target in triple-negative breast cancer. Breast Cancer Research And Treatment 2024, 208: 657-671. PMID: 39177932, DOI: 10.1007/s10549-024-07462-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMetabolic fluxTriple-negative breast cancerReduced metabolic fluxMDA-MB-231 cellsCell growth in vitroEnzyme assays in vitroMDA-MB-231Potential small molecule inhibitorsPyruvate carboxylaseGrowth in vitroSmall molecule inhibitorsIn silico screeningEnzyme assaysAssay in vitroEnzymatic assayCell lines in vitroEnzyme activityGrowth inhibitory activityBT-549Breast cancerIn vitro screeningBreast cell lines in vitroPhosphoenolpyruvateSignificant growth inhibitory activityLines in vitro
2018
Tocopherols inhibit estrogen-induced cancer stemness and OCT4 signaling in breast cancer
Bak M, Furmanski P, Shan N, Lee H, Bao C, Lin Y, Shih W, Yang C, Suh N. Tocopherols inhibit estrogen-induced cancer stemness and OCT4 signaling in breast cancer. Carcinogenesis 2018, 39: 1045-1055. PMID: 29846560, PMCID: PMC6067126, DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgy071.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsBreast cancer stem cellsBreast cancer developmentCancer stem cellsBreast cancerCancer stemnessTrefoil factorEffect of tocopherolCancer developmentSize of tumorspheresBreast cancer stemnessCell invasionStem cell-like propertiesPutative breast cancer stem cellsCell-like propertiesStem cellsStem cell markersAldehyde dehydrogenase activityMammary progenitor cellsEstrogen effectsProgesterone receptorTranscription factor 4Sex-determining region Y-boxInvasion markersRegion Y-boxTissue inhibitor