Method of reducing the number of EMT and MET type breast cancer stem cells

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9352039-B2
Application number	US-201314376923-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 8, 2013
Priority date	Feb 9, 2012
Publication date	May 31, 2016
Grant date	May 31, 2016

Abstract

Compositions, kits, and methods for therapeutic screening, diagnostics, and cancer treatment based on the identification or use of the different states of cancer stem cells, including cancer stem cells in the EMT (epithelial to mesenchymal transition) MET (mesenchymal to epithelial transition), and EMT-MET states are disclosed. In some methods, a subject is treated with one therapeutic that targets EMT cancer stem cells and a second therapeutic that targets MET cancers stem cells. In certain methods, the different states of cancer stem cells are distinguished based on markers CD44+CD24−, EpCam−CD49P+ (for EMT cancers stem cells), ALDH+ and EPCam+CD49r− (for MET cancers stem cells), and CD44+CD24−ALDH+ (for EMT-MET cancer stem cells). In particular methods, micro RNAs are used to transition to one particular cancer stem cell type (e.g., mir-100 for EMT and mir-93 for MET).

First claim

We claim:

1. A method of reducing the number of EMT and MET type breast cancer stem cells in a subject with said EMT and MET type breast cancer stem cells comprising co-administering to said subject an effective amount of:
a) a first therapeutic agent directed against EMT type cancer stem cells, wherein said first therapeutic agent comprises an IL6R antibody, and
b) a second therapeutic agent directed against MET type cancer stem cells, wherein said second therapeutic agent comprises an anti-Her2 antibody, and
wherein the number of both said EMT and said MET type breast cancer stem cells in said subject are reduced.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said subject comprises bulk breast cancer cells that are not breast cancer stem cells, and wherein the method further comprises co-administering a third therapeutic agent to said subject, wherein said third therapeutic agent is capable of killing or inhibiting said bulk breast cancer cells, and wherein the number of said bulk breast cancer cells is reduced.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first therapeutic agent comprises tociluzumab.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said second therapeutic agent comprises trastuzumab.

Assignees

• Univ Michigan

Inventors

• Liu Suling
• Wicha Max S

Classifications

• G01N33/5758

  involving compounds serving as markers for tumours, cancers or neoplasias, e.g. cellular determinants, receptors, heat shock/stress proteins, A-protein, oligosaccharides or metabolites · CPC title

• A61K39/0011

  Cancer antigens · CPC title

• C12N2310/113

  targeting other non-coding nucleic acids, e.g. antagomirs · CPC title

• C12N15/1135

  against oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes · CPC title

• A61K2039/5154

  Antigen presenting cells [APCs], e.g. dendritic cells or macrophages · CPC title