Sorafenib Ameliorates Bleomycin-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis: Potential Roles in the Inhibition of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Fibroblast Activation Scientists evaluated the antifibrotic effects of sorafenib on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. They further demonstrated that sorafenib not only profoundly inhibited transforming growth factor-β1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in alveolar epithelial cells, but also simultaneously reduced the proliferation and collagen synthesis in fibroblasts. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article Caveolin-1 Controls Airway Epithelial Barrier Function: Implications for Asthma Scientists studied expression of caveolin-1 and adhesion molecules E-cadherin and β-catenin in airway sections and cultured bronchial epithelial cells from asthma patients and healthy controls. Membrane expression of caveolin-1 was significantly lower in airway epithelium from asthma patients than non-asthmatics, which was maintained in vitro upon air-liquid interface and submerged culture. [Am J Resp Cell Mol] Abstract CFTR Is Expressed in Mucin Granules from Calu-3 and Primary Human Airway Epithelial Cells Researchers showed that CFTR and MUC5AC are both present in single mucin-containing granules isolated from a human airway epithelial cell line and from highly differentiated airway primary cell cultures. [Am J Resp Cell Mol] Abstract Influenza A Infection of Primary Human Airway Epithelial Cells Up-Regulates Proteins Related to Purine Metabolism and Ubiquitin-Related Signaling Investigators analyzed quantitative host protein alterations in nuclei-enriched fractions from multiple primary human bronchial airway epithelial cells infected by an H1N1 influenza A virus. [J Proteome Res] Abstract Platelet Derived Growth Factor-A and Sonic Hedgehog Signaling Direct Lung Fibroblast Precursors during Alveolar Septal Formation Researchers examined lung fibroblasts (LF) to learn whether platelet-derived growth factor-receptor alpha-expression distinguished a population of precursor cells, with enhanced proliferative and migratory capabilities. They identified a sub-population of LF which expresses sonic hedgehog and stem cell antigen-1. [Am J Physio-Lung C] Abstract LUNG CANCER ARF Inhibits the Growth and Malignant Progression of Non-Small-Cell Lung Carcinoma KRAS and other oncogenes induce the expression of ARF, thus stabilizing p53 activity and arresting cell proliferation. To address the role of ARF in Kras-driven non-small-cell lung carcinoma, scientists compared the susceptibility of NIH/Ola strain wild-type and Arf-knockout mice to urethane-induced lung carcinogenesis. [Oncogene] Abstract Chromogenic In Situ Hybridization Is a Reliable Assay for Detection of ALK Rearrangements in Adenocarcinomas of the Lung Researchers validated a newly developed anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) assay by comparing fluorescent in situ hybridization and CISH signal patterns in lung cancer samples with and without ALK rearrangements. [Modern Pathol] Abstract Ratiometric and Absolute Water-Soluble Fluorescent Tripodal Zinc Sensor and Its Application in Killing Human Lung Cancer Cells A new “naked-eye” and ratiometric fluorescent zinc sensor of carboxamidoquinoline with 2-chloro-N-(quinol-8-yl)-acetamide as a receptor was designed and synthesized. The human lung cancer cell line (A549) activity was also demonstrated. [Analyst] Abstract Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon-Induced Signaling Events Relevant to Inflammation and Tumorigenesis in Lung Cells Are Dependent on Molecular Structure The authors used an isomeric pair of low molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, namely 1-Methylanthracene (1-MeA) and 2-Methylanthracene (2-MeA), in which only 1-MeA possessed a bay-like region, and hypothesized that 1-MeA, but not 2-MeA, would affect non-genotoxic endpoints relevant to tumor promotion in murine C10 lung cells, a non-tumorigenic type II alveolar pneumocyte and progenitor cell type of lung adenocarcinoma. [PLoS One] Full Article In Vitro and In Vivo Properties of CD133 Expressing Cells from Human Lung Cancer Cell Lines From various cancer tissues or cancer cell lines, CD133 expressing cells were found to define a unique cancer stem cells/tumor-initiating cells phenotype. To study whether that also could be the case in lung cancer, researchers examined different lung cancer cell lines for CD133 expression. [Exp Hematol Oncol] Abstract | Full Article |