Cross-Talk between PKA-Cβ and p65 Mediates Synergistic Induction of PDE4B by Roflumilast and NTHi Researchers showed that roflumilast synergizes with nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi), a major bacterial cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation, to up-regulate phosphodiesterase 4B (PDE4B)2 expression in human airway epithelial cells in vitro and in vivo. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract | Full Article | Press Release The hsa-miR-125a/hsa-let-7e/hsa-miR-99b Cluster Is Potentially Implicated in Cystic Fibrosis Pathogenesis Using a cell based model, scientists analyzed whether expression of DeltaF508-cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) influences the expression of mature hsa-miR-99b, hsa-let-7e, and hsa-miR-125a. They found that hsa-miR-99b and hsa-miR-125a were significantly increased in DeltaF508-CFTR expressing cells. [J Cyst Fibros] Abstract Paraquat Induces Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition-Like Cellular Response Resulting in Fibrogenesis and the Prevention of Apoptosis in Human Pulmonary Epithelial Cells Researchers examined the possibility that epithelial-mesenchymal transition is involved in pulmonary fibrosis during paraquat (PQ) poisoning using A549 human alveolar epithelial cells in vitro. Short-term high-dose treatments with PQ induced cell death accompanied by the activation of caspase9 as well as a decrease in E-cadherin, suggesting apoptotic cell death with the features of anoikis. [PLoS One] Full Article LUNG CANCER PCAF-Primed EZH2 Acetylation Regulates Its Stability and Promotes Lung Adenocarcinoma Progression Scientists report that enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) is acetylated by acetyltransferase P300/CBP-associated factor and is deacetylated by deacetylase SIRT1. Functionally, EZH2 K348 acetylation enhances its capacity in suppression of the target genes and promotes lung cancer cell migration and invasion. [Nucleic Acids Res] Full Article The miR-200 Family and the miR-183~96~182 Cluster Target Foxf2 to Inhibit Invasion and Metastasis in Lung Cancers Scientists identified that the expression of microRNAs from the miR-200 family and the miR-183~96~182 cluster are significantly co-repressed in non-small cell lung cancer cell lines and primary tumors from multiple TCGA dataset with high epithelial-mesenchymal transition scores. [Oncogene] Abstract Chronic Inorganic Arsenic Exposure In Vitro Induces a Cancer Cell Phenotype in Human Peripheral Lung Epithelial Cells Researchers studied the ability of chronic inorganic arsenic exposure to induce a cancer phenotype in the immortalized, non-tumorigenic human lung peripheral epithelial cell line, HPL-1D. [Toxicol Appl Pharmacol] Abstract Chloroquine Enhances Gefitinib Cytotoxicity in Gefitinib-Resistant Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells Scientists investigated the involvement of autophagy in gefitinib resistance. They developed gefitinib-resistant cells (PC-9/gef) from PC-9 cells after long-term exposure in gefitinib. PC-9/gef cells were 200-fold more resistant to gefitinib than PC-9/wt cells. [PLoS One] Full Article Mitofusin-2 Over-Expresses and Leads to Dysregulation of Cell Cycle and Cell Invasion in Lung Adenocarcinoma Researchers investigated the impact of mitofusin-2 (MFN2) knockdown on A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells and showed that cell proliferation, cell cycle and invasion behavior were all deregulated by MFN2 knockdown. [Med Oncol] Abstract |