Alveolar Epithelial Differentiation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells in a Rotating Bioreactor Induced pluripotent stem cell-derived type II pneumocytes as well as native isolated human type II pneumocytes were differentiated toward a type I phenotype using a unique air-liquid interface system that relies on a rotating apparatus that mimics in vivo respiratory conditions. [Biomaterials] Abstract TLR3 and MDA5 Signaling though Not Expression, Is Impaired in Asthmatic Epithelial Cells in Response to Rhinovirus Infection Researchers assessed the relative importance of pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs) in primary bronchial epithelial cells (pBEC) from healthy controls and asthmatics following rhinovirus infection and determined if deficient innate immune responses in asthmatic pBECs were due to abnormal signaling via these PRRs. [Clin Exp Allergy] Abstract Methemoglobin Induced Signaling and Chemokine Responses in Human Alveolar Epithelial Cells Researchers investigated the hypothesis that exposure of human alveolar epithelial cells to hemoglobin and its breakdown products regulates chemokine release via iron and oxidant mediated activation of the transcription factor NF-κB. [Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol] Abstract Moraxella catarrhalis Expresses a Cardiolipin Synthase that Impacts Adherence to Human Epithelial Cells Scientists discovered that M. catarrhalis expresses a cardiolipin synthase, termed MclS, that is responsible for the synthesis of cardiolipin within the bacterium. M. catarrhalis, which depends on adherence to epithelial cells for colonization of the human host, displays significantly reduced levels of adherence to HEp-2 and A549 cell lines in the mclS mutant strains compared to wild-type bacteria. [J Bacteriol] Abstract The ER Stress-Mediated Decrease in DDAH1 Expression Is Involved in Formaldehyde-Induced Apoptosis in Lung Epithelial Cells Scientists assessed the effect of formaldehyde (FA) on dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH) expression and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in A549 cells. They also investigated the preventive effect of DDAH overexpression on ER stress and apoptosis in FA-induced cell death. [Food Chem Toxicol] Abstract Protective Effect of Demethylation Treatment on Cigarette Smoke Extract-Induced Mouse Emphysema Model Researchers explored the effects of demethylation in a cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-induced mouse emphysema model. CSE significantly induced lung cell apoptosis and decreased lung function and lung mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase activity, which was mostly restored by 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine. [J Pharmacol Sci] Abstract | Full Article LUNG CANCER LHX6 Acts as a Novel Potential Tumor Suppressor with Epigenetic Inactivation in Lung Cancer The effects of LIM homeobox domain 6 (LHX6) expression on tumorigenesis were studied in vitro and in vivo. LHX6 was readily expressed in normal lung tissues without methylation, but was downregulated or silenced in lung cancer cell lines and tissues with hypermethylation status. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article Synergistic Inhibition of Lung Cancer Cell Lines by (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate in Combination with Clinically-Used Nitrocatechol Inhibitors of Catechol-O-Methyltransferase Scientists investigated the synergistic effects of entacapone/tolcapone and (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) against lung cancer cell lines in culture. EGCG, entacapone, and tolcapone inhibited the growth of H1299 human lung cancer cells and CL-13 murine lung cancer cells as single agents following treatment for 72 hours. [Carcinogenesis] Abstract Inhibition of ZNF746 Suppresses Invasion and Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition in H460 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells The role of ZNF746 in the invasion and epithelial to mesenchymal transition in H460 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells was investigated. Invasion assay showed that inhibition of ZNF746 using siRNA transfection inhibited the invasion of H460 NSCLC cells using a Boyden chamber. [Oncol Rep] Abstract SGOL1 Variant B Induces Abnormal Mitosis and Resistance to Taxane in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancers Scientists studied the role of Shugoshin-like 1 (SGOL1) and its splice variants in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using 82 frozen NSCLC tissue samples. SGOL1-B expression was prevalent in smokers, in cases with a wild-type EGFR status, and in cases with the focal copy number amplification of genes that are known to be important for defining the biological behaviors of NSCLC. [Sci Rep] Full Article Pluripotent Stem Cell Protein Sox2 Confers Sensitivity to LSD1 Inhibition in Cancer Cells Investigators showed that the expression of LSD1/KDM1 histone demethylase is significantly elevated in Sox2-expressing lung squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs). LSD1-specific inhibitors selectively impair the growth of Sox2-expressing lung SCCs, but not that of Sox2-negative cells. [Cell Rep] Abstract | Graphical Abstract |