Toxicity Evaluation of Engineered Nanoparticles for Medical Applications Using Pulmonary Epithelial Cells The effects of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), silica, iron oxide and titanium dioxide nanoparticles were studied using human bronchial and alveolar epithelial cells. Scientists evaluated cytotoxicity, reactive oxygen species production and pro-inflammatory response in both cell lines. [Nanotoxicology] Abstract Intracellular Accumulation Dynamics and Fate of Zinc Ions in Alveolar Epithelial Cells Exposed to Airborne ZnO Nanoparticles at the Air-Liquid Interface To determine the precise intracellular accumulation dynamics and fate of zinc ions shed by airborne nanoparticles (NPs) in the cellular environment, researchers exposed alveolar epithelial cells to aerosolized NPs at the air-liquid interface. [Nanotoxicology] Abstract Hyperoxia Increases the Elastic Modulus of Alveolar Epithelial Cells Through Rho Kinase Scientists examined cytoskeletal structures in cultured murine lung alveolar epithelial cells under normoxic and hyperoxic conditions. They also measured cell elasticity using atomic force microscopy in the indenter mode. [FEBS J] Abstract Comparison of Tobacco-Containing and Tobacco-Free Waterpipe Products: Effects on Human Alveolar Cells Researchers compared the effects of smoke generated using tobacco-free and conventional tobacco-derived products on human alveolar cells. They found that smoke from both types of waterpipe products markedly reduced cell proliferation, caused cell cycle arrest at G0/G1, and increased cell doubling time. [Nicotine Tob Res] Abstract Expansive Generation of Functional Airway Epithelium from Human Embryonic Stem Cells Researchers reveal the potential of human embryonic stem cell to produce multipotent lung progenitors using a combined growth factor and physical culture approach, guided by the use of novel markers LIFRα and NRP1. [Stem Cells Transl Med] Abstract LUNG CANCER Targeting SOD1 Reduces Experimental Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Investigators report that inhibition of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) by the small molecule ATN-224 induced cell death in various non-small-cell lung cancer cells, including those harboring KRAS mutations. [J Clin Invest] Full Article | Press Release Cell-Autonomous and Non-Cell-Autonomous Mechanisms of Transformation by Amplified FGFR1 in Lung Cancer The 8p12 locus is frequently amplified in squamous-cell lung cancer. Researchers found that, in contrast to other recurrent amplifications, the 8p12 region included multiple centers of amplification, suggesting marked genomic heterogeneity. FGFR1-amplified tumor cells were dependent on FGFR ligands in vitro and in vivo. [Cancer Discov] Abstract Gambogic Acid Synergistically Potentiates Cisplatin-Induced Apoptosis in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer through Suppressing NF-κB and MAPK/HO-1 Signaling Scientists investigated whether gambogic acid (GA) would be synergistic with cisplatin (CDDP) against non-small-cell lung cancer. Cell viability results showed that sequential CDDP-GA treatment resulted in a strong synergistic action in A549, NCI-H460, and NCI-H1299 cell lines, whereas the reverse sequence and simultaneous treatments led to a slight synergistic or additive action. [Brit J Cancer] Abstract A Novel Compound RY10-4 Induces Apoptosis and Inhibits Invasion via Inhibiting STAT3 through ERK-, p38-Dependent Pathways in Human Lung Adenocarcinoma A549 Cells Treatment with RY10-4 inhibited the expression of pro-caspase-3, pro-caspase-9, Bcl-2 as well as phosphorylation of Signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (p-STAT3). It also reduced the expressions of matrix metalloproteinase-2, matrix metalloproteinase-9 and increases the expressions of reversion-inducing cysteine-rich protein with kazal motifs, as well as tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase via inhibiting STAT3 by activating the mitogen-activated protein kinases in A549 cells treated with RY10-4. [Chem Biol Interact] Abstract Activation of Peroxisomal Proliferator Activated Receptor (PPAR)α Is Beneficial for the Prevention and Treatment of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Researchers showed that targeting the formation of pro-angiogenic epoxyeicosatrienoic acids by the cytochrome P450 arachidonic acid epoxygenases represents a new and safe mechanism to treat non-small cell lung cancer growth and progression. [Cancer Res] Abstract |