Pulmonary Cell News Volume 4.21 | Jun 4 2015

Particulate Matter from Both Heavy Fuel Oil and Diesel Fuel Shipping Emissions Show Strong Biological Effects on Human Lung Cells at Realistic and Comparable In Vitro Exposure Conditions
Through an air-liquid interface exposure system, researchers exposed human lung cells under realistic in vitro conditions to exhaust fumes from a ship engine running on either common heavy fuel oil or cleaner-burning diesel fuel. [PLoS One] Full Article

Pseudomonas aeruginosa Reduces VX-809 Stimulated F508del-CFTR Chloride Secretion by Airway Epithelial Cells
F508del-CFBE cells and primary cultures of cystic fibrosis-human bronchial epithelial cells were exposed to VX-809 alone or a combination of VX-809 + VX-770 for 48 hours and the effect of P. aeruginosa on F508del-CFTR Cl secretion was measured in Ussing chambers. [PLoS One] Full Article

Study of Gaseous Benzene Effects upon A549 Lung Epithelial Cells Using a Novel Exposure System
The authors tested the feasibility of an in vitro model to study the short-term effects of exposure of lung cells to airborne benzene. They studied the effects of exposure on DNA and the production of reactive oxygen species in A549 cells, exposed to various concentrations of benzene in gaseous form using a custom designed cell exposure chamber. [Toxicol Lett] Abstract

Alternaria Extract Activates Autophagy that Induces IL-18 Release from Airway Epithelial Cells
Researchers investigated the underlying mechanisms involved in IL-18 release from alternaria extract (ALT-E)-stimulated airway epithelial cells. Normal human bronchial epithelial cells and A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells were stimulated with ALT-E in the presence of different inhibitors of autophagy or caspases. [Biochem Biophys Res Commun] Abstract

LUNG CANCER

LPP Inhibits Collective Cell Migration during Lung Cancer Dissemination
Researchers showed that lipoma preferred partner (LPP) degraded N-cadherin in lung cancer, PC14PE6 cells via regulating the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 15, and loss-of-LPP increases collective cell migration and dissemination consequently. [Oncogene] Abstract

Inflammation-Induced Radioresistance Is Mediated by ROS-Dependent Inactivation of Protein Phosphatase 1 in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells
Activation of the inflammation response by lipopolysaccharide decreased the degree of radiosensitivity in NCI-H460 cells, but had no effect in A549 cells. [Apoptosis] Abstract

LKB1 Gene Inactivation Does Not Sensitize Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells to mTOR Inhibitors In Vitro
Investigators examined the effect of LKB1 gene status on mTOR inhibitor responses in non-small cell lung cancer cells. [Acta Pharmacol Sin] Abstract

An Important Role for Peroxiredoxin II in Survival of A549 Lung Cancer Cells Resistant to Gefitinib
Researchers determined the expression levels of peroxiredoxins (Prxs), antioxidant enzymes in drug-resistant non-small cell lung carcinoma cells. Prx II was remarkably increased only in A549/GR cells compared with A549 cells, consistent with methylation/demethylation. [Exp Mol Med] Full Article

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Foundation Medicine Identifies Patients Likely to Respond to Certain MET Inhibitor Targeted Therapies; Durable Responses in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Presented
Foundation Medicine, Inc. announced new data demonstrating the role of MET exon 14 alterations as drivers of growth of NSCLC, resulting in the identification of a unique subset of patients likely to benefit from certain MET inhibitor targeted therapies. [Press release from Foundation Medicine, Inc. discussing research presented at the 2015 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, Chicago] Press Release

ARIAD Presents Updated Clinical Data on Brigatinib in Patients with ALK⁺ Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced updated clinical data on its investigational tyrosine kinase inhibitor, brigatinib, in patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase positive (ALK⁺) advanced non-small cell lung cancer from an ongoing Phase I/II trial. [Press release from ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. discussing research presented at the 2015 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, Chicago] Press Release

Initial Data from Ongoing Expansion Study of MGCD265 Show Preliminary Evidence of Clinical Efficacy in Heavily Pretreated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Patients with MET Gene Alterations
Mirati Therapeutics, Inc. presented data that demonstrated preliminary evidence of clinical activity from its investigational targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor candidate, MGCD265, as part of the developmental therapeutics category. [Press release from Mirati Therapeutics, Inc. discussing research presented at the 2015 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, Chicago] Press Release

Exelixis Announces Positive Results from Phase II Trial of Cabozantinib in Patients with EGFR Wild-Type Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Exelixis, Inc. announced positive results from a Phase II clinical study evaluating cabozantinib as a treatment for EGFR wild-type non-small cell lung cancer. [Press release from Exelixis, Inc. discussing research presented at the 2015 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, Chicago] Press Release

Opdivo (Nivolumab) Demonstrates Superior Survival Compared to Standard of Care (Docetaxel) for Previously-Treated Squamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer in Phase III Trial
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company announced results from CheckMate -017, a Phase III, open-label, randomized study evaluating Opdivo versus docetaxel in previously treated patients with advanced squamous non-small cell lung cancer. [Press release from Bristol-Myers Squibb Company discussing research presented at the 2015 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, Chicago] Press Release

Transgene Announces Positive New Results from Phase IIb TIME Trial with TG4010 Immunotherapy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Transgene SA announced the presentation of new data from the Phase IIb part of the TIME trial with the TG4010 MUC1 targeted immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer. [Press release from Transgene SA discussing research presented at the 2015 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, Chicago] Press Release

Savolitinib (AZD6094) Preliminary Phase Ib Clinical Data in Lung Cancer Presented
Hutchison China MediTech Limited announced that AstraZeneca AB, Hutchison MediPharma Limited’s collaboration partner, presented preliminary data from the ongoing Phase Ib clinical trial of HMP’s c-Met inhibitor savolitinib combined with AstraZeneca’s drug candidate AZD9291 in non-small cell lung cancer. [Press release from Hutchison China MediTech Limited discussing research presented at the 2015 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, Chicago] Press Release

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FDA Accepts Supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for KEYTRUDA^® (pembrolizumab), Merck’s Anti-PD-1 Therapy, in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, and Grants Priority Review
Merck announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for review the sBLA for Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy, KEYTRUDA^®, for the treatment of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer whose disease has progressed on or after platinum-containing chemotherapy and an FDA-approved therapy for EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations, if present. [Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp] Press Release

National Institutes of Health (United States)

Food and Drug Administration (United States)

Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (United States)

European Medicines Agency (European Union)

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (United Kingdom)

Therapeutic Goods Administration (Australia)

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Scientist – Pluripotent Stem Cell Biology Endoderm Lineages (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Scientist I/II – Fibrosis/Oncology/Inflammation Biology (Gilead Sciences)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Lung Tumor Microenvironment (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Medical Professional – Molecular Genetic Pathology (Paris Est Créteil)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Lung Transplant Immunology (Washington University)

Research Group Leader – Epigenetics and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (BioMed X Innovation Center)

Senior PostDoc/Research Group Leader – Chronic Lung Disease (Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Vascular Research)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Systems Biology (Van Andel Research Institute)

Postdoctoral Research Position – Lung Cancer (University of California, San Francisco)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Pulmonary Developmental Pathology (Drexel University College of Medicine)

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