E-Cigarette Affects the Metabolome of Primary Normal Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells Scientists assessed the changes of the intracellular metabolome upon treatment with e-cigarette liquid in comparison of the effect of cigarette smoke condensate with mass spectrometry and principal component analysis on air-liquid interface model of normal human bronchial epithelial cells. [PLoS One] Full Article Roflumilast Partially Reverses Smoke-Induced Mucociliary Dysfunction The authors showed that roflumilast can rescue smoke-induced mucociliary dysfunction by reversing decreased cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator activity, augmenting airway surface liquid volume, and stimulating ciliary beat frequency, the latter particularly in combination with formoterol. [Respir Res] Full Article Development of an In Vitro Test to Identify Respiratory Sensitizers in Bronchial Epithelial Cells Using Gene Expression Profiling To elucidate potential molecular effects of exposure of the epithelial lung barrier, a gene expression profile was created based on a DNA microarray experiment using the bronchial epithelial cell line 16HBE14o−. The cells were exposed to 12 respiratory sensitizers and 10 non-sensitizers. [Toxicol In Vitro] Abstract LUNG CANCER RASSF4 Is Downregulated in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and Inhibits Cancer Cell Proliferation and Invasion Scientists examined RASSF4 protein expression in normal lung epithelial cell line and lung cancer lines. They found that RASSF4 expression was downregulated in four of seven lung cancer cell lines compared with normal bronchial epithelial cells. [Tumor Biol] Abstract Rapamycin Inhibited the Function of Lung CSCs via SOX2 Investigators showed that rapamycin inhibited the mammalian target of rapamycin signal transduction in A549 cells and improved the sensitivity to cisplatin. The mechanisms involved inhibition of the SOX2 expression, cell proliferation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition phenotype, and sphere formation. [Tumor Biol] Abstract Effect of ABCG2/BCRP Expression on Efflux and Uptake of Gefitinib in NSCLC Cell Lines The authors indicate that gefitinib, in lung cancer cells, inhibits ABCG2 activity, as previously reported. In addition, they suggest that ABCG2 silencing or overexpression affects intracellular gefitinib content by modulating the uptake rather than the efflux. [PLoS One] Full Article Curcumin Improves the Efficacy of Cisplatin by Targeting Cancer Stem-Like Cells through p21 and Cyclin D1-Mediated Tumor Cell Inhibition in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cell Lines Scientists showed that curcumin enhanced the sensitivity of the double-positive cancer stem-like cell subpopulation in non-small cell lung cancer cell lines to cisplatin-induced apoptosis and inhibition of metastasis. [Oncol Rep] Abstract | Download Full Article β-Elemonic Acid Inhibits the Cell Proliferation of Human Lung Adenocarcinoma A549 Cells: The Role of MAPK, ROS Activation and Glutathione Depletion Researchers investigated the anticancer effects and the related molecular mechanisms of β-elemonic acid on human non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells. The effects of β-elemonic acid on the growth of A549 cells were studied using a 3-(4,5)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. [Oncol Rep] Abstract |