Pulmonary Cell News Volume 5.05 | Feb 11 2016

Toxicity of Wood Smoke Particles in Human A549 Lung Epithelial Cells: The Role of PAHs, Soot and Zinc
Scientists exposed A549 lung epithelial cells to collected wood smoke particles and found an increase in cellular reactive oxygen species as well as a response to bioavailable polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. [Arch Toxicol] Abstract

Impaired Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2-Related Factor 2 Expression Increases Apoptosis of Airway Epithelial Cells in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Due to Cigarette Smoking
Researchers compared nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) expression in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease subjects and control subjects, and determined the role of Nrf2 in protecting against oxidative stress-induced apoptosis. [BMC Pulm Med] Full Article

LUNG CANCER

Drosophila Lung Cancer Models Identify Trametinib plus Statin as Candidate Therapeutic
Scientists explored two hits: the MEK inhibitor trametinib and the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor fluvastatin. Combining drugs led to synergistic suppression of tumor formation and rescue lethality; similar synergy was observed in human A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells. [Cell Rep]
Full Article | Graphical Abstract | Press Release

SOX2 Suppresses CDKN1A to Sustain Growth of Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma
In order to identify highly consensus SOX2 downstream genes in lung squamous cell carcinoma (lung SCC) cells, scientists used RNA-seq data from 178 lung SCC specimens and analyzed the correlation between SOX2 and previously-reported SOX2-controlled genes in lung SCC. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Autophagy Regulates Resistance of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells to Paclitaxel
Researchers found that paclitaxel dose-dependently activated Beclin-1 in 2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines, A549 and Calu-3. Inhibition of autophagy significantly increased the paclitaxel-induced NSCLC cell death in a cell counting kit-8 assay. [Tumor Biol] Abstract

The Effects and Mechanisms of SLC34A2 on Tumorigenicity in Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Stem Cells
Scientists aimed to investigate biological function of SLC34A2 in regulating tumorigenicity of lung cancer stem cell-like cells and its underlying mechanisms. Their findings testified that CD166⁺ cells which were derived from fresh primary non-small cell lung cancer samples displayed stem cell-like features. [Tumor Biol] Abstract

siRNA-Induced TRAF6 Knockdown Promotes the Apoptosis and Inhibits the Invasion of Human Lung Cancer SPC-A1 Cells
The authors aimed to investigate the effect of siRNA-induced knockdown of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) on the biological behaviors of human lung cancer SPC-A1 cells. [Oncol Rep] Abstract

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Children’s Research Institute Develops Innovative Approach for Identifying Processes that Fuel Tumor Growth in Lung Cancer Patients
Scientists at the Children’s Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern have pioneered a new method for conducting in-depth research on malignant tumors in patients, in the process discovering new complexities underlying cancer biology and overturning a nearly century-old perception about cancer metabolism. [The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center] Press Release

Clinical Trial Offers New Drug Combo to Fight Lung Cancer
The Phase III clinical trial, called “Neptune,” compares a combination of two immune drugs with standard chemotherapy. It is one of the first clinical trials to test immune drugs as a first line treatment for lung cancer. [University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center] Press Release

TAGRISSO™ (Osimertinib) Approved in EU as First-in-Class Treatment for Patients with EGFR T790M Mutation-Positive Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
AstraZeneca announced that the European Commission has granted conditional marketing authorization for TAGRISSO™ 80mg once-daily tablets for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) T790M mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer. [AstraZeneca] Press Release

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Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Lung Cancer (Cornell University)

Research Associate – Lung Homeostasis, Regeneration and Injury Repair (University of Cambridge)

PhD Student Position – Asthma Research (Karolinska Institutet)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Lung Cancer Research (German Cancer Research Center)

Project Scientist – Pulmonary Fibrosis (Cedars Sinai Medical Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Bioinformatics RNA Biology & Cancer (German Cancer Research Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow/Research Associate – Cancer Therapy (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center)

Director Clinical Research – Medical Oncology (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Immunology (Research Centre for Respiratory Diseases)

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