Pulmonary Cell News Volume 5.16 | Apr 28 2016

The Vitronectin RGD Motif Regulates TGFβ Induced Alveolar Epithelial Cell Apoptosis
To determine the role of specific matrix proteins on TGFβ-induced apoptosis, the authors studied primary alveolar epithelial cells cultured on different matrix conditions and utilized mice with deletion of vitronectin or mice in which the vitronectin RGD motif is mutated to non-integrin binding RGE. [Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol] Abstract

Linocin and OmpW Are Involved in Attachment of the Cystic Fibrosis-Associated Pathogen Burkholderia cepacia Complex to Lung Epithelial Cells and Protect Mice against Infection
Scientists developed a new proteomics approach to identify bacterial proteins that are involved in the attachment of B. cepacia complex (Bcc) bacteria to lung epithelial cells. Fourteen proteins were reproducibly identified by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis from four Bcc strains representative of two Bcc species: B. cenocepacia, the most virulent, and B. multivorans, the most frequently acquired. [Infect Immun] Abstract

miR-125b Inhibits Goblet Cell Differentiation in Allergic Airway Inflammation by Targeting SPDEF
Expressions of miR-125b and SAM pointed domain-containing ETS transcription factor (SPDEF) in normal human tracheal epithelial and A549 cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide for 2 hours were detected by qRT-PCR and western blot. [Eur J Pharmacol] Abstract

LUNG CANCER

Artemisinin and Its Derivatives Can Significantly Inhibit Lung Tumorigenesis and Tumor Metastasis through Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling
Scientists used flow cytometry to show that artemisinin, dihydroartemisinin, and artesunate could inhibit the proliferation of A549 and H1299 cells by arresting cell cycle in G1 phase. Meanwhile, tumor malignancy including migration, invasion, cancer stem cells, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition were also significantly suppressed by these compounds. [Oncotarget] Full Article

Oncogenic ALK Regulates EMT in Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma through Repression of the Epithelial Splicing Regulatory Protein 1
Investigators found that the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-rearranged H2228 and DFCI032, but not the H3122, cell lines displayed a mesenchymal phenotype. In these cell lines, oncogenic ALK activity dictated an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype by directly suppressing E-cadherin and up-regulating vimentin expression, as well as expression of other genes involved in EMT. [Oncotarget] Abstract

Reciprocal Negative Regulation between EGFR and DEPTOR Plays an Important Role in the Progression of Lung Adenocarcinoma
A series of assays conducted in DEP domain-containing mTOR-interacting protein (DEPTOR) knockout or ectopic expression in A549 cells confirmed that DEPTOR inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion as well as the in vivo tumor growth of lung adenocarcinoma. [Mol Cancer Res] Abstract

Combined Inhibition of EZH2 and HDACs as a Potential Epigenetic Therapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells
Researchers determined the effects of co-treatment with 3-deazaneplanocin A and the histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. The co-treatment synergistically suppressed the proliferation of all tested NSCLC cell lines, regardless of their EGFR status. [Cancer Sci] Abstract

Regeneration of the Lung: Lung Stem Cells and the Development of Lung Mimicking Devices
In an effort to summarize the latest developments in the lung epithelial stem cell biology, the authors provide an overview of the current status of the field. [Respir Res] Full Article

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Celldex Therapeutics Initiates Phase I/II Study of Glembatumumab Vedotin in Squamous Cell Lung Cancer
Celldex Therapeutics, Inc. announced that it has initiated an open-label Phase I/II safety and tolerability study of glembatumumab vedotin in patients with unresectable stage IIIB or IV, gpNMB-expressing, advanced or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the lung, who have progressed on prior platinum-based chemotherapy. [Celldex Therapeutics, Inc.] Press Release

Queen’s University Belfast and Domainex Win Late-Stage Award to Progress Novel Lung Cancer Drug Candidate into the Clinic
Queen’s University Belfast and Domainex Ltd. announced that they have secured a late-stage award from the Wellcome Trust Seeding Drug Discovery scheme to advance therapeutic candidate molecules into clinical evaluation for treatment of non-small cell lung carcinoma. [Domainex Ltd.] Press Release

AbbVie to Expand Oncology Presence Through Acquisition of Stemcentrx and Its Novel, Late-Stage Rova-T Compound for Small Cell Lung Cancer
AbbVie announced that it will acquire Stemcentrx and its lead late-stage asset rovalpituzumab tesirine (Rova-T) currently in registrational trials for small cell lung cancer. [AbbVie Inc.] Press Release

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Senior Research Associate – Cell Biology (University College London)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cell Biology (University of Chicago)

Postdoctoral Research Associate – Cancer Research (University of Leicester)

Faculty Positions – Basic or Translational Research (Cleveland Clinic)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Pancreatic and Lung Cancer (University of California – San Francisco)

Postdoctoral Fellows – Cancer Research (National University of Singapore)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Genomics (Brigham & Women’s Hospital – Harvard Medical School)

Postdoctoral Positions – Tissue Repair/Inflammation (Institut Pasteur)

Postdoctoral Position or Research Scientist – Mucosal Immunology (Qu Biologics)

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

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