Pulmonary Cell News Volume 5.41 | Oct 20 2016

TOP STORY

Association of Uba6-Specific-E2 (USE1) with Lung Tumorigenesis

UBA6-specific E2 conjugating enzyme 1 (USE1) expression was assessed in tumor-normal paired samples from 106 lung cancer patients by immunoblot. USE1 was stably overexpressed and knocked down in lung cancer cell lines to evaluate cell proliferation, colony formation, and invasion. [J Natl Cancer Inst] Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Agonist Attenuates ILC2-Dependent Airway Hyperreactivity

The authors showed that engagement of a specific agonist with α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor on type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) reduces ILC2 effector function and represses ILC2-dependent airway hyperreactivity, while decreasing expression of ILC2 key transcription factor GATA-3 and critical inflammatory modulator NF-κB, and reducing phosphorylation of upstream kinase IKKα/β. [Nat Commun] Full Article

A Novel Microbe-Based Treatment that Attenuates the Inflammatory Profile in a Mouse Model of Allergic Airway Disease

Researchers tested the ability of a novel inactivated microbe-derived therapeutic based on Klebsiella in a model of allergic airway disease in mice. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Rac1 Modulates Mammalian Lung Branching Morphogenesis in Part through Canonical Wnt Signaling

Investigators showed that Rac1 modulates both non-canonical and canonical Wnt signaling, important pathways in lung branching morphogenesis. Culture of embryonic mouse lung explants in the presence of the Rac1 inhibitor (NSC23766) resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in branching. Increased cell death and BrdU uptake were notably seen in the mesenchyme, while no direct effect on the epithelium was observed. [Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol] Abstract | Press Release

Aqueous Extract of Gumiganghwal-Tang, a Traditional Herbal Medicine, Reduces Pulmonary Fibrosis by Transforming Growth Factor-β1/Smad Signaling Pathway in Murine Model of Chronic Asthma

Scientists investigated the protective effects of a Gumiganghwal-tang aqueous extract against airway inflammation and pulmonary fibrosis using a mouse model of chronic asthma. [PLoS One] Full Article

The Ser82 RAGE Variant Affects Lung Function and Serum RAGE in Smokers and SRAGE Production In Vitro

Scientists characterized RAGE expression in the lung, identified advanced glycation end product receptor AGER transcripts, ascertained if SNP rs2070600 (Gly82Ser C/T) was associated with lung function and serum sRAGE levels and identified whether the Gly82Ser variant is functionally important in altering sRAGE levels in an airway epithelial cell model. [PLoS One] Full Article

LUNG CANCER

Cytoplasmic Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Regulates Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 Beta, Accelerates Vimentin Degradation, and Suppresses Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells

Analysis of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR)-expression levels in non-small cell lung cancer cell lines and lung cancer tissues revealed an inverse correlation between AHR protein levels and tumor cell invasion and metastasis. Overexpression of wild-type AHR in H1299 cells (AHR poorly expressed, potently invasive) not only accelerated mesenchymal vimentin degradation, but also prevented cell invasion in vitro and in vivo. [Arch Toxicol] Full Article

ZNF32 Contributes to the Induction of Multidrug Resistance by Regulating TGF-β Receptor 2 Signaling in Lung Adenocarcinoma

Investigators hypothesized that zinc finger protein 32 (ZNF32) might enable the tolerance of cancer cells to anti-tumor drugs because higher ZNF32 expression has been found in cancer tissues and in drug-resistant lung adenocarcinoma (AC) cells. They found that ZNF32 is upregulated by specificity protein 1 in response to drug treatment and that ZNF32 promotes drug resistance and protects AC cells against cisplatin or gefitinib treatment. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

MicroRNA-574-5p Promotes Metastasis of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer by Targeting PTPRU

Scientists found that miR-574-5p and miR-874 were overexpressed in patients with metastatic advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) but not in patients with non-metastatic advanced NSCLC. [Sci Rep] Full Article

STAT3-Targeted Treatment with Silibinin Overcomes the Acquired Resistance to Crizotinib in ALK-Rearranged Lung Cancer

Using a model of anaplastic lymphoma kinase gene (ALK)-translocated non–small-cell lung cancer with acquired resistance to the ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitor crizotinib, but lacking amplifications or mutations in the kinase domain of ALK, the authors herein present evidence that signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) activation is a novel mechanism of crizotinib resistance that involves the upregulation of immune escape and epithelial to mesenchymal transition signaling pathways. [Cell Cycle] Abstract

Differential miRNA Expression in Pleural Effusions Derived from Extracellular Vesicles of Patients with Lung Cancer, Pulmonary Tuberculosis, or Pneumonia

The miRNA expression patterns for three kinds of pleural effusions that were obtained from patients with pneumonia, pulmonary tuberculosis, and lung cancer were detected with high-throughput sequencing. [Tumor Biol] Abstract

Mechanisms of Lung Aging

The authors review cellular changes occurring with advancing age in general and in several cell types of the lung as well as of the immune system. [Cell Tissue Res] Abstract

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the pulmonary cell research field.

Cynata’s MSC Technology Demonstrates Significant Efficacy in Preclinical Asthma Study

Cynata Therapeutics Limited announced that it has received compelling data from a proof of concept study of its Cymerus™ mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in an experimental model of asthma. [Cynata Therapeutics Limited] Press Release

FDA Approves Genentech’s Cancer Immunotherapy Tecentriq^® (Atezolizumab) for People with a Specific Type of Metastatic Lung Cancer

Genentech, Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved TECENTRIQ^® for the treatment of people with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer who have disease progression during or following platinum-containing chemotherapy, and have progressed on an appropriate FDA-approved targeted therapy if their tumor has EGFR or ALK gene abnormalities. [Genentech Inc.] Press Release

Europe’s Drug Regulator Opens Vaults of Clinical-Trials Data

In a move lauded as a landmark for transparency in medical science, the London-based European Medicines Agency (EMA) has begun to publish details of the full clinical-trial data that it receives from pharmaceutical companies. The disclosures make the EMA the first major drug regulatory agency to publish the warts-and-all results of clinical investigations that drug developers submit when they apply for the agency’s approval to market medicines in the EU. [Nature News] Editorial

Reports of ‘Three-Parent Babies’ Multiply

Claims of infants created using mitochondrial-replacement techniques stir scientific and ethical debate. [Nature News] Editorial

How Republicans Reshaped the House Science Committee

Lamar Smith has made his mark on science. As chairman of the US House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, the Texas Republican has launched dozens of investigations into alleged wrongdoing by scientists, environmental groups and government officials. And he shows no signs of slowing down. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW Keystone Symposium: Injury, Inflammation and Fibrosis
March 26-30, 2017
Snowbird, Utah, United States

Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.

NEW Research Fellow(s) – Pulmonary Research (Imperial College London)

Postdoctoral Position – Virus-Induced Lung Repair (Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research)

Associate/Full Professor – Various Projects (University of California, San Francisco)

Postdoctoral Training Fellow, Lung Cancer and Drug Resistance (Institute of Cancer Research)

Professor Position – Pulmonary Cell Research (University of Pennsylvania)

Postdoctoral Research Fellowship – Lung Disease (Johns Hopkins University)

Scientist/Senior Scientist – Nanoparticle Research and Drug Delivery (Moderna Therapeutics)

Chair in Medical Biology – Head of the Department of Biology (Masaryk University)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Directed Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells into Lung and Airway Epithelial Cells (Columbia University Medical Center)

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

Recruit Top Talent: Reach potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.

Have we missed an important article or publication in Pulmonary Cell News? Click here to submit!

Comments or suggestions? Submit your feedback here.