Pulmonary Cell News 6.04 February 2, 2017 | |
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TOP STORYNeutrophils Dominate the Immune Cell Composition in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Investigators used a flow cytometry panel capable of measuring 51 immune cell populations to comprehensively identify the immune cell composition and function in non-small-cell lung cancer. The results showed that the immune cell composition is fundamentally different in lung adenocarcinoma as compared with lung squamous cell carcinoma, and that neutrophils are the most prevalent immune cell type. [Nat Commun] Full Article | |
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PUBLICATIONS(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)Researchers showed that human basal stem cells (BSCs) isolated from heavy smokers proliferate extensively, whereas their alveolar progenitor cell counterparts have limited colony-forming capacity. They demonstrated that this difference arises in part because of the ability of BSCs to repair their DNA more efficiently than alveolar cells following ionizing radiation or chemical-induced DNA damage. [PLoS Biol] Full Article | Press Release | Video Elevated GDF-15 Contributes to Pulmonary Inflammation upon Cigarette Smoke Exposure Scientists analyzed the pulmonary expression of growth differentiation factor (GDF)-15 in smokers and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, in cigarette smoke (CS)-exposed cultures of primary human bronchial epithelial cells, and in CS-exposed mice. They then exposed GDF-15 KO and control mice to air or CS and evaluated pulmonary inflammation. [Mucosal Immunol] Abstract Researchers found that diesel exhaust (DE) alone induced an increase in markers of oxidative stress and of the integrated stress response in cells from both COPD patients and controls. Exposure of COPD cultures to DE followed by H. influenzae (NTHi) caused an additive increase in GADD34 expression. DE caused an inhibition of the NTHi-induced expression of the antimicrobial peptide S100A7, and of the chaperone protein HSP5A/BiP. [Respir Res] Full Article The authors found TNF-α activated the WNT/β-catenin pathway in BEAS-2B human bronchial epithelial cells. Levels of phospho-LRP6, Dvl-2, and phospho-GSK-3β were elevated, while that of Axin was reduced by TNF-α treatment. [Biochem Biophys Res Commun] Abstract LUNG CANCERKEAP1 Loss Modulates Sensitivity to Kinase Targeted Therapy in Lung Cancer To understand intrinsic and acquired resistance to inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling, investigators performed CRISPR-Cas9 gene deletion screens in the setting of BRAF, MEK, EGFR, and ALK inhibition. Loss of KEAP1, a negative regulator of NFE2L2/NRF2, modulated the response to BRAF, MEK, EGFR, and ALK inhibition in BRAF–, NRAS–, KRAS–, EGFR–, and ALK–mutant lung cancer cells. [eLife] Full Article Researchers investigated the effect of JQ1, a novel BET bromodomain inhibitor, on tumor cell radiosensitivity of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in vitro and in vivo. Their results demonstrated that JQ1 significantly enhanced the effect of irradiation in NSCLC cell lines through a c-myc-independent mechanism. [Cancer Lett] Abstract Investigators report a novel chemoresistance mechanism involving histone H4 expression. Extended from their previous studies showing that concurrent blockage of the NF-κB and Akt signaling pathways sensitizes lung cancer cells to cisplatin-induced apoptosis, they found that knockdown of Akt1 and the NF-κB-activating kinase IKKβ cooperatively downregulated histone H4 expression, which increased cisplatin-induced apoptosis in lung cancer cells. [Sci Rep] Full Article The authors found that expression of small nucleolar RNA host gene 1 (SNHG1) was up-regulated in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues and cell lines. NSCLC patients with high SNHG1 expression were significantly correlated with larger tumor size, advanced TNM stage, lymph node metastasis and poor overall survival than patients with low SNHG1 expression. [Oncotarget] Full Article Scientists revealed that zinc can suppress stem cell properties of lung cancer cells. Such findings were proved in different lung cancer cell lines and it was found that cancer stem cell markers, stem cell-associated transcription factors, and the ability to form tumor spheroid were dramatically suppressed by zinc treatments. [Am J Physiol Cell Physiol] Abstract | |
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REVIEWSMitochondria in the Spotlight of Aging and Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis The authors discuss recent attempts to define the age-associated changes predisposing individuals to develop idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Age-related perturbations that are increasingly found in epithelial cells and fibroblasts from IPF lungs compared with age-matched cells from normal lungs include defective autophagy, telomere attrition, altered proteostasis, and cell senescence. These divergent processes seem to converge in mitochondrial dysfunction and metabolic distress, which potentiate maladaptation to stress and susceptibility to age-related diseases such as IPF. [J Clin Invest] Abstract Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the pulmonary cell research field. | |
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INDUSTRY NEWSALCMI – Scancell Collaboration in Lung Cancer The Addario Lung Cancer Medical Institute (ALCMI), the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation and Scancell Holdings PLC. (Scancell) announce a collaboration to evaluate the use of Scancell’s second innovative cancer vaccine, SCIB2, from its ImmunoBody® platform to treat non-small cell lung cancer. [Scancell Holdings PLC.] Press Release Perthera, Inc. announced that Novartis will use Perthera’s unique cancer patient network to identify breast and lung cancer patients for targeted therapy trials. [Perthera, Inc.] Press Release GSG III Foundation Pledges More Than $1 Million for Lung Research Program at UofL A new research program at the University of Louisville will focus on developing better methods for studying lung inflammation and allow for new research into causes and potential therapies for lung diseases. A pledge of 1.05 million over five years from the GSG III Foundation, Inc., the UofL School of Medicine will create the Gibbs Lung Research Program at the Cardiovascular Innovation Institute. [University of Louisville] Press Release Merck announced that the European Commission has approved KEYTRUDA®, the company’s anti-PD-1 therapy, for the first-line treatment of metastatic NSCLC in adults whose tumors have high PD-L1 expression with no EGFR or ALK positive tumor mutations. [Merck] Press Release | |
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POLICY NEWSTrump Immigration Ban Upends International Work on Disease Efforts to combat diseases rely on networks of scientists to detect outbreaks early, understand how the diseases operate and then intervene. Researchers say that President Donald Trump’s travel ban challenges that process, putting the United States at risk. [Nature News] Editorial On 22 April, Empiricists around the Country Will March for Science The grassroots team coordinating the March for Science on Washington, D.C., have now set a date: 22 April. And they are inviting organizers in cities around the world to lead parallel demonstrations. [ScienceInsider] Editorial Mexican Scientists Feel the Trump Effect Trump’s harsh stance toward Mexico has made scientists nervous about the fate of U.S. funding for cross-border collaborations. “The worry is that [Trump] will limit, or perhaps end, some of the academic exchange we have,” either through new regulations or by cutting off money for collaborations, says Jaime Urrutia-Fucugauchi, a geophysicist at the National Autonomous University of Mexico and president of the Mexican Academy of Sciences. The U.S. National Science Foundation currently supports about 200 projects with Mexican collaborators. [ScienceInsider] Editorial
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EVENTSNEW Keystone Symposium: Tumor Metabolism: Mechanisms and Targets Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.
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JOB OPPORTUNITIESNEW Research Associate – Chronic Respiratory Disease (University College London (UCL)) NEW Postdoctoral Scientist – Lung Fibrosis (University of Oxford) Principal Scientist – Translational Development (Celgene Corporation) Postdoctoral Position – Cellular Therapeutics in Chronic Lung Disease (Helmholtz Zentrum München) Allergy and Immunology – Postdoctoral Fellow (New York University Medical Center) Postdoctoral Position – Cancer Epigenetics (Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus) Assistant Professor – Molecular Therapeutics of Cancer (Dartmouth College) Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Cancer Genetics/Epigenetics (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.
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Home Pulmonary Cell News Volume 6.04 | Feb 2 2017