Pulmonary Cell News Volume 6.08 | Mar 1 2017

TOP STORY

Inactivation, Clearance, and Functional Effects of Lung-Instilled Short and Long Silver Nanowires in Rats

Researchers studied the effects of short and long nanowires instilled into the lungs of Sprague–Dawley rats. S- and L-silver nanowires (AgNWs) were phagocytosed and degraded by macrophages; there was no frustrated phagocytosis. Both AgNWs were internalized in alveolar epithelial cells, with precipitation of Ag₂S on their surface as secondary Ag₂S nanoparticles. [ACS Nano] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Reduced Frizzled Receptor 4 Expression Prevents WNT/β-Catenin-Driven Alveolar Lung Repair in COPD

Scientists aimed to identify and functionally characterize specific Frizzled receptors that control downstream WNT signaling in impaired lung repair in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). [Am J Respir Crit Care Med] Abstract

Bromodomain and Extra-Terminal Protein Inhibition Attenuates Neutrophil-Dominant Allergic Airway Disease

Using a murine model of neutrophil-dominant allergic airway disease, investigators demonstrated that bromodomain and extra-terminal domain (BET) inhibition limits pulmonary inflammation and alters the type 17 helper T-related inflammatory milieu in the lungs. Inhibition of BET proteins improved lung function and reduced mucus production in airways. [Sci Rep] Full Article

The Diacetyl-Exposed Human Airway Epithelial Secretome: New Insights into Flavoring Induced Airways Disease

To better understand the effects of diacetyl vapor on the airway epithelium researchers used an unbiased proteomic approach to characterize both the apical and basolateral secretomes of air liquid interface cultures of primary human airway epithelial cells from four unique donors after exposure to an occupationally relevant ~1100 ppm of diacetyl vapor or PBS as a control on alternating days. [Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol] Abstract

4-PBA Inhibits LPS-Induced Inflammation through Regulating ER Stress and Autophagy in Acute Lung Injury Models

To identify the cellular mechanism of lung inflammation during lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced mouse model of acute lung injury (ALI), scientists investigated the influence of classic endoplasmic-reticulum (ER) stress inhibitor 4-phenyl butyric acid (4-PBA) on ER stress and autophagy, which partially affect the activation of inflammation, both in LPS-induced ALI mouse model and human alveolar epithelial cell model. [Toxicol Lett] Abstract

LUNG CANCER

MicroRNA-29c Functions as a Tumor Suppressor by Targeting VEGFA in Lung Adenocarcinoma

Researchers aimed to discover prognostic microRNAs (miRNAs) and investigate its role involved in progression of lung adenocarcinoma (LAD). MiR-29c acts as a tumor suppressor by targeting vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and may represent a promising prognostic biomarker as well as a potential therapeutic target for LAD. [Mol Cancer] Full Article

A Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor Enhances Expression of Genes Inhibiting Wnt Pathway and Augments Activity of DNA Demethylation Reagent against Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

The authors report the development of a novel histone deacetylases inhibitor TMU-35435 and verified it as a single agent and in combination treatment with DNA demethylation reagent 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine in lung cancer pre-clinical models. [Int J Cancer] Abstract

cAMP Signaling Increases Histone Deacetylase 8 Expression via the Epac2-Rap1A-Akt Pathway in H1299 Lung Cancer Cells

Scientists investigated the signaling pathway that mediates cyclic AMP (cAMP)-induced inhibition of histone deacetylase 8 (HDAC8) degradation, and the effect and underlying mechanisms of the resulting increase in HDAC8 expression on cisplatin-induced apoptosis in lung cancer cells. [Exp Mol Med] Full Article

Deubiquitinase USP18 Loss Mislocalizes and Destabilizes KRAS in Lung Cancer

Researchers demonstrated that USP18 affects the stability of the KRAS oncoprotein. Loss of USP18 reduced KRAS expression and engineered gain of USP18 expression increased KRAS protein levels in lung cancer cells. [Mol Cancer Res] Abstract

Pharmacogenomics of Platinum-Based Chemotherapy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Focusing on DNA Repair Systems

The authors review the current knowledge of pharmacogenomic data on DNA repair systems and examined whether they could be further translated into the clinic with evidence-based perspectives. [Med Oncol] Abstract

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

Novartis Receives Positive CHMP Opinion for Tafinlar^® + Mekinist^® in BRAF-Positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Patients

Novartis announced the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency adopted a positive opinion recommending approval of Tafinlar^® in combination with Mekinist^® to treat patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC whose tumors express the BRAF V600 mutation. [Novartis] Press Release

Roche Receives EU Approval of Alecensa (Alectinib) for People with Previously Treated ALK-Positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Roche that the European Commission has granted a conditional marketing authorisation for Alecensa^® (alectinib) as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer previously treated with crizotinib. [F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.] Press Release

Clinical Trial for Lung Cancer Therapy to Begin

Patients are being recruited for a clinical trial of a new immunotherapy combination for treating metastatic non-small cell lung cancer at University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). UIC is the first of five sites in the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium to enroll patients. [University of Illinois at Chicago] Press Release

PTC Therapeutics Announces Results from Pivotal Phase III Clinical Trial of Ataluren in Patients Living with Nonsense Mutation Cystic Fibrosis

PTC Therapeutics, Inc. announced that the Ataluren Confirmatory Trial (ACT CF) in nonsense mutation cystic fibrosis did not achieve its primary or secondary endpoints. Ataluren was generally well tolerated and ACT CF confirmed a favorable safety profile for ataluren, which has now been used by more than 1,000 patients across multiple indications. [PTC Therapeutics, Inc.] Press Release

Senior Republican Lawmaker Has Some Advice for U.S. Science Marchers

The chairman of a congressional spending panel that oversees a wide swath of U.S. science agencies has some unusual advice for scientists planning to march on 22 April: Don’t talk about research. Instead, demand that Congress find a way to cut mandatory spending programs. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Trump’s 2018 Budget Will Squeeze Civilian Science Agencies

The chunk of the federal budget that includes most of the U.S. government’s spending on basic science would shrink by 10.5% in 2018 under a plan outlined by President Donald Trump and administration officials. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Departing Senior NSF Manager Offers Hopeful Assessment of Agency’s Future

The top aide to National Science Foundation (NSF) Director France Córdova has returned to his university after failing to win confirmation as deputy NSF director. But engineer Richard Buckius says his departure, less than a week after President Donald Trump took office, was long in the cards and not a political statement. In fact, Buckius predicts that NSF and academic research will do fine under the new Trump administration. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

UK Scientists Welcome Changes to Controversial Research Reforms

Amendments aim to protect autonomy and the independence of research funders from political interference. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW Stem Cell Summit
April 26-28, 2017
Boston, United States

NEW AACR International Conference on Translational Cancer Medicine
May 4-6, 2017
Sao Paulo, Brazil

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

NEW Assistant Professor/Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Lung Injury and Repair (University of Tennessee)

Postdoctoral Opportunity – RNA and Cancer Biology (Yale University)

PhD Student – Asthma Research (Karolinska Institute)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Translation Cancer Research (UiT The Arctic University of Norway)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Impaired Progenitors Emphysema Deficient Repair (AstraZeneca)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Airway Biology (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health)

PhD Student – Lung Cancer (Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research)

Principal Scientist – Translational Development (Celgene Corporation)

Postdoctoral Position – Cellular Therapeutics in Chronic Lung Disease (Helmholtz Zentrum München)

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.

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

Comments or suggestions? Submit your feedback here.