Pulmonary Cell News Volume 6.17 | May 4 2017

TOP STORY

Impaired Lysosomal Activity Mediated Autophagic Flux Disruption by Graphite Carbon Nanofibers Induce Apoptosis in Human Lung Epithelial Cells through Oxidative Stress and Energetic Impairment

Human lung adenocarcinoma cells were exposed to a range of graphite carbon nanofiber (GCNF) concentrations and various cellular parameters were analyzed. Transmission electron microscopy, immunofluorescent staining, western blot and quantitative real time PCR were performed to detect apoptosis, autophagy induction, lysosomal destabilization and cytoskeleton disruption in GCNF exposed cells. [Part Fibre Toxicol] Full Article

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Neutrophil Extracellular Traps Stimulate Proinflammatory Responses in Human Airway Epithelial Cells

Scientists investigated whether neutrophils that release extracellular traps (NET) could be involved in the development of inflammation by stimulating cytokine release by airway epithelial cells. They found that NET significantly increased the secretion of CXCL8/IL-8 and IL-6 by alveolar and bronchial epithelial cells. [J Innate Immun] Abstract

β₂ Adrenergic Agonist Suppresses Eosinophil-Induced Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition of Bronchial Epithelial Cells

Procaterol significantly inhibited co-culture associated morphological changes of bronchial epithelial cells, decreased the expression of vimentin, and increased the expression of E-cadherin compared to control. Butoxamine, a specific β₂-adrenergic antagonist, significantly blocked changes induced by procaterol. [Respir Res] Full Article

CK2 Is a Key Regulator of SLC4A2-Mediated Cl⁻/HCO₃⁻ Exchange in Human Airway Epithelia

Researchers investigated the regulation of a basolateral located, 4,4′-Diisothiocyano-2,2′-stilbenedisulfonic acid-sensitive, Cl⁻/HCO₃⁻ exchanger, anion exchanger 2 which is postulated to act as an acid loader, and therefore potential regulator of HCO₃⁻ secretion, in human airway epithelial cells. [Pflugers Arch] Full Article

LUNG CANCER

LFG-500, a Novel Synthetic Flavonoid, Suppresses Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Human Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells by Inhibiting NLRP3 in Inflammatory Microenvironment

Investigators found that LFG-500, a novel synthetic flavonoid, significantly inhibited epithelial–mesenchymal transition in human lung adenocarcinoma A549 and H1299 cells co-cultured with LPS-challenged THP-1 cells or cultured in THP-1 cell-derived conditioned medium. [Cancer Lett] Abstract

MicroRNA-18a-5p Functions as an Oncogene by Directly Targeting IRF2 in Lung Cancer

MicroRNA (miR)-18a-5p was significantly upregulated in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues and NSCLC cell lines, suggesting an oncogenic function in lung cancer. miR-18a-5p promoted carcinogenesis by directly targeting interferon regulatory factor 2 (IRF2). [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

A Lung Cancer Risk Classifier Comprising Genome Maintenance Genes Measured in Normal Bronchial Epithelial Cells

Targeted competitive multiplex PCR amplicon libraries were prepared for next generation sequencing analysis of transcript abundance at 68 sites among 33 genome-maintenance target genes in normal bronchial epithelial cells specimens collected from a retrospective cohort of 120 subjects, including 61 classified cancer cases and 59 non-cancer controls. Genes were selected for analysis based on contribution to the previously reported lung cancer risk test biomarker and/or prior evidence for association with lung cancer risk. [BMC Cancer] Full Article

Nanosecond-Pulsed DBD Plasma-Generated Reactive Oxygen Species Trigger Immunogenic Cell Death in A549 Lung Carcinoma Cells through Intracellular Oxidative Stress

Researchers studied the interaction between dielectric barrier discharge plasma (DBD) and cancer cells for oxidative stress-mediated immunogenic cell death. They assessed changes to the intracellular oxidative environment after plasma treatment and correlated it to emission of two danger signals: surface-exposed calreticulin and secreted adenosine triphosphate. [Int J Mol Sci] Full Article

Tumor-Targeted SN38 Inhibits Growth of Early Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) in a KRas/p53 Transgenic Mouse Model

The authors explored the use of a recently described small molecule agent, STA-8666, as a potential agent for controlling early stage tumor growth. Using a genetically engineered model of NSCLC arising from induced mutation of KRas and knockout of Trp53, they continuously dosed mice with STA-8666 immediately after tumor induction for 15 weeks. [PLoS One] Full Article

Pulmonary Delivery of Nanoparticle Chemotherapy for the Treatment of Lung Cancers: Challenges and Opportunities

Recent research has focused on the development of novel formulations to maximize lung deposition and to minimize pulmonary clearance of inhaled nanoparticles. The authors systematically review the challenges and opportunities for the pulmonary delivery of nanoparticle formulations for the treatment of lung cancers. [Acta Pharmacol Sin] Abstract

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

First Patient Treated in Turnstone’s Lung Cancer Trial Combining Novel Viral Cancer Therapy with Approved Checkpoint Inhibitor

Turnstone Biologics Inc. announced that treatment has been initiated on the first patient in the company’s Phase I/II clinical trial combining its novel oncolytic viral immunotherapy agent, MG1-MAGEA3, with pembrolizumab, an approved anti-PD-1 antibody. [Turnstone Biologics Inc. (PR Newswire Association LLC.)] Press Release

Takeda Announces FDA Accelerated Approval of ALUNBRIG^™ (Brigatinib)

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited announced that ALUNBRIG^™ has received Accelerated Approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive metastatic non-small cell lung cancer who have progressed on or are intolerant to crizotinib. [Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited] Press Release

NIH to Limit the Amount of Grant Money a Scientist Can Receive

For the first time, the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) will restrict the amount of funding that an individual scientist can hold at any one time, based on a new point system. The move is part of an ongoing effort to make obtaining grants easier for early and mid-career scientists, who face much tougher odds than their more-experienced colleagues. [Nature News] Editorial

Angering Animal Welfare Activists, Mauritius Invites Primate Research Labs to Set Up Shop

Mauritius has decided to get into the business of nonhuman primate experimentation itself even as such work is becoming increasingly constrained in North America and Europe. Last month the move touched off a heated debate in Mauritius’s National Assembly about whether the government could adequately protect the macaques used in research and whether the new industry might endanger a far bigger lifeline for the island—tourism. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

NEW Gordon Research Conferences: Cell Growth & Proliferation
July 9-14, 2017
Mount Snow, United States

NEW The TGF-β Superfamily: Signaling in Development and Disease
July 9-14, 2017
Lisbon, Portugal

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NEW PhD Studentship – Border and Regions Airways Training Hub (Dundalk Institute of Technology)

NEW Faculty – Immunology of Lung Diseases (National Jewish Health)

Research Administrator IV – Early Detection of Lung Cancer (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Lung Cancer Genetics and Genomics (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Tenure Track Positions – Translational Asthma Research Program (Perelman School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Oncology (University of Oxford)

Assistant, Associate or Full Professor Position(s) – Asthma Research (University of Pennsylvania)

NIH Training Grant – Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine (University of Pittsburgh)

Postdoctoral Research Associate – Chronic Lung Disease (Washington University St. Louis)

Faculty Position – Cancer Biology (Wake Forest School of Medicine)

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