Pulmonary Cell News Volume 6.39 | Oct 5 2017

TOP STORY

CRI Study Challenges Long-Standing Concept in Cancer Metabolism

Scientists at the Children’s Medical Center Research Institute discovered that lactate provides a fuel for growing tumors, challenging a nearly century-old observation known as the Warburg effect. This new finding may represent a major shift in how researchers view cancer metabolism and open a new avenue of study for therapies and imaging techniques for lung cancer. [Press release from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center discussing online prepublication in Cell] Press Release | Full Article | Graphical Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Long-Term Expansion of Alveolar Stem Cells Derived from Human iPS Cells in Organoids

Investigators report a method for the efficient generation and long-term expansion of alveolar organoids harboring SFTPC⁺ alveolar stem cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). hiPSC-derived SFTPC⁺ cells self-renewed, with transcriptomes and morphology consistent with those of alveolar epithelial (AT) type II cells, and were able to differentiate into AT type I-like cells. [Nat Methods] Abstract

MicroRNA-9 Downregulates the ANO1 Chloride Channel and Contributes to Cystic Fibrosis Lung Pathology

Researchers showed that miR-9 contributed to cystic fibrosis and downregulated anoctamin 1 (ANO1) by directly targeting its 3′UTR. They present a potential therapy based on blockage of miR-9 binding to the 3′UTR by using a microRNA target site blocker to increase anoctamin 1 activity and thus compensate for the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator deficiency. [Nat Commun] Full Article

In Vitro Toxicoproteomic Analysis of A549 Human Lung Epithelial Cells Exposed to Urban Air Particulate Matter and Its Water-Soluble and Insoluble Fractions

Researchers used an in vitro toxicoproteomic approach to identify the toxicity mechanisms associated with different subfractions of Ottawa urban dust. They demonstrated the impact of different fractions of urban air particles constituted of various chemical species on different mechanistic pathways and thus on cytotoxicity effects. [Part Fibre Toxicol] Full Article

LUNG CANCER

Keap1 Loss Promotes Kras-Driven Lung Cancer and Results in Dependence on Glutaminolysis

Using a CRISPR–Cas9-based approach in a mouse model of KRAS-driven lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), scientists examined the effects of Keap1 loss in lung cancer progression. They showed that loss of Keap1 hyperactivated nuclear factor erythroid 2-like 2 and promoted KRAS-driven LUAD in mice. [Nat Med] Abstract | Press Release | Press Release

Aurora-A-Mediated Phosphorylation of LKB1 Compromises LKB1/AMPK Signaling Axis to Facilitate NSCLC Growth and Migration

Researchers report that LKB1 underwent Aurora kinase A-mediated phosphorylation, which largely compromised the LKB1/AMPK signaling axis, in turn leading to the elevation of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell proliferation, invasion and migration. [Oncogene] Abstract

A Growth Hormone Receptor SNP Promotes Lung Cancer by Impairment of SOCS2-Mediated Degradation

Investigators showed that the GHRP495T variant located in the receptor intracellular domain is able to prolong the growth hormone signal in vitro using stably expressing mouse pro-B-cell and human lung cell lines. [Oncogene] Full Article

Long Non-Coding RNA SNHG20 Promotes Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cell Proliferation and Migration by Epigenetically Silencing of P21 Expression

The authors found that small nucleolar RNA host gene 20 (SNHG20) was upregulated in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues compared with normal samples. Higher SNHG20 expression was significantly associated with advanced tumor, lymph node and metastases stage and tumor size, as well as poorer overall survival. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

MiR-124 Inhibits Lung Tumorigenesis Induced by K-ras Mutation and NNK

Scientists investigated the role and mechanism of miR-124 in K-ras mutation or smoking-caused lung tumorigenesis and evaluated the therapeutic potential of miR-124 agomiR in K-ras mutation or smoking-caused lung cancer treatment. [Mol Ther Nucleic Acids] Full Article

Lung Cancer Heterogeneity and New Strategies for Drug Therapy

Scientists discuss heterogeneity specificity, characterization, and roles of PIK3CD, TP53, and KRAS, as well as target-driven therapies and strategies applied in clinical trials based on a proposed precise self-validation system. [Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol] Abstract

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

New and Updated Clinical Data on Merck’s KEYTRUDA^® (Pembrolizumab)

Merck announced that new and updated data investigating KEYTRUDA^®, the company’s anti-PD-1 therapy, across multiple lung malignancies, including non-small cell lung cancer, will be presented. [Press release from Merck & Co., Inc. discussing research to be presented at the 18^th World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC), Yokohama, Japan] Press Release

MD Anderson and BridgeBio Pharma Launch Navire Pharma to Develop Targeted Therapy for Patients with Difficult-to-Treat Cancer

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and BridgeBio Pharma announced the launch of Navire Pharma, a biopharmaceutical company aimed at developing novel small-molecule inhibitors of a tyrosine-protein phosphatase called SHP2 for genetically-driven and treatment-resistant cancer. [MD Anderson Cancer Center (PR Newswire Association LLC.)] Press Release

Takeda Announces FDA Approval of ALUNBRIG^® (Brigatinib) 180 mg Tablets

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited announced that the FDA has approved the supplemental new drug application for ALUNBRIG^® 180 mg tablets. ALUNBRIG received Accelerated Approval from the FDA in April 2017 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 (Business Wire, Inc.)] Press Release

Judge Recommends Ruling to Block Internet Access to Sci-Hub

The American Chemical Society (ACS) brought a case against Sci-Hub, a pirate site providing access to scientific articles, for copyright and trademark infringement. Following a hearing at a court in Virginia, Magistrate Judge John Anderson filed a report that recommended ruling in favor of ACS on all counts. [The Scientist] Editorial

Does Your State Get Its Fair Share of Federal Research Dollars?

The only physicist in Congress has introduced a bill that could rekindle a debate over how to deal with geographic disparities in the allocation of federal research funding. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Scientists Plead with Brazilian Government to Restore Funding

Anxiety is growing in Brazil over the country’s collapsing research budgets. President Michel Temer had slashed funding for science by 44% in March and has proposed additional decreases for 2018 — even as some science institutes run out of money for basic needs, such as paying electricity bills. The 2017 science budget, at 3.2 billion reais (US$1 billion), is the lowest the country has seen in at least 12 years. [Nature News] Editorial

French Government Proposes Big Science-Spending Boost

French research funding is set for a heartening increase in the country’s first budget under President Emmanuel Macron, if draft 2018 plans are voted into law. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW The 2018 World Stem Cell Summit (WSCS)
January 22-26, 2018
Miami, Florida, United States

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

NEW Non-Clinical Lecturer – Respiratory Gene Therapy (Imperial College London)

NEW Postdoctoral Researcher – Lung and Breast Cancer (University of Cologne)

NEW Faculty Positions – Cancer Research (Huntsman Cancer Institute)

NEW Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Lung Disease (University College Dublin)

Assistant Professor – Lung Immunology (Tulane Medical School)

PhD Position – Molecular Pharmacology (University of Groningen)

Faculty Position – Lung Injury and Repair (The University of Texas Health Science Center)

Research Scientist – Lung Cancer Models (The Francis Crick Institute)

Faculty Position(s) – Basic and Translational Cancer Research (Texas Tech University Health Science Center)

Faculty Positions – Lung Injury/Repair and Pulmonary Infectious Diseases (University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler)

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