Pulmonary Cell News Volume 6.42 | Oct 26 2017

TOP STORY

ADAM10-Mediated Ephrin-B2 Shedding Promotes Myofibroblast Activation and Organ Fibrosis

Researchers found that mice lacking ephrin-B2 in fibroblasts are protected from skin and lung fibrosis and that a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 10 (ADAM10) is the major ephrin-B2 sheddase in fibroblasts. Pharmacological inhibition of ADAM10 reduced soluble ephrin-B2 levels in bronchoalveolar lavage and prevented lung fibrosis in mice. [Nat Med] Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

TRPV4 Activation Triggers Protective Responses to Bacterial Lipopolysaccharides in Airway Epithelial Cells

Scientists showed that airway epithelial cells display an increase in intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration within seconds of lipopolysaccharides application. This response occured in a toll-like receptor 4-independent manner, via activation of the transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 cation channel (TRPV4). [Nat Commun] Full Article

A Novel lnc-PCF Promotes the Proliferation of TGF-β1-Activated Epithelial Cells by Targeting MiR-344a-5p to Regulate Map3k11 in Pulmonary Fibrosis

Investigators present a novel lnc-PCF that promoted the proliferation of TGF-β1-activated epithelial cells through the regulation of map3k11 by directly targeting miR-344a-5p during pulmonary fibrogenesis. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell–Derived Lung Progenitor and Alveolar Epithelial Cells Attenuate Hyperoxia-Induced Lung Injury

The authors hypothesized that induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived alveolar epithelial cells (AECs) prevent lung damage in experimental oxygen-induced bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Mouse AECs, miPSCs/mouse embryonic stem sells, human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells, human iPSCs (hiPSCs), hiPSC-derived lung progenitor cells and hiPSC-derived AECs were delivered intratracheally to hyperoxia-exposed newborn mice. [Cytotherapy] Abstract

LUNG CANCER

YEATS2 Links Histone Acetylation to Tumorigenesis of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Investigators showed that the YEATS2 gene is highly amplified in human non-small cell lung cancer and is required for cancer cell growth and survival. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition Antagonizes Response to Targeted Therapies in Lung Cancer by Suppressing BIM

The authors developed several models of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-mediated resistance to EGFR inhibitors in EGFR mutant lung cancers to evaluate a novel mechanism of EMT-mediated resistance. [Clin Cancer Res] Full Article

PLOD2 Regulated by Transcription Factor FOXA1 Promotes Metastasis in NSCLC

Scientists found that lysyl hydroxylase 2 (PLOD2) was elevated in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) specimens and positively linked to NSCLC poor prognosis. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

ALK and IGF-1R as Independent Targets in Crizotinib Resistant Lung Cancer

Researchers investigated whether IGF-1R is an independent druggable target in anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive lung cancer cells. They confirmed that combination ALK and IGF-1R inhibitor treatment is synergistically cytotoxic to ALK-positive lung cancer cells and that this remains the case for at least 12 days after initial exposure to crizotinib. [Sci Rep] Full Article

PEGylated Anticancer-Carbon Nanotubes Complex Targeting Mitochondria of Lung Cancer Cells

The authors report on a polyethylene glycol-coated carbon nanotube (CNT)-ABT737 nanodrug that improved the mitochondrial targeting of lung cancer cells. The polyethylene glycol-coated CNT-ABT737 nanodrug internalized into the early endosomes via macropinocytosis and clathrin-mediated endocytosis in advance of early endosomal escape and delivered into the mitochondria [Nanotechnology] Abstract

Oxidation, Glycation and Glycoxidation—The Vicious Cycle and Lung Cancer

The authors describe a new signaling map inside the lung cancer which is mediated by glycoxidative products mainly reactive dicarbonyls and advanced glycation end products. [Semin Cancer Biol] Abstract

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

Researchers to Combat Drug-Resistant Lung Cancer at New NCI-Funded Center at UCSF

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) announced that University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) will host one of five new Cancer Drug Resistance and Sensitivity Centers being set up around the U.S. through funding from the 21^st Century Cures Act of 2016. The center will receive more than $1 million per year for five years, with the aims of addressing the persistent challenge of drug resistance in lung cancer by better understanding its underlying biological mechanisms, and also developing new treatments that may overcome resistance. [University of California, San Francisco] Press Release

Prometic Receives Fast Track Designation for PBI-4050 in Development for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF)

Prometic Life Sciences Inc. announced that the FDA has granted Fast Track designation to PBI-4050, a clinical candidate in development for IPF. [Prometic Life Sciences Inc.] Press Release

Key Legislator Tells Trump Officials to Back Off on Proposed Overhead Spending Cap for NIH

An influential legislator wants President Donald Trump’s administration and fellow Republicans to drop the notion of capping overhead costs on grants funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Bitter CRISPR Patent War Intensifies

The long-running battle over US patents for CRISPR–Cas9 gene editing continues. The Broad Institute of Cambridge, Massachusetts, filed a fresh set of arguments with the US government to defend a key patent. [Nature News] Editorial

China Announces Plans to Fast-Track Drug Approval

China is overhauling its drug-approval system to let companies bring their treatments to market quicker and more easily. The Communist Party of China and the State Council, two of the country’s most authoritative bodies, announced plans to reduce the backlog of medicines awaiting approval by the China Food and Drug Administration. [Nature News] Editorial

United States Should Dramatically Retool Animal Research Rules, Groups Say

The Association of American Medical Colleges and three allied groups are pushing for sweeping changes to animal research rules. In a report, the groups call for moving all oversight to a single, unnamed agency, conducting less frequent lab inspections, and giving researchers greater say in crafting new rules. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

NEW International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) 2018 Annual Meeting
June 20-23, 2018
Melbourne, Australia

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

NEW Postdoctoral Position – Immunology & Respiratory Diseases (Boehringer Ingelheim)

NEW PhD Studentships – Cancer Research (Institute of Cancer Research)

NEW Faculty Position – Cancer Experimental Therapeutics (University of New Mexico)

PhD Position – Pulmonary Research (Helmholtz Zentrum München)

Postdoctoral Position – Immunology/Molecular Biology (Helmholtz Zentrum München)

Postdoctoral Position – Lung Adenocarcinoma (University of California, San Francisco)

Faculty Positions – Cancer Research (Huntsman Cancer Institute)

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)

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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