Pulmonary Cell News Volume 7.32 | Aug 16 2018

TOP STORY

Generation of Tumor-Reactive T Cells by Co-Culture of Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes and Tumor Organoids

Scientists demonstrated that co-cultures of autologous tumor organoids and peripheral blood lymphocytes can be used to enrich tumor-reactive T cells from peripheral blood of patients with mismatch repair-deficient colorectal cancer and non-small-cell lung cancer. They showed that these T cells can be used to assess the efficiency of killing of matched tumor organoids. [Cell] Abstract | Press Release | Graphical Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Biological Function of Eosinophil Extracellular Traps in Patients with Severe Eosinophilic Asthma

Airway epithelial cells stimulated with eosinophil extracellular traps exhibited increased epithelial detachment and permeability and pro-inflammatory cytokine release. [Exp Mol Med] Full Article

Antisense Oligonucleotide Targeting of mRNAs Encoding ENaC Subunits α, β, and γ Improves Cystic Fibrosis-Like Disease in Mice

Scientists identified potent and specific antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) targeting mRNAs encoding the ENaC subunits and evaluated these ASOs in mouse models of CF-like lung disease. [J Cyst Fibros] Abstract

The OmpR Regulator of Burkholderia multivorans Controls Mucoid-to-Nonmucoid Transition and Other Cell Envelope Properties Associated with Persistence in the Cystic Fibrosis Lung

The loss of functional Burkholderia multivorans OmpR had positive effects on growth and adhesion to lung epithelial cells, and biofilm formation in high-osmolarity medium, as well as an increase in swimming and swarming motilities. [J Bacteriol] Abstract

LUNG CANCER

Notch3-Dependent β-Catenin Signaling Mediates EGFR TKI Drug Persistence in EGFR Mutant NSCLC

Scientists previously reported that EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment rapidly activates Notch3, and here describe the physical association of Notch3 with β-catenin, leading to increased stability and activation of β-catenin. They demonstrated that the combination of EGFR-TKIs and a β-catenin inhibitor inhibits the development of these adaptive persisters, decreases tumor burden, improves recurrence free survival, and overall survival in xenograft models. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Profiles and Bioinformatics Analysis of Differentially Expressed circRNAs in Taxol-Resistant Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells

The authors detected 2909 significantly upregulated and 8372 downregulated circRNAs in A549/Taxol cells compared with A549 cells. The circRNA/miRNA network displayed their interactions, suggesting that circRNAs exert biological effects by absorbing and sequestering miRNA molecules. [Cell Physiol Biochem] Full Article

Combined Inhibition of MEK and PI3K Pathways Overcomes Acquired Resistance to EGFR‐TKIs in Non‐Small Cell Lung Cancer

Researchers investigated the efficacy of combined trametinib plus taselisib therapy using experimentally established epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR‐TKI)‐resistant non‐small cell lung cancer cell lines. [Cancer Sci] Abstract

Oridonin Enhances Radiation-Induced Cell Death by Promoting DNA Damage in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells

In vitro, oridonin enhanced the radiation-induced inhibition of cell growth and clonogenic survival. Oridonin also facilitated radiation-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and DNA damage and enhanced apoptotic cell death. [Int J Mol Sci] Full Article

Overexpression of KIF20A Confers Malignant Phenotype of Lung Adenocarcinoma by Promoting Cell Proliferation and Inhibiting Apoptosis

The expression of kinesin family member 20A (KIF20A) was significantly elevated in lung adenocarcinoma cell lines. After silencing KIF20A, lung cancer cell cycle arrested in G1 phase and apoptosis increased. [Cancer Med] Abstract

The Regulatory Role of APE1 in Epithelial‐to‐Mesenchymal Transition and in Determining EGFR‐TKI Responsiveness in Non‐Small‐Cell Lung Cancer

Scientists observed that apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1) protein level was significantly increased in EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)‐resistant cells and was associated with downregulated E‐cadherin and upregulated vimentin. [Cancer Med] Full Article

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Making the First Move in EGFR-Driven or ALK-Driven NSCLC: First-Generation or Next-Generation TKI?

Investigators describe the existing preclinical and clinical evidence supporting both treatment strategies — the ‘historical’ sequential treatment strategy and the use of next-generation tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (TKIs) — as frontline therapies and discuss the suitability of both strategies for patients with EGFR-driven or ALK-driven non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). [Nat Rev Clin Oncol] Abstract

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Checkpoint Therapeutics Announces Clinical Data on EGFR Inhibitor CK-101 Selected for Late-Breaking Oral Presentation

Checkpoint Therapeutics, Inc. announced that preliminary safety and efficacy data from a Phase I/II clinical trial of CK-101, a third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor being evaluated in advanced non-small cell lung cancer, has been selected for a late-breaking oral presentation. [Press release from Checkpoint Therapeutics, Inc. discussing research to be presented at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) 19^th World Conference on Lung Cancer, Toronto] Press Release

Iovance Biotherapeutics Announces Clinical Trial Updates with Collaborators MD Anderson and Moffitt Cancer Center

Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc. announced updates from its clinical collaborations with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (MD Anderson) and Moffitt Cancer Center. Under the MD Anderson collaboration, the company announced that the first patient was dosed with LN-145 in the Phase II, multi-arm clinical trial. [Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc.] Press Release

BeiGene Initiates New Phase III Trial of Anti-PD-1 Antibody Tislelizumab Combined with Chemotherapy as First-line Treatment for Patients with Advanced Squamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer in China

BeiGene, Ltd. announced that the first patient was dosed in a Phase III clinical trial of tislelizumab, an investigational anti-PD-1 antibody, combined with chemotherapy, as a potential first-line treatment in China for patients with Stage IIIB or IV squamous non-small cell lung cancer. [BeiGene, Ltd.] Press Release

FDA Approves KALYDECO^® (Ivacaftor) as First and Only Medicine to Treat the Underlying Cause of CF in Children Ages 12 to <24 Months with Certain Mutations in the CFTR Gene

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated announced the FDA approved KALYDECO^® to include use in children with CF ages 12 to <24 months who have at least one mutation in their cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene that is responsive to KALYDECO based on clinical and/or in vitro assay data. [Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated] Press Release

FDA Grants Orphan Drug Designation to Onspira Therapeutics’ Investigational Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist for the Treatment of Bronchiolitis Obliterans

Onspira Therapeutics announced that the FDA has granted Orphan Drug Designation to its investigational product, OSP-101, for the treatment of bronchiolitis obliterans. [Onspira Therapeutics] Press Release

JHL Biotech Receives Positive CHMP Scientific Advice for Global Phase III Clinical Trial of Proposed Bevacizumab Biosimilar to Treat Lung Cancer

JHL Biotech has announced it received a positive Scientific Advice from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency related to the EU approval pathway for its proposed bevacizumab biosimilar, JHL1149 to treat patients with non-small cell lung cancer. [JHL Biotech] Press Release

What Pakistan’s New Government Means for Science

Pakistan is reeling from a political earthquake — and researchers are both nervous and excited. On 18 August, the former cricket superstar Imran Khan is expected to be sworn in as prime minister. The incoming administration promises to use science to alleviate poverty, but it is facing an imminent economic crisis. [Nature News] Editorial

How Unpaywall Is Transforming Open Science

Unpaywall has become indispensable to many academics, and tie-ins with established scientific search engines could broaden its reach. On 26 July, Elsevier announced plans to integrate Unpaywall into its Scopus database searches, allowing it to deliver millions more free-to-read papers to users than it does currently. [Nature News] Editorial

Iranian Students Protest US Visa Slowdown

The rate at which the US government grants visas to prospective students from Iran has declined dramatically during President Donald Trump’s time in office, according to US government data. And the visas that are granted take more time to arrive, according to a group of Iranian students that is petitioning the Trump administration to speed up the process. [Nature News] Editorial

Hundreds of Researchers from Harvard, Yale and Stanford Were Published in Fake Academic Journals

In the so-called “post-truth era”, science seems like one of the last bastions of objective knowledge, but what if science itself were to succumb to fake news? Over the past year, German journalist Svea Eckert and a small team of journalists went undercover to investigate a massive underground network of fake science journals and conferences. [Vice Media LLC] Editorial

NEW Human Airway Epithelial Cells
November 1-2, 2018
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

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

NEW Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Respiratory Pharmacology (University of Exeter)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Respiratory Epithelial Cell Biology (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Postdoctoral Position – Acute Lung Injury (University of Kentucky)

Research Associate – Cystic Fibrosis (Imperial College London)

Cancer Research Scholar – Lung Cancer (University of California)

Postdoctoral Fellow – BCL-2 & Pathogenesis & Targeted Therapy of Lung Cancer (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Lung and Vascular Diseases (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai)

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

Postdoctoral Associate – Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy (Baylor College of Medicine)

Principal Investigators – Cancer (University of Alabama Birmingham)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Immunology (NYU Langone Health)

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