Pulmonary Cell News Volume 8.05 | Feb 14 2019

TOP STORY

DRAM2 Acts as an Oncogene in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and Suppresses the Expression of p53

Damage-regulated autophagy modulator 2 (DRAM2) was preferentially upregulated in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues and higher expression of DRAM2 in NSCLC correlated with tumor node metastases stage and lymph node metastasis. DRAM2 overexpression promoted cell metastasis and proliferation in vitro, while knockdown of DRAM2 expression yielded the opposite result. [J Exp Clin Cancer Res] Full Article

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Autophagic Flux Blockage in Alveolar Epithelial Cells Is Essential in Silica Nanoparticle-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis

Researchers report that autophagy dysfunction and subsequent apoptosis in alveolar epithelial cells were involved in silica nanoparticles-induced pulmonary fibrosis. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Lipopolysaccharide Promotes Lung Fibroblast Proliferation through Autophagy Inhibition via Activation of the PI3K-Akt-mTOR Pathway

Researchers report that autophagy was inhibited in mouse lung fibroblasts after lipopolysaccharide challenge, and was accompanied by activation of the PI3K-Akt-mTOR signaling pathway. [Lab Invest] Abstract

Expression, Activity and Localization of Lysosomal Sulfatases in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Investigators aimed to examine how sulfatases were affected in the airways of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease compared to ever smokers and never smokers. [Sci Rep] Full Article

The HECT Ubiquitin E3 Ligase Smurf2 Degrades μ-Opioid Receptor 1 in the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System in Lung Epithelial Cells

Overexpression of Smurf2 induced μ-opioid receptors 1 (MOR1) ubiquitination and accelerated DAMGO-induced MOR1 degradation, while down-regulation of Smurf2 attenuated MOR1 degradation. DAMGO increased lung epithelial cells migration and proliferation, the effect was attenuated by over-expressed Smurf2. [Am J Physiol Cell Physiol] Abstract

Ligustrazin Increases Lung Cell Autophagy and Ameliorates Paraquat-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis by Inhibiting PI3K/Akt/mTOR and Hedgehog Signaling via Increasing miR-193a Expression

Long-term paraquat exposure blocked miR-193a expression, reduced PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling, increased oxidative stress, inhibited autophagy, increased Hedgehog signaling, and facilitated the formation of pulmonary fibrosis. [BMC Pulm Med] Full Article

LUNG CANCER

miR-1260b, Mediated by YY1, Activates Kit Signaling by Targeting SOCS6 to Regulate Cell Proliferation and Apoptosis in NSCLC

miR-1260b was upregulated in non-small cell lung cancer plasma (NSCLC), tissues, and cell lines, and its high expression was correlated with tumor size and progression. miR-1260b overexpression promoted cell proliferation and cell cycle, conversely inhibited cell apoptosis and senescence. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

PRSS3/Mesotrypsin and Kallikrein-Related Peptidase 5 Are Associated with Poor Prognosis and Contribute to Tumor Cell Invasion and Growth in Lung Adenocarcinoma

Scientists implicated a signaling pathway consisting of PRSS3/mesotrypsin and kallikrein-related peptidase 5 in lung adenocarcinoma malignancy. They showed that elevated PRSS3/mesotrypsin expression was prognostic for poor outcome for patients with lung adenocarcinoma, and that genetic or pharmacologic targeting of PRSS3/mesotrypsin reduced lung adenocarcinoma cell invasiveness and proliferation. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Nicotine Induces Cell Survival and Chemoresistance by Stimulating Mcl-1 Phosphorylation and Its Interaction with Bak in Lung Cancer

Investigators found that the effects of drug resistance on nicotine-induced lung cancer cell lines were shown to influence the phosphorylation of antiapoptotic protein Mcl-1. Nicotine induces Mcl-1 phosphorylation exclusively at the T163 site, which results in enhancement of the antiapoptotic activity of Mcl-1 and increased cell survival. [J Cell Physiol] Abstract

Subscribe to one of our other 19 science newsletters such as Cancer Stem Cell News & Human Immunology News.

Alveolar Type 2 Progenitor Cells for Lung Injury Repair

The authors review alveolar type 2 progenitor (AT2) cell homeostasis, pathophysiological changes in the pathogenesis of lung injury, physiological function of AT2 cells, apoptosis of AT2 cells in lung diseases, the role of AT2 cells in repairing processes after lung injury, mechanism of AT2 cells activation promote repairing processes after lung injury, and potential therapy of lung disease by utilizing the AT2 progenitor cells. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

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

FDA Grants Orphan Drug Designation to Amplyx Pharmaceuticals for APX001 for Treatment of Cryptococcosis

Amplyx Pharmaceuticals, announced that the U.S. FDA Office of Orphan Product Development has granted orphan drug designation to APX001, the company’s lead drug candidate, for treatment of cryptococcosis. [Amplyx] Press Release

Positive Phase III Study for Tezacaftor/Ivacaftor Combination in Children Aged 6–11 Years with Cystic Fibrosis Supports European Medicines Agency Submission

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated announced the results of a Phase III study conducted in Europe and Australia of tezacaftor in combination with ivacaftor in children aged 6 through 11 years with cystic fibrosis who have either two copies of the F508del mutation or one copy of the F508del mutation and one residual function mutation. [Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated] Press Release

Advaxis Announces Enrollment of the First Patient in Its Phase I/II Trial for Adxs-Hot in the Treatment of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Advaxis, Inc. announced it has initiated its Phase I/II clinical trial to evaluate ADXS-503, part of the Company’s ADXS-HOT program, in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer and has enrolled the first patient in the trial. [Advaxis, Inc.] Press Release

Restructure Spurs Protest at Indonesia’s Largest Research Institution

Hundreds of scientists in Indonesia protested against a major reorganization of the country’s largest research institution that is set to relocate more than 1,400 science-support jobs. [Nature News] Editorial

Hungarian Researchers Protest against Government Changes to Funding

Thousands of scientists took to the streets in Hungary to protest changes to government research funding. The demonstrations, which saw people hold books above their heads and form a human chain around Budapest’s Academy of Sciences building, are just the latest in a series of clashes between researchers and the country’s populist government over academic freedom. [The Scientist] Editorial

NEW 3^rd SUNRiSE Meeting : New Advances in Cancer Stem Cells
May 16-17, 2019
Nice, France

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

NEW Senior Research Assistant – Cancer Biology (MD Anderson Cancer Center)

NEW Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Translational Cancer and Pediatric Solid Tumor Biology (Institute of Cancer Research)

PhD Position – Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma (Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute)

Research Associate – Cystic Fibrosis (Imperial College London)

Postdoctoral Position – Respiratory Research (Monell Chemical Senses Center)

Postdoctoral Scholar – Lung Repair & Regeneration (University of California San Francisco)

Postdoctoral Position – Lung Cancer (Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University)

Tenure Track Group Leader – Lung Epidemiology (Helmholtz-Center Munchen)

Tenure Track Investigator – Lung Cancer (Northwestern University)

Postdoctoral Research Associate – Lung Stem/Progenitor Cell Research (The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler)

Postdoctoral Positions – Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Human Lung Organoids (Columbia University Irving Medical Center)

Associate Professor – Oncology (University of California, Davis)

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.