Pulmonary Cell News Volume 9.00 | Jan 9 2020

TOP STORY

TMEM16A Potentiation: A Novel Therapeutic Approach for the Treatment of Cystic Fibrosis

Potentiating the activity of TMEM16A with ETX001 increased the Ca²⁺-activated Cl^– channel activity and anion secretion in human bronchial epithelial cells from CF patients without impacting on calcium signaling. ETX001 rapidly increased fluid secretion and airway surface liquid height in CF human bronchial epithelial cells under both static and conditions designed to mimic the shear stress associated with tidal breathing. [Am J Respir Crit Care Med] Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

The G Protein-Coupled Receptor FFAR2 Promotes Internalization during Influenza A Virus Entry

Treatment of A549 cells with small interfering RNA targeting free fatty acid receptor 2 (FFAR2) or the FFAR2 pathway agonists 2-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-methyl-N-(thiazol-2-yl)butanamide (4-CMTB) and compound 58 (Cmp58) [(S)-2-(4-chlorophenyl)-3,3-dimethyl-N-(5-phenylthiazol-2-yl)butanamide] dramatically inhibited the nuclear accumulation of viral nucleoprotein at early time points postinfection, indicating that FFAR2 functioned in the early stage of the influenza A virus replication cycle. [J Virol] Full Article

Human Lung Epithelial BEAS-2B Cells Exhibit Characteristics of Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Scientists compared BEAS-2B with a human umbilical cord-derived MSCs (hMSCs) cell line, hMSC1, which served as a representative of hMSCs in terms of expressing common features of hMSCs. It was observed that both BEAS-2B and hMSC1 shared the same expression profile of surface markers of hMSCs and exhibited similar osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation potential. [PLoS One] Full Article

LUNG CANCER

YAP1 Mediates Survival of ALK-Rearranged Lung Cancer Cells Treated with Alectinib via Pro-Apoptotic Protein Regulation

The authors demonstrated that cancer cells survived a treatment with alectinib by activating yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1), which mediated the expression of the anti-apoptosis factors Mcl-1 and Bcl-xL, and combinatorial inhibition against both YAP1 and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) provided a longer tumor remission in ALK-rearranged xenografts when compared with alectinib monotherapy. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Cancer Progression Is Mediated by Proline Catabolism in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Researchers report a critical role for proline catabolism in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Proline dehydrogenase was activated to reduce proline levels by the chromatin remodeling factor lymphoid-specific helicase, an epigenetic driver of NSCLC. [Oncogene] Abstract

Metformin-Repressed miR-381-YAP-Snail Axis Activity Disrupts NSCLC Growth and Metastasis

The miR-381 function as a tumor suppressor was significantly downregulated in lung cancer tissue specimens and cell lines, which decreased the expression of its direct target YAP. In addition, metformin decreased cell growth, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition via up-regulation of miR-381. [J Exp Clin Cancer Res] Full Article

Patient-Derived Cells to Guide Targeted Therapy for Advanced Lung Adenocarcinoma

Scientists generated 23 patient-derived cells (PDCs) from 96 malignant effusions of 77 patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma. Clinical and experimental factors were reviewed to identify determinants for PDC establishment. PDCs were characterized by driver mutations and in vitro sensitivity to targeted therapies. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Therapeutic Effects of Statins against Lung Adenocarcinoma via p53 Mutant-Mediated Apoptosis

Significantly higher levels of cellular apoptosis, inhibited cell growth, and regulated lipid raft content were observed in mutant p53 lung cancer cells treated with simvastatin. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Long Noncoding RNA VPS9D1-AS1 Augments the Malignant Phenotype of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer by Sponging MicroRNA-532-3p and Thereby Enhancing HMGA2 Expression

When VPS9D1-AS1 was knocked down in non-small cell lung cancer cells, their proliferation, colony-forming capacity, migration, and invasiveness were lower, whereas their apoptosis rate was higher, compared to the controls. [Aging (Albany NY)] Full Article

Effects of PEGylated Fe-Fe₃O₄ Core-Shell Nanoparticles on NIH3T3 and A549 Cell Lines

The Fe/Fe₃O₄ core-shell nanoparticle showed a higher inhibitory potential on cell motility in A549 lung cancer cells in comparison to the NIH3T3 cells mouse embryonic fibroblasts. This could be due to the accelerated release of free Fe ion from the Fe core, resulting in cell death. [Heliyon] Full Article

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Role of Airway Epithelial Cells in the Development of Different Asthma Phenotypes

Bronchial epithelial cells show a high level of structural and functional diversity and plasticity with epigenetic mechanisms playing a crucial role in the regulation of these processes. Thus, it is quite reasonable that differential functional activities of the bronchial epithelium are involved in the development of different asthma phenotypes and/or stages of disease. [Cell Signal] Abstract

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

Boehringer Ingelheim Partners with Enleofen to Develop First-in-Class Anti-IL-11 Therapies for a Range of Fibrotic Diseases

Boehringer Ingelheim and Enleofen Bio Pte. Ltd. announced the acquisition of worldwide exclusive rights to Enleofen’s preclinical interleukin-11 (IL-11) platform by Boehringer Ingelheim to develop first-in-class therapies across a broad range of fibro-inflammatory diseases. [Boehringer Ingelheim] Press Release

Antabio Awarded $4.4 Million from CARB-X for the Further Development of its New Treatment for Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infections in Cystic Fibrosis Patients

Antabio SAS announced that it has been awarded up to $4.4 million in a second tranche funding from CARB-X, the global non-profit partnership dedicated to tackling the global rising threat of drug-resistant bacteria. [Antabio SAS] Press Release

OncoImmune Announces Approval of IND Application for ONC-392 – The Anti-CTLA-4 Antibody that Preserves CTLA-4 Recycling for Better Safety and Efficacy

OncoImmune, Inc. announced that its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for ONC-392, its novel, next generation anti-CTLA-4 antibody, has been approved by the FDA. [OncoImmune, Inc.] Press Release

Government Call for Science ‘Weirdos’ Prompts Caution from Researchers

Researchers have reacted with surprise and caution to a bizarrely worded job advertisement posted by a senior UK government adviser. The notice calls for scientists, mathematicians and “super-talented weirdos” to work for the prime minister and to help make “rapid progress with long-term problems”, and cites several scientific papers. [Nature News] Editorial

UK Group Tackles Reproducibility in Research

Last month, ten UK universities became part of the UK Reproducibility Network, joining a network that already includes stakeholders such as the Academy of Medical Sciences, Research Libraries UK, the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, journals including Nature and PLOS, and local networks of researchers. [The Scientist] Editorial

NEW Beyond a Million Genomes: From Discovery to Precision Health
January 21-25, 2020
Breckenridge, Colorado, United States

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NEW Multiple Investigator Positions – Cancer Research (Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute)

NEW Postdoctoral Positions – Cancer and Infection (Boston Children’s Hospital)

NEW Postdoctoral Research Scientist – Cancer Research (The Beatson Institute for Cancer Research)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Pulmonary Vascular Diseases (Boston Children’s Hospital)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Lung Cancer (Weill Cornell Medicine)

PhD Positions – Heart and Lung Research (International Max Planck Research School for Heart and Lung Research)

Junior Research Group Leader – Lung Cancer (Justus Liebig University Giessen)

Postdoctoral Associate – Inflammation (University of Pittsburgh)

PhD Student – Organ-on-Chip (Helmholtz Zentrum München)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Lung Epithelium (Boston University)

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