Article
Respiratory System
Janne Goossens, Anne-Charlotte Jonckheere, Sven F. Seys, Ellen Dilissen, Tatjana Decaesteker, Camille Goossens, Koen Peers, Vincent Vanbelle, Jeroen Stappers, Sven Aertgeerts, Barbara De Wilde, Jasmine Leus, Sophie Verelst, Marc Raes, Lieven Dupont, Dominique M. Bullens
Summary: The study investigated the effects of intense exercise and air pollution exposure on the airway barrier and exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) in adolescent elite athletes. Results showed that athletes had increased markers of air pollution exposure, epithelial damage, and airway inflammation compared with controls. The incidence of EIB in athletes was also linked to prior exposure to PM10 and PM2.5.
Article
Respiratory System
Elizabeth J. Becker, Alen Faiz, Maarten van den Berge, Wim Timens, Pieter S. Hiemstra, Kristopher Clark, Gang Liu, Xiaohui Xiao, Yuriy O. Alekseyev, George O'Connor, Stephen Lam, Avrum Spira, Marc E. Lenburg, Katrina Steiling
Summary: The study identified and replicated an airway gene expression signature associated with the rate of FEV1 decline in individuals with COPD. Genes that are elevated in individuals with a more rapid FEV1 decline are significantly enriched among the genes altered by modulation of XBP1 and are related to mucin production. These findings suggest that molecular processes related to the rate of FEV1 decline can be detected in the airway epithelium, potentially serving as an early indicator of rapid FEV1 decline in both smokers with and without COPD.
Article
Critical Care Medicine
Ryan C. Murphy, Ying Lai, Matthew Liu, Taha Al-Shaikhly, Matthew C. Altman, William A. Altemeier, Charles W. Frevert, Jason S. Debley, Adrian M. Piliponsky, Steven F. Ziegler, Sina A. Gharib, Teal S. Hallstrand
Summary: This study identified differentially expressed genes associated with exercise-induced bronchoconstriction in individuals with asthma using RNA-sequencing analysis. Experiments suggested that the interactions between airway epithelial cells, mast cells, and eosinophils are closely associated with indirect airway hyperresponsiveness and play a critical role in modulating airway inflammation.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Respiratory System
James P. Bridges, Eszter K. Vladar, Hua Huang, Robert J. Mason
Summary: COVID-19 infection in the lungs progresses through different stages with distinct characteristics, and effective therapy relies on the specific location and extent of infection. The virus targets different cell types in the conducting airways and gas exchange portions of the lung, requiring tailored therapeutic approaches. Alveolar infection can lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome and a hyperinflammatory state, necessitating specific therapies in severe cases.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ana Hernandez I. Cordero, Chen Xi Yang, Xuan Li, Julia Yang, Tawimas Shaipanich, Julie L. MacIsaac, David T. S. Lin, Michael S. Kobor, Steve Horvath, Shu Fan Paul Man, Don D. Sin, Janice M. Leung
Summary: This study found that DNAmGrimAge in blood samples accurately reflects the airway epigenetic age of individuals and its elevation is highly associated with COPD.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nathalie Baumlin, Neerupma Silswal, John S. Dennis, Asef J. Niloy, Michael D. Kim, Matthias Salathe
Summary: Flavorings, such as menthol, in e-cigarettes can affect the clearance of mucus in the airways, potentially leading to harm. Menthol at high concentrations used in e-cigs can decrease ciliary beat frequency, reduce airway surface liquid volume, and increase mucus concentrations, resulting in impaired mucociliary clearance and increased inflammation.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shadab Kazmi, Mohammad Afzal Khan, Talal Shamma, Abdullah Altuhami, Hala Abdalrahman Ahmed, Abdullah Mohammed Assiri, Dieter Clemens Broering
Summary: This study demonstrates that IL-10 can promote microvascular and epithelial repair in airway transplantation by regulating the expression of FOXJ1, beta-catenin, and Fascin-1 proteins. These findings provide an important therapeutic strategy for graft repair using IL-10.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Kristina Johansson, Prescott G. Woodruff, Karl Mark Ansel
Summary: The airway epithelium is crucial for protection from inhaled pathogens and particles, but inflammatory diseases are often associated with failure of epithelial functions, leading to immune activation and tissue damage. MicroRNAs play a key role in cellular responses and disease prevention, with significant changes in epithelial miRNA expression in respiratory diseases.
IMMUNOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2021)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Sabita Singh, Joytri Dutta, Archita Ray, Atmaja Karmakar, Ulaganathan Mabalirajan
Summary: The Th2 immune response is believed to play a major role in allergic asthma, but this concept fails to explain some key aspects of asthma pathogenesis. Recent research suggests that the airway epithelium is more significant than previously thought, as it releases alarmins that induce type 2 immune responses. The airway epithelium has a dual functionality in maintaining lung health and promoting inflammation, and promoting epithelial health may improve asthma control.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Fairuz Izan Muhammad Firdaus, Ab. Karim Nashihah, Mh. Busra Mohd Fauzi, Maarof Manira, Saim Aminuddin, Yogeswaran Lokanathan
Summary: In recent years, exploring respiratory therapy guided by cell-secreted substances in vitro has become popular. This review evaluated the efficacy of using conditioned medium (CM) collected in an in vitro respiratory epithelial model. The results showed that differentiated cells from respiratory and non-respiratory systems, such as mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), could improve proliferation, migration, attachment, and protect the respiratory epithelium against cytotoxicity. CM might be a potential regenerative therapy in respiratory illnesses, but further research is needed to justify its use in clinical practice.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Elrade Rofaani, Boxin Huang, Feng Liang, Juan Peng, Yong Chen
Summary: This study successfully generated airway epithelium using artificial basement membrane (ABM) and human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). The generated pseudostratified airway epithelium consists of multiple cell types and demonstrates advantages over other methods.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Katarzyna Wojcik-Pszczola, Agnieszka Jankowska, Marietta Slusarczyk, Bogdan Jakiela, Hanna Plutecka, Krzysztof Pociecha, Artur Swierczek, Justyna Popiol, Paulina Koczurkiewicz-Adamczyk, Elzbieta Wyska, Elzbieta Pekala, Reinoud Gosens, Grazyna Chlon-Rzepa
Summary: Phosphodiesterase inhibitors have shown promise in treating inflammatory and fibrotic diseases, including asthma. The novel compounds described in the study exhibited antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, reducing the expression of inflammatory and fibrotic mediators in bronchial epithelial cells. These dual-acting pan-PDE inhibitors have potential as lead structures for future anti-asthmatic agent discovery.
BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Ethan Iverson, Kira Griswold, Daniel Song, Talita B. Gagliardi, Kajal Hamidzadeh, Mehmet Kesimer, Sanju Sinha, Melissa Perry, Gregg A. Duncan, Margaret A. Scull
Summary: This study demonstrates the inhibitory role of MUC1 protein in the uptake and infection of IAV in human airway epithelium (HAE). MUC1 expression is increased through interferon and other soluble factors during IAV infection, and its genetic knockout enhances viral growth.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Alexandra McCarron, Nigel Farrow, Patricia Cmielewski, Emma Knight, Martin Donnelley, David Parsons
Summary: The lungs have evolved complex defenses to prevent foreign materials from entering epithelial cells, which can also affect gene transfer agents. Disrupting the integrity of the epithelium prior to gene delivery can enhance gene expression levels.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Respiratory System
Alen Faiz, Stelios Pavlidis, Chih-Hsi Kuo, Anthony Rowe, Pieter S. Hiemstra, Wim Timens, Marijn Berg, Marissa Wisman, Yi-Ke Guo, Ratko Djukanovi, Peter Sterk, Kerstin B. Meyer, Martijn C. Nawijn, Ian Adcock, Kian Fan Chung, Maarten van den Berge
Summary: By analyzing the gene expression signatures in bronchial biopsies, we found that severe asthma and COPD share common characteristics such as relative corticosteroid insensitivity. Among COPD patients receiving inhaled corticosteroids, we identified a subgroup of patients with a TAC1 signature that was responsive to treatment, while the other two signatures (TAC2 and TAC3) were not affected. The presence of the TAC1 signature in bronchial biopsies was associated with corticosteroid responsiveness. This study has significant implications for personalized treatment decisions and outcome prediction in airway diseases.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Khaled Ramadan, Bruno Gomes, Mauricio Pipkin, Mariola Olkowicz, Barbara Bojko, Arnaud Romeo Mbadjeu Hondjeu, Shaf Keshavjee, Thomas Waddell, Janusz Pawliszyn, Marcelo Cypel
Summary: The study aimed to determine the dose-limiting toxicity of oxaliplatin chemotherapy delivered by in vivo lung perfusion (IVLP) and developed a 72-hour porcine IVLP survival model. Results showed clinically significant lung injury at 80 mg/L oxaliplatin, and mild and subclinical lung injury at 40 mg/L. These findings will guide the initiation of a clinical trial examining IVLP delivery of oxaliplatin.
JOURNAL OF THORACIC AND CARDIOVASCULAR SURGERY
(2021)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Robert Qaqish, Yui Watanabe, Konrad Hoetzenecker, Jon Yeung, Manyin Chen, Andrew Pierre, Kazuhiro Yasufuku, Laura Donahoe, Marc de Perrot, Tom Waddell, Shaf Keshavjee, Marcelo Cypel
Summary: Short- and long-term outcomes are similar between recipients of lungs from donation after neurologic determination of death and donation after circulatory determination of death. Different intervals between withdrawal of life-sustaining therapies and cardiac arrest did not impact recipient outcomes, and the maximum acceptable duration of this interval remains to be established.
JOURNAL OF THORACIC AND CARDIOVASCULAR SURGERY
(2021)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Biniam Kidane, Sean Higgins, Dhruvin H. Hirpara, Suha Kaaki, Yu Cindy Shen, Frances Allison, Thomas K. Waddell, Gail E. Darling
Summary: Although post-esophagectomy emergency department utilization is high, the majority of visits do not convert to inpatient admission. Anastomotic leak is independently associated with higher odds of conversion to admission. Patients living in regions further away tend to utilize closer local hospitals, resulting in lower conversion rates to admission at the index hospital.
ANNALS OF THORACIC SURGERY
(2021)
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Simon Latour, Alison P. McGuigan
Summary: The process of micropatterning allows for precise deposition of molecules like proteins onto a chosen substrate with micrometer resolution. The innovative strategy described in the study by Watson et al. enables reproducible micropatterning of almost any protein while maintaining its biological activity.
JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Vera M. Pieters, Ileana L. Co, Nila C. Wu, Alison P. McGuigan
Summary: Omics technologies, combined with 3D disease models, play a crucial role in understanding diseases by exploring the molecular connections between genotype and phenotype, aiding in disease modeling and therapy development.
TISSUE ENGINEERING PART C-METHODS
(2021)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Mohammadali Ahmadipour, Pascal Duchesneau, Daisuke Taniguchi, Thomas K. Waddell, Golnaz Karoubi
Summary: The study showed that cell delivery via negative pressure improved the efficiency and cell surface coverage area of recellularization of bioengineered lungs, indicating that negative pressure cell delivery is a more effective approach.
TISSUE ENGINEERING PART C-METHODS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hankyu Lee, Alba E. Marin-Araujo, Fabio G. Aoki, Siba Haykal, Thomas K. Waddell, Cristina H. Amon, David A. Romero, Golnaz Karoubi
Summary: This study utilized computational fluid dynamics to redesign the fluid delivery system of a trachea bioreactor and improve the perfusion cell seeding protocol to promote uniform cell deposition. The research demonstrated that low rates of rotation provide more uniform cell deposition patterns and enhance re-epithelialization of long segment tracheal grafts. Lessons learned from this study can be applied to culturing of any tissue engineered tubular scaffold.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Laura C. Bahlmann, Alexander E. G. Baker, Chang Xue, Sophie Liu, Moritz Meier-Merziger, Danielle Karakas, Luke Zhu, Ileana Co, Spencer Zhao, Allysia Chin, Alison McGuigan, John Kuruvilla, Rob C. Laister, Molly S. Shoichet
Summary: Studies have shown that macrophages migrate to a greater depth in cryogels with greater porosity and pore size, primarily through a matrix metalloproteinase-mediated mechanism. The migration of macrophages in cryogels is influenced by cell polarization, with polarized macrophages using a combination of amoeboid and mesenchymal migration. These findings pave the way for further research on macrophage invasion in a biomimetic tumor microenvironment.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2021)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Michail Paraskevopoulos, Alison P. McGuigan
Summary: Cell competition is an environment-dependent mechanism for eliminating suboptimal cells, mediated by intercellular communication and mechanical stress. While genetic drivers of cell competition have been identified in Drosophila, they remain largely elusive in mammalian models. The use of CRISPR/Cas9 screens holds promise for uncovering novel mutations that trigger cell competition and identifying essential molecular components for recognizing and eliminating less fit cells.
BRIEFINGS IN FUNCTIONAL GENOMICS
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Eric A. Chadwick, Takaya Suzuki, Michael G. George, David A. Romero, Cristina Amon, Thomas K. Waddell, Golnaz Karoubi, Aimy Bazylak
Summary: This work presents a methodology for non-invasive high-spatial resolution 3D X-ray micro-CT of healthy mouse lung vasculature, as well as novel techniques for removing spurious branch artefacts from the skeletonized 3D image. These methods accurately characterize the structure of mouse lung vasculature and aid in studying chronic pulmonary diseases.
PLOS COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Natalie Landon-Brace, Jose L. Cadavid, Simon Latour, Ileana L. Co, Darren Rodenhizer, Nancy T. Li, Nila C. Wu, Eryn Bugbee, Aleks Chebotarev, Ji Zhang, Bradly G. Wouters, Alison P. McGuigan
Summary: TRACER2 serves as a novel platform to dissect the effects of microenvironmental parameters on tumor cell function, especially in the study of pancreatic cancer PDOs.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Ratna Varma, James Poon, Zhongfa Liao, J. Stewart Aitchison, Thomas K. Waddell, Golnaz Karoubi, Alison P. McGuigan
Summary: The study evaluated the effect of topographical cues on the organization of human tracheal epithelial cells and human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived airway progenitors, finding that cilia alignment in airway cells is influenced by topographical cues under ALI culture conditions.
BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
John P. Soleas, Linwen Huang, Elisa D'Arcangelo, Maria Cristina Nostro, Thomas K. Waddell, Alison P. McGuigan, Golnaz Karoubi
Summary: The study demonstrates that culturing progenitor cells in tube structures can influence cellular morphology and differentiation status, with sensitivity to tube diameter but not seeding density. These findings suggest that geometric cues play a role in homogenizing cellular morphology and influencing fate status.
BIOENGINEERING-BASEL
(2021)
Letter
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Laura L. Donahoe, Tatsuya Kato, Andrew Healey, Thomas K. Waddell, Jodie Heffren, Caitlin Mills, Maureen Meade, Diana Hallett, Shaf Keshavjee, Marcelo Cypel
JOURNAL OF HEART AND LUNG TRANSPLANTATION
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yunfeng Li, Nancy Khuu, Elisabeth Prince, Huachen Tao, Ningtong Zhang, Zhengkun Chen, Albert Gevorkian, Alison P. McGuigan, Eugenia Kumacheva
Summary: By independently altering the stiffness of hydrogel matrix, researchers were able to influence the response of breast cancer spheroids to chemotherapy, with soft hydrogels promoting larger spheroid growth and enhancing drug resistance.
