Lung cancer patients who have never smoked make up a significant and growing share of global lung cancer cases, yet remain an understudied group, according to a new review written by UCL (University College London) researchers.

Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is a common congenital heart defect where the aortic valve has two leaflets (cusps) instead of the usual three, resulting in abnormal blood flow and development of aortic valve diseases such as aortic stenosis and incompetence. In addition, the BAV is sometimes accompanied by development of an enlarged aorta - the main artery in the body.  Both the bicuspid aortic valve and an enlarged aorta often require cardiac surgery, usually after the age of 50 years. Despite this, only a limited number of genes have been associated with the disease and the molecular mechanisms remain unexplained in most cases.

In a new study aimed to further understand the genetic architecture of BAV, an international group of researchers led by Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and Laval University in Quebec City, Canada, along with the Bicuspid Aortic Valve Consortium, the Genetic Aortic Network (a division of The Marfan Foundation) and participating Institutions, believe the condition is strongly influenced by the cumulative effect of variation in many different genes (polygenic contribution).

(Boston)—Throughout a person’s lifetime, the cells lining the respiratory tract are exposed to inhaled pollutants, including cigarette smoke. These exposures can cause molecular changes that disrupt normal cell behavior, leading to abnormal growth and function. Over time, these airway abnormalities—called bronchial premalignant lesions—can progress to a type of non-small cell lung cancer known as squamous cell carcinoma.

In a new study from Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, researchers have identified a microRNA (miRNA)—a small non-coding RNA that can suppress gene expression—that is overexpressed in lesions that progress in severity. This miRNA reduces the expression of genes involved in immune recognition, potentially enabling abnormal cells to evade detection by the immune system.