DIABETES Homeoprotein hhex-Induced Conversion of Intestinal to Ventral Pancreatic Precursors Results in the Formation of Giant Pancreata in Xenopus Embryos Ectopic expression of a critical dose of hematopoietically expressed homeobox (hhex) led to a greatly enlarged ventral pancreatic precursor 1 (vpp1)-positive domain and, subsequently, to the formation of giant ventral pancreata, putatively by conversion of intestinal to ventral pancreatic precursor cells. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract Cytokine and Chemokine Production by Human Pancreatic Islets Upon Enterovirus Infection Researchers aimed to gain insight into the cytokines and chemokines that are produced by human pancreatic islets upon infection with coxsackie B viruses. [Diabetes] Abstract Anks4b, a Novel Target of HNF4α Interacts with GRP78 and Regulates Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Induced Apoptosis in Pancreatic β-Cells Results indicated that ankyrin repeat and sterile alpha motif domain containing 4b (Anks4b) is a HNF4α target gene that regulates endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in β-cells by interacting with glucose regulated protein 78 (GRP78), thus suggesting that HNF4α is involved in maintenance of the ER. [J Biol Chem] Full Article Antiaging Gene Klotho Enhances Glucose-Induced Insulin Secretion by Up-Regulating Plasma Membrane Levels of Transient Receptor Potential V2 in MIN6 β-Cells Klotho is expressed in mouse pancreatic islets and in insulinoma β-cells (MIN6 β-cells). Researchers investigated whether Klotho plays a role in the regulation of insulin secretion in MIN6 β-cells by overexpression and silencing of Klotho. [Endocrinology] Abstract Plasticity of Adult Human Pancreatic Duct Cells by Neurogenin3-Mediated Reprogramming Duct cells isolated from the adult human pancreas can be reprogrammed to express islet beta cell genes by adenoviral transduction of the developmental transcription factor neurogenin3. In this study researchers aimed to fully characterize the extent of this reprogramming and intended to improve it. [PLoS One] Full Article PANCREATIC CANCER Serotonin Regulates Amylase Secretion and Acinar Cell Damage during Murine Pancreatitis The authors analyzed whether serotonin regulates zymogen secretion in pancreatic acinar cells and the development of pancreatic inflammation. [Gut] Abstract Deletion of the Endothelial Bmx Tyrosine Kinase Decreases Tumor Angiogenesis and Growth Isogenic colon, lung, and melanoma tumor xenotransplants showed reductions in growth and tumor angiogenesis in Bmx gene-deleted (-/-) mice, while developmental angiogenesis was not affected. In addition, growth of transgenic pancreatic islet carcinomas and intestinal adenomas was also slower in Bmx-/- mice. [Cancer Res] Abstract HOTAIR Is a Negative Prognostic Factor and Exhibits Pro-Oncogenic Activity in Pancreatic Cancer Investigators show that HOTAIR expression is increased in pancreatic tumors compared with non-tumor tissue and is associated with more aggressive tumors. [Oncogene] Abstract Nicotine/Cigarette Smoke Promotes Metastasis of Pancreatic Cancer through α7nAChR-Mediated MUC4 Upregulation Researchers explored a potential link between MUC4 expression and smoking-mediated pancreatic cancer (PC) pathogenesis and report that both cigarette smoke extract and nicotine significantly upregulates MUC4 in PC cells. [Oncogene] Abstract FKBP5 as a Selection Biomarker for Gemcitabine and Akt Inhibitors in Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer Investigators used a pancreatic cancer xenograft mouse model to show that down regulation of FKBP5 in shFKBP5 xenograft mice promotes tumor growth and resistance to gemcitabine. [PLoS One] Full Article |