DIABETES & PANCREATITIS Calcium-Signaling Components in Rat Insulinoma ß-Cells (INS-1) and Pancreatic Islets Are Differentially Influenced by Melatonin In a transfected INS-1 cell line overexpressing the human MT2 receptor, melatonin treatment induced even stronger depressive effects on calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase 2d and IV transcripts during 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine treatment than in normal INS-1 cells, indicating a crucial influence of melatonin receptor density on transcript level regulation. [J Pineal Res] Abstract SH2B1 in ß Cells Promotes Insulin Expression and Glucose Metabolism in Mice Scientists identified SH2B1 as a new regulator of insulin expression. In rat INS-1 832/13 ß cells, SH2B1 knockdown decreased, whereas SH2B1 overexpression increased, both insulin expression and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. [Mol Endocrinol] Abstract Group VIA Phospholipase A2 Mitigates Palmitate-Induced Beta Cell Mitochondrial Injury and Apoptosis Group VIA phospholipase A2 (iPLA2ß) affects ß-cell sensitivity to apoptosis, and researchers examined iPLA2ß effects on events that occur in ß-cells incubated with palmitate. [J Biol Chem] Abstract | Full Article Elevation of NR4A3 Expression and Its Possible Role in Modulating Insulin Expression in the Pancreatic Beta Cell Dynamic changes in NR4A3 were examined in a pancreatic beta-cell line, MIN6, treated with thapsigargin, palmitate, tunicamycin, and dithiothreitol, chemicals that produce cell stress and even apoptosis. [PLoS One] Full Article PANCREATIC CANCER CLPTM1L Promotes Growth and Enhances Aneuploidy in Pancreatic Cancer Cells Overexpression of CLPTM1L enhanced growth of pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, suggesting a role in tumor growth. [Cancer Res] Abstract Activation of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Inhibits Tumorigenicity and Metastasis of Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells via PI3K/Akt Pathway Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor activation with liraglutide inhibited tumorigenicity and metastasis of human pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. [Diabetes Obes Metab] Abstract Development of High-Content Gemcitabine PEGylated Liposomes and Their Cytotoxicity on Drug-Resistant Pancreatic Tumor Cells Researchers developed high-content gemcitabine PEGylated liposomes to reverse gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic tumor cells. The mechanism of drug loading into liposomes was also investigated. [Pharm Res] Abstract The Notch Pathway Is Important in Maintaining the Cancer Stem Cell Population in Pancreatic Cancer Notch pathway components were found to be upregulated in pancreatic cancer stem cells (CSCs). Inhibition of the Notch pathway using either a gamma secretase inhibitor or Hes1 shRNA in pancreatic cancer cells reduced the percentage of CSCs and tumorsphere formation. [PLoS One] Full Article A Triple Combination of Atorvastatin, Celecoxib and Tipifarnib Strongly Inhibits Pancreatic Cancer Cells and Xenograft Pancreatic Tumors Researchers found that treatment of human pancreatic tumor cells with a combination of atorvastatin, celecoxib and tipifarnib had a stronger inhibitory effect on growth and a stronger stimulatory effect on apoptosis than each drug alone or for any combination of two drugs. [Int J Oncol] Abstract |