DIABETES & PANCREATITIS Improving Pancreatic Islet In Vitro Functionality and Transplantation Efficiency by Using Heparin Mimetic Peptide Nanofiber Gels It is important to provide a proper mechanically and biologically supportive environment for enhancing both in vitro islet culture and transplantation efficiency. Researchers demonstrated that heparin mimetic peptide amphiphile nanofibrous network is a promising platform for these purposes. [Acta Biomater] Abstract Chronic Exposure to Excess Nutrients Left-Shifts the Concentration Dependence of Glucose-Stimulated Insulin Secretion in Pancreatic β-Cells Scientists tested the hypothesis that hyperinsulinemia can result from an intrinsic response of the β-cell to chronic exposure to excess nutrients, involving a shift in the concentration dependency of glucose- stimulated insulin secretion. [J Biol Chem] Abstract | Full Article PRMT4 Is Involved in Insulin Secretion via Methylation of Histone H3 in Pancreatic β-Cells Scientists showed that protein arginine methyltransferase (PRMT)4 expression was increased in INS-1 and HIT-T15 pancreatic β-cells under high glucose conditions. [J Mol Endocrinol] Abstract Pancreatic Endocrine Effects of Dopamine Receptors in Human Islet Cells Scientists determined the localization and expression of 5 dopamine receptors (D1, D2, D3, D4, and D5) in normal human pancreas tissue. They found that the D1 receptor is present in β cells; the D2 receptor is expressed by α, δ, and pancreatic polypeptide cells; the D4 receptor is expressed by β and polypeptide cells; whereas the D5 receptor is expressed only by δ cells. [Pancreas] Abstract Osteocalcin Protects Pancreatic Beta Cell Function and Survival under High Glucose Conditions The authors hypothesized that osteocalcin protects beta cells from glucose-induced oxidative stress. To test this hypothesis they cultured isolated rat islets and INS-1E cells in the presence of normal, high, or high glucose ± osteocalcin for up to 72 hours. [Biochem Biophys Res Commun] Abstract Transduction of PEP-1-Heme Oxygenase-1 into Insulin-Producing INS-1 Cells Protects them against Cytokine-Induced Cell Death Researchers transduced PEP-1-heme oxygenase-1 (PEP-1-HO-1) into INS-1 insulinoma cells and examined its protective effect against cytokine-induced cell death. PEP-1-HO-1 was successfully delivered into INS-1 cells in time- and dose-dependent manner and was maintained within the cells for at least 48 hours. [Biochem Biophys Res Commun] Abstract PANCREATIC CANCER Selective Nuclear Export Inhibitor KPT-330 Enhances the Antitumor Activity of Gemcitabine in Human Pancreatic Cancer Researchers evaluated the in vitro and in vivo effects of gemcitabine combined with the selective nuclear export inhibitor KPT-330 on pancreatic cancer growth. [Mol Cancer Ther] Abstract Pachymic Acid Inhibits Growth and Induces Apoptosis of Pancreatic Cancer In Vitro and In Vivo by Targeting ER Stress The authors investigated the anticancer effect of pachymic acid (PA) on human chemotherapy resistant pancreatic cancer. PA triggered apoptosis in gemcitabine-resistant pancreatic cancer cells PANC-1 and MIA PaCa-2. [PLoS One] Full Article Inflammatory Cytokines Regulate the Expression of Glycosyltransferases Involved in the Biosynthesis of Tumor-Associated Sialylated Glycans in Pancreatic Cancer Cell Lines Two human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cell lines MDAPanc-3 and MDAPanc-28 were treated with pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, TNFα, IL-6 or IL-8, and the content of tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens at the cell membrane was analyzed by flow cytometry. [Cytokine] Abstract Transforming Growth Factor β Receptor Signaling Restrains Growth of Pancreatic Carcinoma Cells Researchers inhibited transforming growth factor β receptor signaling by overexpression of a key inhibitor of this pathway, SMAD7, in the mouse pancreas, using a recently developed intraductal infusion method. [Tumor Biol] Abstract |