Pancreatic Cell News Volume 10.36 | Sep 17 2019

TOP STORY

Impacting Pancreatic Cancer Therapy in Heterotypic In Vitro Organoids and In Vivo Tumors with Specificity-Tuned, NIR-Activable Photoimmunonanoconjugates: Towards Conquering Desmoplasia?

Scientists report stroma-rich heterotypic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma in vitro and in vivo models incorporating patient-derived pancreatic cancer-associated fibroblasts that recapitulated the desmoplasia observed in the clinic. [Nano Lett] Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

DIABETES & PANCREATITIS

Atp6ap2 Deletion Causes Extensive Vacuolation that Consumes the Insulin Content of Pancreatic β Cells

The authors showed that Cre recombinase-mediated conditional deletion of Atp6ap2 in mouse β cells caused a dramatic accumulation of large, multigranular vacuoles in the cytoplasm, with reduction of insulin content and compromised glucose homeostasis. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

Identification of C2CD4A as a Human Diabetes Susceptibility Gene with a Role in β Cell Insulin Secretion

Genetic ablation of C2cd4a in β cells of mice phenocopied the metabolic abnormalities of human carriers of C2CD4A-linked polymorphisms, resulting in impaired insulin secretion during glucose tolerance tests as well as hyperglycemic clamps. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

CDK8 Regulates Insulin Secretion and Mediates Postnatal and Stress-Induced Expression of Neuropeptides in Pancreatic β Cells

Cdk8 ablation in β cells aggravated apoptosis and induced de novo expression of neuropeptides upon oxidative stress. Pancreatic islets exposed to stress displayed augmented apoptosis in the presence of these same neuropeptides. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Murine Perinatal Beta Cell Proliferation and the Differentiation of Human Stem Cell Derived Insulin Expressing Cells Require NEUROD1

Inactivation of NEUROD1 in human embryonic stem cells severely impaired their differentiation from pancreatic progenitors into insulin expressing cells; however survival or proliferation was not affected at the time points analyzed. [Diabetes] Abstract

Amelioration of Diabetes in a Murine Model upon Transplantation of Pancreatic β-Cells with Optogenetic Control of Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate

β-cells were engineered with stable photoactivatable adenylyl cyclase expression that led to over 2-fold greater glucose-stimulated insulin secretion upon exposure to blue light while there were no changes in the absence of glucose. Transplantation of these cells into streptozotocin-treated mice resulted in improved glucose tolerance, lower hyperglycemia, and higher plasma insulin when subjected to illumination. [ACS Synth Biol] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

Improving the Function and Engraftment of Transplanted Pancreatic Islets Using Pulsed Focused Ultrasound Therapy

Following syngeneic renal sub-capsule islet transplantation in C57/B6 mice, pulsed focused ultrasound improved the function of transplanted islets with diabetic animals rapidly re-establishing glycemic control. [Sci Rep] Full Article

PANCREATIC CANCER

ALPPL2 Is a Potential Diagnostic Biomarker for Pancreatic Cancer Derived Extracellular Vesicles

Investigators showed that alkaline phosphatase placental-like 2 (ALPPL2) was present in pancreatic cancer extracellular vesicles, and therefore has potential application in liquid biopsy-based diagnostic strategies. [Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev] Abstract | Full Article

A FAM83A Positive Feed-back Loop Drives Survival and Tumorigenicity of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinomas

Researchers showed that family with sequence similarity 83 (FAM83) expression was significantly elevated in human and murine pancreatic cancers and was essential for the growth and tumorigenesis of pancreatic cancer cells. [Sci Rep] Full Article

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Diagnosis and Management of Pancreatic Cystic Neoplasms: Current Evidence and Guidelines

Scientists summarize the latest developments in the diagnosis and management of pancreatic cystic neoplasms, including the quality of available evidence. [Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol] Abstract

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Tonix Pharmaceuticals Announces Licensing Agreement with Columbia University for the Development of Recombinant Trefoil Family Factor 2 (rTFF2), or TNX-1700, for the Treatment of Gastric and Pancreatic Cancers

Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp. announced that it has obtained an exclusive license from Columbia University for the development of TNX-1700 for the treatment of gastric and pancreatic cancers. [Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp.] Press Release

Rafael Pharmaceuticals Announces Expansion into France of Pivotal Phase III Trial (AVENGER 500) of CPI-613^® (Devimistat) in Combination with Modified FOLFIRINOX as First-Line Treatment for Patients with Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

Rafael Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced the expansion of its Phase III clinical trial for patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer into France. [Rafael Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (GlobeNewswire, Inc.)] Press Release

New Deals Could Help Scientific Societies Survive Open Access

A project that included funders backing Plan S, the European-led effort to speed the transition to open access, released a set of contract templates and tips meant to help small, independent publishers reach deals with libraries that would eventually eliminate subscriptions while protecting revenue. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Trump’s Top Scientist Outlines Plan to Reduce Foreign Influence on US Research

After months of outcry over whether the United States government is unfairly targeting foreign-born researchers over purported security breaches, President Donald Trump’s science adviser is launching an effort to strengthen national policies on research security. [Nature News] Editorial

Science under Maximum Pressure in Iran

From travel restrictions and publishing bans to currency collapse, the restoration of US sanctions has left researchers in Iran reeling. [The Scientist] Editorial

NEW Cancer Epigenetics: New Mechanisms and Therapeutic Opportunities
January 26-30, 2020
Keystone, Colorado, United States

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NEW Faculty Position – Cancer Biology (Children’s Research Institute at UT Southwestern)

Scientific Communications Coordinator (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Pancreatic Cancer (The University of Alabama at Birmingham)

Postdoctoral Position – Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (IT University of Copenhagen)

Lab Aide – Pancreatic Cancer Research (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Research Technition – Diabetes, Allergies, and Lung Diseases (Helmholtz Zentrum München)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Auto-Immunity (Benaroya Research Institute)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism (The University of Alabama at Birmingham)

Research Lab Specialist – Tumor Microenvironment & Cell Behavior (University of Southern California)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Regenerative Medicine and Metabolic Biology (Indiana Biosciences Research Institute)

Research Positions – Pancreatic Beta-Cells (Université de Montréal)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Neuroscience and Diabetes (The Child Health Institute of New Jersey)

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