Pancreatic Cell News Volume 1.18 | Aug 24 2010

KLF4Alpha Upregulation Promotes Cell Cycle Progression and Reduces Survival Time of Patients with Pancreatic Cancer 
Researchers identified a splice variant of KLF4 (KLF4alpha) that is upregulated in aggressive pancreatic cancer cells and human pancreatic tumor tissues. [Gastroenterology]

Evolution May Have Pushed Humans Toward Greater Risk for Type-1 Diabetes
Gene variants associated with an increased risk for type-1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis may confer previously unknown benefits to their human carriers. [Press release from the Stanford University School of Medicine discussing online prepublication in PLoS One]

DIABETES

Assessment of Islet Specificity of Dihydrotetrabenazine Radiotracer Binding in Rat Pancreas and Human Pancreas
Results showed that the pancreatic uptake of ¹¹C-dihydrotetrabenazine (¹¹C-DTBZ) is mainly due to nonspecific binding in the exocrine pancreas and suggested that the reduction in pancreatic ¹¹C-DTBZ binding observed in type 1 diabetes is not specific for the loss of beta cell mass. [J Nucl Med]

The Protein Phosphatase-1-R6 Protein Phosphatase Holoenzyme Is Involved in the Glucose-Induced Dephosphorylation and Inactivation of AMP-Activated Protein Kinase, a Key Regulator of Insulin Secretion, in MIN6 Beta Cells
siRNA depletion of R6 decreases glucose-induced insulin secretion due to the presence of a constitutively active AMP-activated protein kinase complex. [FASEB J]

Carbonyl Reductase 1 Protects Pancreatic Beta Cells Against Oxidative Stress-Induced Apoptosis in Glucotoxicity and Glucolipotoxicity
Carbonyl reductase 1 protects pancreatic beta cells against oxidative stress and promotes their survival in glucotoxicity and glucolipotoxicity. [Free Radic Biol Med]

Targeting Uncoupling Protein-2 Improves Islet Graft Function
Researchers assessed the importance of uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) in improving islet graft primary function by using UCP2 gene-knockout mice in a syngeneic islet transplantation model. [Cell Transplant]

Transplantation of Insulin Producing Cells Derived from Umbilical Cord Stromal Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Treat NOD Mice
Researchers demonstrated that differentiated insulin-producing cells from human umbilical cord stromal mesenchymal stem cells transplanted into nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice could alleviate hyperglycemia in diabetic mice. [Cell Transplant]

Fructose-1,6-Bisphosphatase Regulates Glucose-Stimulated Insulin Secretion of Mouse Pancreatic Beta Cells
Fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase plays an important role in regulating glucose sensing and insulin secretion of beta cells and serves a promising target for diabetes treatment. [Endocrinology]

Extreme Evolutionary Disparities Seen in Positive Selection Across Seven Complex Diseases
Researchers found alleles increasing susceptibility to Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Crohn’s Disease underwent recent positive selection. There is more selection in alleles increasing, rather than decreasing, susceptibility to T1D. [PLoS One]

PANCREATIC CANCER

E-Cadherin Contributes to the Bystander Effect of TK/GCV Suicide Therapy and Enhances Its Antitumoral Activity in Pancreatic Cancer Models
Researchers propose that by restoring E-cadherin in pancreatic tumor cells they will improve TK/GCV therapy, both by enhancing the bystander effect and by facilitating the induction of apoptosis. [Gene Ther]

Altered Intracellular Calcium Fluxes in Pancreatic Cancer Induced Diabetes Mellitus: Relevance of the S100A8 N-Terminal Peptide (NT-S100A8)
NT-S100A8 exerts a mild effect on pancreatic cancer (PC) cell growth, while it reduces PC cell invasion, possibly by Akt and NF-kappaB signaling, NT-S100A8 enhances intracellular Ca2+ concentration oscillations and insulin release, probably by inducing Ca2+ influx from the extracellular space, but it does not interfere with insulin signaling. [J Cell Physiol]

Are Genetic Variants in the Platelet-Derived Growth Factor (PDGF)-Beta Gene Associated With Chronic Pancreatitis?
Known variations in the PDGF-beta gene do not have a significant effect on promoting or preventing fibrogenesis in pancreatitis. [Pancreas]

ASH Recommends Cross-Disciplinary Engagement to Advance Regenerative Medicine
The American Society of Hematology (ASH) has developed specific recommendations to the scientific community and federal agencies to help propel collaborative research in regenerative medicine in order to make real strides in improving patient care. These recommendations were released in Blood. [American Society of Hematology Press Release]
 
Stem Cell Agency Commits $243 Million, Expands Team Approach to Developing New Therapies
The Governing Board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine approved the concept for up to $243 million round of funding to move stem cell-based therapies to clinical trial. [California Institute for Regenerative Medicine Press Release]

Neogenix Oncology Receives Patent for DNAs Encoding Its NPC-1 Antibody, Further Expanding Patent Portfolio
Neogenix Oncology, Inc. announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued Patent No. 7,763,720, with claims related to DNAs encoding the novel molecular aspects of the Company’s NPC-1 antibody. [BusinessWire]

Federal Judge: Obama Stem Cell Policy Halted
Research on embryonic stem cells funded by the U.S. government must stop immediately for a court-ordered review, Judge Royce Lamberth of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled. [United States District Court for the District of Columbia]

Universities, Scientists Urge NIH to Narrow Conflicts Rule
The biomedical research community is reacting with concern to a proposal from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to clamp down on financial conflicts of interest in research. [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Lawrence A. Tabak Named Principal Deputy Director NIH
National Institutes of Health Director Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., announced the appointment of Lawrence A. Tabak, D.D.S., Ph.D., as principal deputy director of the National Institutes of Health. [National Institutes of Health, United States]

FDA, Companies Must Stretch Overseas Supply Oversight
The FDA is trying to stretch its enforcement reach over foreign drug suppliers, potentially through consent decrees, and is asking manufacturers to take bigger steps as well to tighten the pharmaceutical supply chain. [Food and Drug Administration, United States]

Scottish Government Sets Out Action Plan to Tackle Diabetes
The growing problem of diabetes in Scotland is to be tackled by a new Scottish Government Action Plan. [Scottish Diabetes Action Plan, United Kingdom]

Enhancing Research in Regenerative Medicine
The American Society of Hematology (ASH) convened a working group of experts from the fields of hematopoietic stem cell biology, embryonic stem cells, transplantation biology, and gene therapy at the urging of the Committee on Government Affairs with the goal of developing a “white paper” to inform recommendations to ASH and appropriate parties at the National Institutes of Health about the need for additional research in the area of regenerative medicine. [Blood]

Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology; HIT Policy Committee Advisory Meeting; Notice of Meeting (FR Doc. 2010-20828) [Department of Health and Human Services, United States]

Food and Drug Administration Clinical Trial Requirements, Regulations, Compliance, and Good Clinical Practice; Public Workshop [Docket No. FDA-2010-N-0001] [Food and Drug Administration, United States]
 
Exceptional, Unconventional Research Enabling Knowledge Acceleration (EUREKA) (R01) (RFA-GM-11-003) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

NIH-RAID Updates on Program Scope and Procedures: Biologics Manufacture, Lead Selection, and Product Development Plans (NOT-RM-10-012) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Proposed Collection; Comment Request; STAR METRICS–Science and Technology in America’s Reinvestment: Measuring the Effects of Research on Innovation, Competitiveness and Science (FR Doc. 2010-20614) [National Institutes of Health, United States]
 
Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings (FR Doc. 2010-20588) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health; Notice of Meeting (FR Doc. 2010-20675) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Support of National Institute of General Medical Sciences Program Project Grants (P01) (PAR-10-266) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Limited Pilot for National Institute of General Medical Sciences Legacy Community-Wide Scientific Resources (R24) (PAR-10-261) [National Institute of General Medical Sciences, United States]