Pancreatic Cell News 10.08 March 5, 2019 | |
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TOP STORYCombination of ERK and Autophagy Inhibition as a Treatment Approach for Pancreatic Cancer Scientists showed that suppression of KRAS increased autophagic flux, as did pharmacological inhibition of its effector ERK MAPK. Furthermore, they demonstrated that either KRAS suppression or ERK inhibition decreased both glycolytic and mitochondrial functions. [Nat Med] Abstract | Press Release | |
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PUBLICATIONS(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)DIABETES & PANCREATITISDNA Damage Does Not Cause BrdU Labeling of Mouse or Human Beta Cells The authors performed experiments to clarify the causes of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)-gH2AX double-labeling in mouse and human beta cells. DNA damage suppressed BrdU labeling and BrdU-gH2AX co-labeling. [Diabetes] Abstract Researchers used an in vitro culture system consisting of isolated pancreatic islets, an extract of pancreatic ductal epithelium and a monoclonal antibody to serpin B13 or IgG isotype control. [Diabetologia] Abstract Macrophage Alterations in Islets of Obese Mice Linked to Beta Cell Disruption in Diabetes Islets were isolated from lean control mice, obese diabetes-prone db/db mice and obese diabetes-resistant ob/ob mice. Islets were treated ex vivo with clodronate-containing liposomes to deplete macrophages. [Diabetologia] Abstract Double knockdown of vascular endothelial growth factor (vegf) aa and vegfab or the primary Vegfa receptors (Vegfr2), kdr and kdrl, resulted in vessel deficient islets. While beta-cell and alpha-cell numbers remained unchanged in vessel deficient islets, insulina expression was downregulated relative to controls. [Sci Rep] Full Article PANCREATIC CANCERResearchers showed that inhibition of KRAS→RAF→MEK→ERK signaling elicited autophagy, a process of cellular recycling that protected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells from the cytotoxic effects of KRAS pathway inhibition. Mechanistically, inhibition of MEK1/2 led to activation of the LKB1→AMPK→ULK1 signaling axis, a key regulator of autophagy. [Nat Med] Abstract | Press Release Gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor pi subunit (GABRP) expression was remarkably increased in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma tissues and associated with poor prognosis, contributing to tumor growth and metastasis. [Gut] Abstract PANC-1 cells were transfected with miR-126-3p or silenced ADAM9 to examine their regulatory roles in pancreatic cancer cells. Additionally, exosomes derived from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were isolated and co-cultured with pancreatic cancer cells to elucidate the effects of exosomes in pancreatic cancer. [Mol Ther Nucleic Acids] Abstract | Full Article RREB1 was found to activate transcription of AGAP2-AS1 in pancreatic cancer (PC) cells. AGAP2-AS1 affected proliferation, apoptosis, cycle arrest, invasion, and metastasis of PC cells in vitro, and AGAP2-AS1 regulated PC proliferation in vivo. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article MTA2-Mediated Inhibition of PTEN Leads to Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Carcinogenicity Using CCK-8, colony formation and transwell assays, and a xenograft tumor model, scientists revealed that metastasis-associated protein 2 (MTA2) promoted pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro and PDAC tumor growth in vivo by downregulation of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN). [Cell Death Dis] Full Article Integrin α11 in Pancreatic Stellate Cells Regulates Tumor Stroma Interaction in Pancreatic Cancer Primary human pancreatic stellate cells activated with either TGF-β or pancreatic cancer cell-conditioned medium resulted in the significant up-regulation of integrin subunit α11 and various cancer-associated fibroblast markers. [FASEB J] Abstract Subscribe to one of our other 19 science newsletters such as Hepatic Cell News & Intestinal Cell News. | |
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REVIEWSCan glucose levels in people with diabetes be normalized with artificial pancreas systems or via cell replacement approaches? The authors review the road ahead, including the challenges and opportunities of both approaches. [Cell Metab] Full Article Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the pancreatic cell research field. | |
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SCIENCE NEWSNOXXON to Present Latest Clinical Data from NOX-A12/Keytruda® Combination Trial NOXXON Pharma N.V. announced that the company will present the latest safety, survival and more mature clinical data in patients treated with the CXCL12 inhibitor NOX-A12 in combination with Merck & Co./MSD’s PD-1 inhibitor Keytruda® in metastatic, microsatellite stable pancreatic and colorectal cancer patients. [Press release from NOXXON Pharma N.V. discussing research to be presented at the 2019 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting, Atlanta] Press Release Helix BioPharma Corp. and Moffitt Cancer Center to Present Helix BioPharma Corp. is pleased to announce that together with the Moffitt Cancer Center, a poster entitled “Improving survival in pancreatic cancer using Doxorubicin in combination with L-DOS47” will be presented. [Press release from Helix BioPharma Corp. discussing research to be presented at the 2019 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting, Atlanta] Press Release | |
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INDUSTRY NEWSAnTolRx, Inc. announced that Pfizer Inc. has exercised the option granted under a June 2016 agreement to license an immune tolerance therapy from AnTolRx’s Type 1 diabetes research program. [AnTolRx, Inc.] Press Release BioXcel Therapeutics, Inc. announced the addition of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and Pfizer Inc. to its Nektar Therapeutics clinical collaboration to evaluate a novel triple combination therapy in pancreatic cancer. The collaboration now includes avelumab, BXCL701 and NKTR-214 as a potential combination therapy for pancreatic cancer. [BioXcel Therapeutics, Inc.] Press Release Hua Medicine Completes Patient Enrollment for Phase III Monotherapy Trial of Dorzagliatin Hua Medicine announced the completion of patient enrollment for a Phase III monotherapy trial of dorzagliatin. Hua Medicine expects to release the topline results in the 4th quarter of 2019. [Hua Medicine] Press Release Rexahn Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that it has completed enrollment in the Phase IIa clinical trial of RX-3117 in combination with ABRAXANE in first-line metastatic pancreatic cancer patients. [Rexahn Pharmaceuticals, Inc.] Press Release Oncotelic, Inc. announced clinical data supporting the use of chemotherapy-induced xenogenization for the in situ immunization against glioblastoma and pancreatic cancer. [Oncotelic, Inc. (GlobeNewswire, Inc.)] Press Release CHMP Recommends ZynquistaTM (Sotagliflozin) for the Treatment of Adults with Type 1 Diabetes The European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has adopted a positive opinion on the marketing authorization of ZynquistaTM, developed by Sanofi and Lexicon. [Sanofi] Press Release Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc. announced the extension of its early access program at the Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands using its drug Ampligen in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. [Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc.] Press Release | |
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POLICY NEWSTrump Threatens to Cut Federal Research Funding over Free Speech At the Conservative Political Action Conference, President Donald Trump promised to sign an executive order cutting off funds to colleges and universities that do not maintain free speech. The president said “it will be very costly” if institutions don’t comply, but he did not give many details about the possible executive order or who would decide if schools were adequately protecting free speech. [The Scientist] Editorial China Creating National Medical Ethics Committee to Oversee High-Risk Clinical Trials A powerful new national medical ethics committee, which will approve all clinical trials involving high-risk biomedical technologies, is at the center of a regulatory shakeup Chinese authorities are planning in the aftermath of the widely condemned “CRISPR babies” experiment, STAT has learned. [STAT News] Editorial
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EVENTSNEW Gordon Research Seminar: Epigenomics of Diabetes and Other Metabolic Diseases Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.
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JOB OPPORTUNITIESNEW Technician – Islet Cell Isolation (King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust) Postdoctoral Fellow – Pancreatic Development & Islet Biology (Vanderbilt University) Junior Scientists – Diabetes (Lund University) Postdoctoral Position – Pancreatic Tissue Engineering (King’s College London) Postdoctoral Research Assistant – Stem Cell and Cancer Research (University of Oxford) Professor – Diabetes (University of California, San Diego) Postdoctoral Fellow – Pancreatic Beta-Cells (City of Hope) Postdoctoral Fellowship – Pancreatic Cancer (Dartmouth College) Postdoctoral Fellowships – Cancer (Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University) Postdoctoral Fellow – Neuroscience and Diabetes (The Child Health Institute of New Jersey) Recruit Top Talent: Reach potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.
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