Pancreatic Cell News Volume 10.43 | Nov 05 2019

TOP STORY

The Impact of Proinflammatory Cytokines on the β-Cell Regulatory Landscape Provides Insights into the Genetics of Type 1 Diabetes

Scientists showed that exposure to proinflammatory cytokines revealed a marked plasticity of the β-cell regulatory landscape. They expanded the repertoire of human islet regulatory elements by mapping stimulus-responsive enhancers linked to changes in the β-cell transcriptome, proteome and three-dimensional chromatin structure. [Nat Genet] Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

DIABETES & PANCREATITIS

Neratinib Protects Pancreatic Beta Cells in Diabetes

Researchers identified neratinib, an FDA-approved drug targeting HER2/EGFR dual kinases, as a potent mammalian sterile 20-like kinase 1 inhibitor, which improved β-cell survival under multiple diabetogenic conditions in human islets and INS-1E cells. [Nat Commun] Full Article

A Network of MicroRNAs Acts to Promote Cell Cycle Exit and Differentiation of Human Pancreatic Endocrine Cells

Investigators characterized miRNA-regulatory networks active in human endocrine cell differentiation by combining small RNA sequencing, miRNA over-expression, and network modeling approaches. [iScience] Abstract | Full Article | Graphical Abstract

PANCREATIC CANCER

CD9 Identifies Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cells and Modulates Glutamine Metabolism to Fuel Tumor Growth

The authors identified the tetraspanin CD9 as a marker of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma tumor-initiating cells. CD9^high cells had increased organoid formation capability, and generated tumor grafts in vivo at limiting dilutions. [Nat Cell Biol] Abstract

Glutamine Anabolism Plays a Critical Role in Pancreatic Cancer by Coupling Carbon and Nitrogen Metabolism

Scientists showed that α-ketoglutarate-mediated rescue of glutamine-deprived pancreatic ductal carcinoma cells required glutamate ammonia ligase, the enzyme responsible for de novo glutamine synthesis. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Pancreatic Cancer-Educated Macrophages Protect Cancer Cells from Complement-Dependent Cytotoxicity by Up-Regulation of CD59

RNA sequencing of pancreatic cancer cells with or without co-culture of THP-1 macrophages was performed, and the results showed that the IL-6R/STAT3 signaling pathway might participate in the regulation, which was further demonstrated by target-siRNA transfection, antibody neutralization and STAT3 inhibitors. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Selective Priming of Tumor Blood Vessels by Radiation Therapy Enhances Nanodrug Delivery

Investigators presented an original idea to boost drug delivery by selectively knocking down the tumor vascular barrier in a human pancreatic cancer model. Clinical radiation activated the tumor endothelial-targeted gold nanoparticles to induce a physical vascular damage due to the high photoelectric interactions. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Chemical Constituents of Anneslea fragrans and Their Antiausterity Activity against the PANC-1 Human Pancreatic Cancer Cell Line

Isolated compounds, fragranones A and B, exhibited antiausterity activity against PANC-1 cells under nutrient-deprived conditions, and betulin was found to be the most potent compound tested, with a PC₅₀ value of 8.4 μM. In addition, fragranone A was found to suppress PANC-1 cancer cell migration in real time. [J Nat Prod] Abstract

Hic-5 in Pancreatic Stellate Cells Affects Proliferation, Apoptosis, Migration, Invasion of Pancreatic Cancer Cells and Postoperative Survival Time of Pancreatic Cancer

The authors demonstrated that Hic-5 expression was upregulated in pancreatic cancer and that siRNA transfection could effectively inhibit Hic-5 expression. Compared to the control group, Hic-5 inhibition significantly reduced proliferation, increased apoptosis, and reduced invasion and migration of pancreatic cancer cells. [Biomed Pharmacother] Abstract

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Human Stem Cell Models: Lessons for Pancreatic Development and Disease

Scientists discuss how genome-scale analyses of the differentiation system have helped elucidate roles of chromatin state, transcription factors, and noncoding RNAs in pancreatic development and how the analysis of cells with disease-relevant mutations has provided insight into the molecular underpinnings of genetically determined diseases of the pancreas. [Genes Dev] Abstract

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the pancreatic cell research field.

Pandion and Astellas Announce Collaboration to Deliver Pancreas-Targeted Immunomodulators

Pandion Therapeutics, Inc. and Astellas Pharma Inc. announced the signing of a License and Collaboration Agreement directed toward the research, development, and commercialization of locally acting immunomodulators for autoimmune diseases of the pancreas. [Astellas Pharma Inc.] Press Release

PharmaCyte Biotech Closer to Submitting IND by Successfully Completing Encapsulation of Second Manufacturing Run of Clinical Trial Product”

PharmaCyte Biotech, Inc. announced that its partner, Austrianova Singapore, has successfully completed encapsulation of the cells from PharmaCyte’s Master Cell Bank in the second of two staggered and back-to-back manufacturing runs for the production of PharmaCyte’s clinical trial product. [PharmaCyte Biotech, Inc.] Press Release

Trump Nominates MD Anderson’s Stephen Hahn to Lead FDA

President Trump announced his intent to nominate Dr. Stephen Hahn to lead the FDA. Dr. Stephen Hahn is the chief medical executive at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. While he is an accomplished physician and researcher, he has never worked in government, leaving his potential FDA agenda a mystery. [STAT News] Editorial

Trainees Often Ghostwrite PIs’ Peer Reviews: Survey

Many graduate students and postdocs write or help compose peer reviews their advisors are invited to provide, according to a survey of nearly 500 early-career researchers published on October 31^st in eLife. And often they do so without disclosing that fact to the journal- a practice that the survey authors consider to be ghostwriting. [The Scientist] Editorial

NEW Translational Cancer Research for Basic Scientists Workshop
November 17-22, 2019
Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.

NEW Postdoctoral Studentship – Pancreatic Cancer Immunology/Bioinformatics (Heidelberg University Hospital)

NEW Postdoctoral Scholar – Pancreatic Cancer Cell Research (University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Islet Biology, Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine (The Cell Isolation and Transplantation Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Type I Diabetes Research (German Research Center for Environmental Health)

Studentship – Hormone Secretion in Islet Cells (Uppsala University)

Research Associate – Human Organogenesis (The University of Manchester)

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

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

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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