Pancreatic Cell News Volume 10.48 | Dec 10 2019

TOP STORY

Serotonin Regulates Adult β-Cell Mass by Stimulating Perinatal β-Cell Proliferation

In β-cell-specific Tph1 knockout mice, perinatal β-cell proliferation was reduced along with the loss of serotonin production in β-cells. Disruption of serotonin receptor 2B in β-cells also resulted in decreased perinatal β-cell proliferation and glucose intolerance in adulthood. [Diabetes] Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

DIABETES & PANCREATITIS

Upregulation of Vitamin D-Binding Protein Is Associated with Changes in Insulin Production in Pancreatic Beta-Cells Exposed to p,p′-DDT and p,p′-DDE

Researchers exposed pancreatic beta-cells to non-lethal concentrations of p,p′-DDT (1,1′-(2,2,2-Trichloroethane-1,1-diyl)bis(4-chlorobenzene)) and p,p′-DDE (1,1′-(2,2-dichloroethene-1,1-diyl)bis(4-chlorobenzene)) for one month, and assessed changes in protein expression and intracellular insulin level. [Sci Rep] Full Article

PANCREATIC CANCER

2′-Hydroxyflavanone Inhibits the Progression of Pancreatic Cancer Cells and Sensitizes the Chemosensitivity of EGFR Inhibitors via Repressing STAT3 Signaling

Compared to human pancreatic ductal epithelial cells hTERT-HPNE, more significant growth-inhibitory effects were seen in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells BxPC-3 and MIA PaCa-2. Scientists showed that apoptosis was induced and that the cell cycle was arrested when cells were treated with hydroxyflavanone. [Cancer Lett] Full Article

Extensive Protein S-Nitrosylation Associated with Human Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Pathogenesis

Researchers identified 585 unique S-nitrosylation sites among 434 proteins in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients and PANC-1 cell line by a site-specific proteomics. Larger number of S-nitrosylated proteins were identified in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma tissues and PANC-1 cells than adjacent non-cancerous tissues. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Protein Kinase D1 Regulates Metabolic Switch in Pancreatic Cancer via Modulation of mTORC1

Protein kinase D1 expression in pancreatic cancer was investigated by using immunohistochemistry. Functional and metabolic assays were utilized to analyze the effect of protein kinase D1 expression/knockdown on associated cellular/molecular changes. [Br J Cancer] Abstract

Cutting Off the Fuel Supply to Calcium Pumps in Pancreatic Cancer Cells: Role of Pyruvate Kinase-M2 (PKM2)

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cell growth, migration and death were assessed by using sulforhodamine-B/tetrazolium-based assays, gap closure assay and poly-ADP ribose polymerase cleavage, respectively. The PKM2 inhibitor reduced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cell proliferation, cell migration and induced cell death. [Br J Cancer] Full Article

Carcinoembryonic Antigen Cell Adhesion Molecule 6 (CEACAM6) in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDA): An Integrative Analysis of a Novel Therapeutic Target

In HPAF-II cells knockout of CEACAM6 altered extracellular matrix-cell adhesion, catabolism, immune environment, transmembrane transport and autophagy. CEACAM6 loss increased mitochondrial basal and maximal respiratory capacity. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Combination of a Novel Microtubule Inhibitor MBRI-001 and Gemcitabine Synergistically Induces Cell Apoptosis by Increasing DNA Damage in Pancreatic Cancer Cell Lines

The authors investigated the anti-tumor effects of MBRI-001 in combination with gemcitabine in BxPC-3 and MIA PaCa-2 human pancreatic cancer cell lines. In vitro and in vivo results indicated that MBRI-001 showed synergistic activity with gemcitabine. [Invest New Drugs] Abstract

Long Noncoding RNA EPIC1 Interacts with YAP1 to Regulate the Cell Cycle and Promote the Growth of Pancreatic Cancer Cells

Scientists found that the expression of the lncRNA EPIC1 was high in pancreatic cancer and closely related to tumor size, TNM staging and lymph node metastasis status. [Biochem Biophys Res Commun] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

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Microbiota in Pancreatic Health and Disease: The Next Frontier in Microbiome Research

The authors examine literature implicating microorganisms in diseases of the pancreas, specifically pancreatitis, type 1 diabetes mellitus and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. [Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol] Abstract

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Arecor Announces Positive Headline Results for the First Phase I Clinical Trial of AT247, a Novel Ultra Rapid Acting Formulation of Insulin

Arecor Limited announces positive headline results for the Phase I clinical trial of its ultra-rapid acting insulin product candidate, AT247. In the study, AT247 provided a favorable pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic profile compared with NovoRapid^® and Fiasp^®. [Arecor Limited (GlobeNewswire, Inc.)] Press Release

UArizona Cancer Center Receives $6.85M Grant to Continue Native American Cancer Research, Training, Outreach Program

The University of Arizona Cancer Center has been awarded $6.85 million to continue its efforts in cancer research, training and outreach programs serving Arizona Native American communities. [The University of Arizona] Press Release

ProPublica Creates Database of Researchers’ Conflicts of Interest

Over the past year, ProPublica has sought to highlight the potential conflicts of interest- professional relationships that might influence research, teaching, and other activities—of faculty members at public universities and research institutions and has created a database of professors’ corporate and nonprofit funding. [The Scientist] Editorial

Tufts to Remove Sackler Name from Medical Campus

Tufts University will not return donations from the family that made its riches on opioids, but the university will start a $3 million endowment for addiction prevention and treatment. [The Scientist] Editorial

Merck and Sanofi Buy Smaller Cancer Drug Firms at Big Premiums, Fueling Investor Excitement

The drug giants Merck and Sanofi each said they would acquire a smaller drug maker for more than $2 billion – in each case, more than double the smaller company’s market capitalization – cheering investors about large companies’ appetite to execute buyouts in the biotechnology sector. [STAT News] Editorial

House Republicans Fuel Capitol Hill Chaos with Competing Drug Pricing Bill

Republicans are set to accelerate Capitol Hill’s drug pricing chaos with a new proposal to lower the cost of prescription medicines, according to a summary document obtained by STAT. [STAT News] Editorial

NEW Advances in Liquid Biopsies
January 13-16, 2020
Miami, Florida, United States

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NEW Postdoctoral Fellowship – Cellular Fate in the Developing Pancreas (University of Copenhagen)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Transcriptional Plasticity of the Endocrine Pancreas (University of Southern Denmark)

Postdoctoral Position – Cellular Signaling Mechanisms in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (Universitätsklinikum Freiburg)

Research Technician – Cell Engineering in Diabetes (Helmholtz Zentrum München)

Postdoctoral Position – Pancreatic Cancer Bioinformatics (University of Copenhagen)

Postdoctoral Associate – Targeting Altered RNA Processing Mechanisms in Pancreatic Cancer (Yale University)

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

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

Postdoctoral Researcher – Islet Biology, Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine (University of Geneva)

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

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)

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