Pancreatic Cell News Volume 2.29 | Jul 26 2011

Benign or Cancerous? Gene Test Predicts Cancer Potential in Pancreatic Cysts
Scientists have developed a gene-based test to distinguish harmless from precancerous pancreatic cysts. [Press release from Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center discussing online prepublication in Science Translational Medicine]

Researchers Discover Mechanism of Action Behind Novel Cancer Agents Targeting Tumor Cell Metabolism
The discovery of the mechanism of action behind a novel class of anticancer drugs designed to disrupt cancer cell mitochondrial metabolism may be a major step toward furthering clinical trials of the agents. [Press release from Stony Brook University discussing online prepublication in the Journal of Molecular Medicine]

DIABETES

The Krüppel-Like Zinc Finger Protein GLIS3 Transactivates Neurogenin 3 for Proper Fetal Pancreatic Islet Differentiation in Mice
Researchers aimed to elucidate the mechanism of action of GLIS family zinc finger 3 (GLIS3) in Glis3 ^-/- mice and to further decipher its action in in-vitro systems. [Diabetologia]

Hepatic Nuclear Factor 1α (Hnf1α) Dysfunction Downregulates X-Box Binding Protein 1 (Xbp1) and Sensitises β-Cells to Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress
Researchers have used an insulin-secreting cell line with inducible expression of dominant-negative Hnf1α, a transcription factor vital for correct β-cell development and function, to show that Hnf1α is required for Xbp1 transcription and maintenance of the normal endoplasmic reticulum stress response. [J Biol Chem]

Diabetes and Pancreatic Exocrine Dysfunction due to Mutations in the Carboxyl-Ester Lipase Gene (CEL-MODY): A Protein Misfolding Disease
As Cel knock-out mice do not express the phenotype and the mutant protein has an altered, intrinsically disordered tandem repeat domain, scientists hypothesized that the disease mechanism might involve a negative effect of the mutant protein. [J Biol Chem]

L-Arginine Is Essential for Pancreatic Beta-Cell Functional Integrity, Metabolism and Defence from Inflammatory Challenge
In this work the aim was to determine whether L arginine (a known insulinotropic amino acid) can promote a shift of β-cell intermediary metabolism favoring glutathione (GSH+GSSG) anti-oxidant responses, stimulus-secretion coupling, and functional integrity. [J Endocrinol]

The Simplest Method for In Vitro β-Cell Production from Human Adult Stem Cells
Here, researchers have attempted to differentiate adult stem cells from umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal cells, Wharton’s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells and amniotic epithelial stem cells into insulin-producing cells. [Differentiation]

PANCREATIC CANCER

Duct Cells Contribute to Regeneration of Endocrine and Acinar Cells Following Pancreatic Damage in Adult Mice
To target specific types of pancreatic cells, scientists crossed R26DTR or R26DTR/lacZ mice with transgenic mice that express the Cre recombinase in the pancreas, under control of the Pdx1 (global pancreatic) or Elastase (acinar-specific) promoters. [Gastroenterology]

Non-Redox-Active Lipoate Derivates Disrupt Cancer Cell Mitochondrial Metabolism and Are Potent Anticancer Agents In Vivo
Researchers report the analysis of CPI-613, the first member of a large set of analogs of lipoic acid (lipoate) scientists have investigated as potential anticancer agents. [J Mol Med]

High Expression of Galectin-1 in Pancreatic Stellate Cells Plays a Role in the Development and Maintenance of an Immunosuppressive Microenvironment in Pancreatic Cancer
This study suggests that the overexpression of Galectin-1 in pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) induced T cell apoptosis and Th2 cytokine secretion, which may regulate PSC-dependent immunoprivilege in the pancreatic cancer microenvironment. [Int J Cancer]

Recurrent GNAS Mutations Define an Unexpected Pathway for Pancreatic Cyst Development
To help reveal the pathogenesis of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN), researchers purified the DNA from IPMN cyst fluids from 19 patients and searched for mutations in 169 genes commonly altered in human cancers. [Sci Transl Med]

Stem-Like and Non-Stem Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells Distinguished by Morphology and Metastatic Behavior
Researchers report here that XPA1 human pancreatic cancer cells are dimorphic. [J Cell Biochem]

Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor Dinaciclib (SCH727965) Inhibits Pancreatic Cancer Growth and Progression in Murine Xenograft Models
In the current study, the therapeutic efficacy of SCH727965 on human pancreatic cancer cells was tested using in vitro and in vivo model systems. [Cancer Biol Ther]

Repligen Announces Initiation of RG1068 Pilot Study to Improve Identification and Characterization of Pancreatic Cancer
Repligen Corporation announced that the first patient has been enrolled in a pilot study to evaluate the ability of RG1068 to improve detection and characterization of pancreatic cancer in combination with contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography. [Repligen Corporation Press Release]

Takeda Resubmits New Drug Applications in the U.S. for Investigational Type 2 Diabetes Therapies Alogliptin and the Fixed-Dose Combination Alogliptin/Pioglitazone
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited announced that Takeda Global Research & Development Center, Inc., resubmitted two New Drug Applications to the United States Food and Drug Administration for alogliptin and the fixed-dose combination therapy alogliptin/pioglitazone, which combines alogliptin with pioglitazone in a single tablet. [Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited Press Release]

Novartis Drug Afinitor® Recommended by CHMP for EU Approval to Treat Patients with Advanced Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors
Novartis announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency adopted a positive opinion for Afinitor® (everolimus) tablets for the treatment of unresectable or metastatic, well- or moderately-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors of pancreatic origin in adults with progressive disease. [Novartis AG Press Release]

The Iacocca Family Foundation Boosts Investment in Kineta’s Autoimmune Program
Kineta, Inc. joined with The Iacocca Family Foundation to announce second year funding for its investment partnership aimed at speeding development of Kineta’s preclinical autoimmune drug candidate – ShK-186 – with applications for type 1 diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases. [Kineta, Inc. Press Release]

National Institutes of Health (United States)

Food and Drug Administration (United States)
 
Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (United States)

European Medicines Agency (European Union)

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (United Kingdom)

National Health Service (United Kingdom)

Therapeutic Goods Administration (Australia)

NEW Stem Cell Society Singapore Symposium 2011
November 17-18, 2011
Singapore

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

Lab Technologist – Tissue Culture (STEMCELL Technologies)

Research and Development Technologist, hPSC Media (STEMCELL Technologies) 

Scientist (iPSC) (STEMCELL Technologies)

Post-Doctoral Research Fellow (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Stem Cell, Diabetes (City of Hope, Beckman Research Institute)

Recruit Top Talent
Reach more than 11,000 potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.

Jobs are categorized regionally: United States, Canada, Europe, Asia Pacific

Visit here to post your career opportunities.

Have we missed an important article or publication in Pancreatic Cell News? Click here to submit!

Comments or Suggestions? Email info@connexoncreative.com with your feedback.