DIABETES Immune Regulatory Properties of Allogeneic Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in the Treatment of Experimental Autoimmune Diabetes Researchers concluded that adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell therapy efficiently ameliorates autoimmune diabetes pathogenesis in diabetic NOD mice by attenuating the Th1 immune response concomitant with the expansion/proliferation of regulatory T cells, thereby contributing to the maintenance of functional β-cells. [Diabetes] Abstract A Notch-Dependent Molecular Circuitry Initiates Pancreatic Endocrine and Ductal Cell Differentiation Findings establish a novel role for Notch in initiating both ductal and endocrine development and reveal that Notch does not function in an on-off mode, but that a gradient of Notch activity produces distinct cellular states during pancreas development. [Development] Abstract Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Protect Human Islets from Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines Islet β cell apoptosis was observed in the presence of cytokines; however, culture of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells with islets prevented β cell apoptosis after cytokine treatment. [PLoS One] Full Article Modulating Zymogen Granule Formation in Pancreatic AR42J Cells Researchers demonstrated that granule formation in pancreatic AR42J cells, an acinar model system, can be modulated by altering the growth conditions in cell culture. [Exp Cell Res] Abstract In Vivo Studies on Non-Viral Transdifferentiation of Liver Cells towards Pancreatic Beta Cells The authors concluded that hydrodynamic gene delivery of multiple transcription factors to rat liver can initiate transdifferentiation to pancreatic β cells, but the process is reversible, and probably requires more sustained transcription factor expression. [J Endocrinol] Abstract PANCREATIC CANCER Oncogenic Kras-Induced GM-CSF Production Promotes the Development of Pancreatic Neoplasia The suppression of GM-CSF production inhibits the in vivo growth of KrasG12D-pancreatic ductal epithelial cells, and, consistent with the role of GM-CSF in Gr1+CD11b+ mobilization, this effect is mediated by CD8+ T cells. [Cancer Cell] Abstract | Press Release Claudin-4-Targeted Optical Imaging Detects Pancreatic Cancer and Its Precursor Lesions Researchers investigated the potential of targeting claudin-4 with a naturally occurring ligand to visualize pancreatic cancer and its precursor lesions in vitro and in vivo by near-infrared imaging approaches. [Gut] Abstract Overexpression of CIAPIN1 Inhibited Pancreatic Cancer Cell Proliferation and Was Associated with Good Prognosis in Pancreatic Cancer Investigators evaluated the prognostic value of cytokine-induced antiapoptotic molecule (CIAPIN1) in pancreatic cancer and probed its function in pancreatic carcinogenesis. [Cancer Gene Ther] Abstract Experimental In Vivo and In Vitro Treatment with a New Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor Belinostat Inhibits the Growth of Pancreatic Cancer Researchers examined the efficacy of in vitro and in vivo treatment with the novel pan-histone deacetylase inhibitor belinostat on the growth of human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells. [BMC Cancer] Abstract | Full Article Opposite Roles of LPA1 and LPA3 on Cell Motile and Invasive Activities of Pancreatic Cancer Cells To assess a biological role of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptors on cell migration of pancreatic cancer cells, scientists generated LPA receptor-1 (LPA1) and LPA3 knockdown cells from hamster pancreatic cancer cells by transfection with short hairpin RNA plasmids and measured their cell motile and invasive abilities. [Tumor Biol] Abstract |