DIABETES & PANCREATITIS Evidence for Inhibitory Autocrine Effects of Proinsulin C-Peptide on Pancreatic Beta Cell Function and Insulin Secretion Insulin releasing activity of human and rat C-peptides were studied in the clonal pancreatic cell line, BRIN-BD11, with findings substantiated using isolated islets and in vivo studies employing SWISS TO mice. [Diabetes Obes Metab] Abstract Muscarinic Control of MIN6 Pancreatic ß Cells Is Enhanced by Impaired Amino Acid Signaling Scientists found that expression of M3 receptors increased in T1R3-depleted MIN6 cells and calcium responses were altered. To determine if these changes were related to impaired amino acid signaling, they compared responses in cells exposed to reduced amino acid concentrations. [J Biol Chem] Abstract | Full Article Pancreatic Alpha-Cell Dysfunction Contributes to the Disruption of Glucose Homeostasis and Compensatory Insulin Hypersecretion in Glucocorticoid-Treated Rats Adult rats were treated with a daily injection of dexamethasone (DEX) or saline as a control for five consecutive days. The characteristic inhibitory effect of glucose on glucagon secretion was impaired in the islets of the DEX rats, while no direct effects were found on a-cells in islets that were incubated with DEX in vitro. [PLoS One] Full Article Glutamate Formation via the Leucine-to-Glutamate Pathway of Rat Pancreas Comparison of the Leu?Glu pathway in preparations of whole pancreatic segments, isolated acini, and islets of Langerhans localize it in the acini; relatively high activity is found in cultures of the AR42J cell line and very little in the INS-1 832/13 cell line. [Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol] Abstract Somatostatin Analog Inhibits the Growth of Insulinoma Cells by p27-Mediated G1 Cell Cycle Arrest Researchers elucidated the therapeutic effect of octreotide (OCT) for insulinoma. Mouse insulinoma cell line MIN6 cells were cultured with OCT to clarify its antiproliferative effects, the expression of somatostatin receptor subtypes, cell cycle, p27 expression, and cdc2 kinase activity. [Pancreas] Abstract PANCREATIC CANCER Inflammation Induced NFATc1-STAT3 Transcription Complex Promotes Pancreatic Cancer Initiation by KrasG12D Researchers outline a novel pathway whereby the transcription factors NFATc1 and STAT3 cooperate in pancreatic epithelial cells to promote KrasG12D-driven carcinogenesis. [Cancer Discov] Abstract | Full Article Upregulated SMAD3 Promotes Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Predicts Poor Prognosis in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma The nuclear accumulation of SMAD3 was immunohistochemically detected even in SMAD4-negative cases. SMAD3 knockdown resulted in upregulated E-cadherin, downregulated vimentin, and reduced cell motility in pancreatic cancer cells regardless of SMAD4 status. [Lab Invest] Abstract PAR-3 Knockdown Enhances Adhesion Rate of PANC-1 Cells via Increased Expression of Integrinav and E-Cadherin Since thrombin has been implicated in cancer progression, scientists studied the role(s) of thrombin-activated receptors in the adhesion process. They stably knocked down proteinase-activated receptors (PARs) -1, or -3 in human pancreatic adenocarcinoma PANC-1 cells. [PLoS One] Full Article Triptolide Activates Unfolded Protein Response Leading to Chronic ER Stress in Pancreatic Cancer Cells Researchers showed that triptolide induces unfolded protein response by activating the PERK-eIF2a axis and the Ire1a-Xbp-1 axis of unfolded protein response and leads to chronic ER stress in pancreatic cancer. [Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol] Abstract |