Pancreatic Cell News Volume 5.32 | Aug 26 2014

The Pathogenic Mechanism of Diabetes Varies with the Degree of Overexpression and Oligomerization of Human Amylin in the Pancreatic Islet β Cells
Researchers show that human amylin-evoked diabetes is associated with age, insulin resistance, progressive islet dysfunction, and β-cell apoptosis, which interact variably to cause the different diabetes syndromes. [FASEB J] Abstract | Press Release

Protective Effect of Schisandrae chinensis Oil on Pancreatic β-Cells in Diabetic Rats
Scientists investigated the effects of S. chinensis oil on pancreatic β-cells in type 2 diabetes mellitus rats and the associated molecular mechanisms of action. [Endocrine] Abstract

Sox17 Regulates Insulin Secretion in the Normal and Pathologic Mouse β Cell
Researchers investigated the role of SOX17 in the developing and postnatal pancreas and found a novel role for SOX17 in regulating insulin secretion. Deletion of the Sox17 gene in the pancreas had no observable impact on pancreas development. [PLoS One] Full Article

Menin Immunoreactivity in Secretory Granules of Human Pancreatic Islet Cells
Researchers analyzed human pancreas using immunohistochemical analyses and six antibodies raised against full-length menin or its peptides. In ten normal pancreas specimens, two independently raised antibodies showed unexpected cytoplasmic immunoreactivity in peripheral cells in each islet examined. [Appl Immunohistochem Mol Morphol] Abstract

PANCREATIC CANCER

Key Role of Dual Specificity Kinase TTK in Proliferation and Survival of Pancreatic Cancer Cells
Researchers show that the dual specificity kinase TTK is strongly overexpressed in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Functionally, cell proliferation was significantly attenuated following TTK knockdown, whereas apoptosis and necrosis rates were significantly increased. [Br J Cancer] Abstract

Mechanism of Metformin-Dependent Inhibition of mTOR and Ras Activity in Pancreatic Cancer: Role of Sp Transcription Factors
Treatment with metformin or downregulation of specificity protein (Sp) transcription factors by RNAi inhibits two major pro-oncogenic pathways in pancreatic cancer cells, namely mTOR signaling and epidermal growth factor-dependent activation of Ras. [J Biol Chem] Abstract | Full Article

N-Methylhemeanthidine Chloride, a Novel Amaryllidaceae Alkaloid, Inhibits Pancreatic Cancer Cell Proliferation via Down-Regulating AKT Activation
Using multiple cell lines derived from human pancreatic cancer, researchers studied N-methylhemeanthidine chloride-mediated cytotoxicity and found that it induced drastic cytotoxicity in pancreatic cancer cells but an insignificant effect on a noncancerous cell line. [Toxicol Appl Pharmacol] Abstract

DNA-PKcs Is Important for Akt Activation and Gemcitabine Resistance in PANC-1 Pancreatic Cancer Cells
Scientists explored the potential role of DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) in gemcitabine resistance and studied the underlying mechanisms. They found that NU-7026 and NU-7441, two DNA-PKcs inhibitors, enhanced gemcitabine-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis in PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cells. [Biochem Biophys Res Commun] Abstract

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Profil Institute Reaches Milestone in Early Phase Clinical Research for Diabetes
Profil Institute for Clinical Research, Inc. announced a milestone in clinical research for diabetes with the completion of more than 200 Phase I – IIa clinical trials encompassing every clinically relevant drug class for the treatment of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. [Profil Institute for Clinical Research, Inc.] Press Release

NuSirt Biopharma Launches First Clinical Trial
NuSirt Biopharma, Inc. is initiating a clinical trial with a goal of demonstrating whether the company’s patented technology may enhance the ability of a common type 2 diabetes medication, metformin, to control blood sugar. [NuSirt Biopharma, Inc.] Press Release

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Postdoctoral Trainee – Pancreatic Cancer (UT Southwestern Medical Center)

Postdoctoral Position – Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Biomarkers in Cancer (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Postdoctoral Research Associate – Metabolism / Diabetes / Cardiovascular Disease (Washington University School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Diabetes and Inflammatory Diseases (University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Positions – Diabetes Research (Sanofi)

Principal Scientist – Diabetes Biology (Novo Nordisk China R&D Center)

Postdoctoral Research Assistant – Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-Cell Immunotherapy for Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cells (Queen Mary University of London)

Professorship – Molecular Mechanisms of Diabetes Pathogenesis (University of Southern Denmark)

Scientist – Pluripotent Stem Cell Biology Endoderm Lineages (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Pluripotent Stem Cell Media Development, High Throughput Screening (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Cell Culture Support Products (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Immunology/Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Associate – Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

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