Pancreatic Cell News Volume 5.33 | Sep 2 2014

SORCS1 Is Necessary for Normal Insulin Secretory Granule Biogenesis in Metabolically Stressed β-Cells
The luminal domain of SORCS1, when expressed in a β-cell line, acted as a dominant-negative, leading to secretory granules (SG) and insulin deficiency. Using syncollin-dsRed5TIMER adenovirus, researchers found that the loss of Sorcs1 function greatly impairs the rapid replenishment of SG following secretagogue challenge. [J Clin Invest] Full Article

Chronic Pancreatitis and Pancreatic Cancer Demonstrate Active Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Profile, Regulated by miR-217-SIRT1 Pathway
Since recent evidence indicates microRNAs (miRNAs) may be involved in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), researchers set out to reveal the miRNA which might regulate the EMT in chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer and its potential mechanism. [Cancer Lett] Full Article

Na⁺ Current Properties in Islet α- and β-Cells Reflect Cell-Specific Scn3a and Scn9a Expression
Single-cell PCR analyses showed that both α- and β-cells have Na_v1.3 (Scn3) and Na_v1.7 (Scn9a) α-subunits, but their relative proportions differ: β-cells principally express Na_v1.7 and α-cells Na_v1.3. [J Physiol] Abstract

Co-Culture with Mature Islet Cells Augments the Differentiation of Insulin-Producing Cells from Pluripotent Stem Cells
Researchers describe a method to efficiently differentiate pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) into insulin-producing cells by co-culturing mature islets with directed-differentiated pancreatic endoderm cells from mouse and human PSCs. [Stem Cell Rev] Abstract

PANCREATIC CANCER

Thiol-ene Hydrogels as Desmoplasia-Mimetic Matrices for Modeling Pancreatic Cancer Cell Growth, Invasion, and Drug Resistance
Researchers report a photo-curable and bio-orthogonal thiol-ene hydrogel platform for studying the growth, morphogenesis, drug resistance, and cancer stem cell marker expression in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells cultured in 3D. [Biomaterials] Abstract

KRAS Mutational Subtype and Copy Number Predict In Vitro Response of Human Pancreatic Cancer Cell Lines to MEK Inhibition
Researchers studied the molecular mechanism regulating sensitivity to MEK inhibition in pancreatic cancer cell lines. [Br J Cancer] Full Article

Down-Regulation of 5-HT_1B and 5-HT_1D Receptors Inhibits Proliferation, Clonogenicity and Invasion of Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells
Researchers found that knockdown of serotonin (5-HT)_1B and 5-HT_1D receptors expression, using specific small interfering RNA, induced significant inhibition of proliferation and clonogenicity of pancreatic cancer cells. [PLoS One] Full Article

ANO1 (TMEM16A) in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC)
Scientists aimed to establish the significance of ANO1 in PDAC behavior and demarcate its roles in PDAC from those of the volume-regulated anion channel. [Pflugers Arch] Full Article

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Telik Reports Progress Toward Multiple Early Stage Milestones in the Development of a Novel Antibody-Based Therapeutic Agent for Gastrointestinal Cancers
Telik, Inc. announced it has made significant progress related to the development of its lead antibody program designated 5B1. [MabVax Therapeutics] Press Release

Telik Receives $1.5 Million National Cancer Institute Contract to Develop Novel Antibody-Based PET Imaging Agent for Pancreatic Cancer
Telik, Inc. announced it has received a $1.5 million contract for the Phase II portion of a small business innovation research contract from the National Cancer Institute. The contract is intended to support a major portion of the preclinical work being conducted by MabVax, together with its collaboration partner, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center to develop a novel positron emission tomography (PET) imaging agent for detection and assessment of pancreatic cancer. [MabVax Therapeutics] Press Release

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Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Cancer (Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School)

Postdoctoral Trainee – Pancreatic Cancer (UT Southwestern Medical 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)

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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