DIABETES & PANCREATITIS Cadherin Engagement Improves Insulin Secretion of Single Human β-Cells Researchers assessed whether cadherin-mediated adhesion of human islet cells was affected by insulin secretagogues and explore the role of cadherins in the secretory activity of β-cells. [Diabetes] Abstract Postnatal Beta Cell Proliferation and Mass Expansion Is Dependent on the Transcription Factor Nkx6.1 Scientists show that Nkx6.1 is required for postnatal beta cell mass expansion. Genetic inactivation of Nkx6.1 in newly-formed beta cells caused a drastic decrease in early postnatal beta cell proliferation, leading to reduced beta cell mass and glucose intolerance. [Diabetes] Abstract Inhibition of NADPH Oxidase-1 Preserves Beta Cell Function Investigators determined whether selective inhibition of NADPH oxidase-1 presents a new strategy to preserve beta cell function. Induced beta cell dysfunction was studied in primary human donor islets, isolated mouse islets and murine beta cell lines. [Diabetologia] Abstract Identification of Small Molecules that Protect Pancreatic β Cells against Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Induced Cell Death Researchers developed a novel β cell-based high-throughput screening assay to identify small molecules that protect β cells against endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced cell death. [ACS Chem Biol] Abstract Pancreatic and Duodenal Homeobox Protein 1 (Pdx-1) Maintains Endoplasmic Reticulum Calcium Levels through Transcriptional Regulation of Sarco-Endoplasmic Reticulum Calcium ATPase 2b (SERCA2b) in the Islet β Cell siRNA-mediated knockdown of Pdx-1 was performed in INS-1 cells. Results revealed reduced SERCA2b expression and decreased endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+, which was measured using fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy. [J Biol Chem] Abstract | Full Article PANCREATIC CANCER RABL6A Promotes G1-S Phase Progression and Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor Cell Proliferation in an Rb1-Dependent Manner Researchers found amplification of a putative oncogene, RABL6A, in primary human pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) that correlated with high level RABL6A protein expression. Stable silencing of RABL6A in cultured BON-1 PNET cells revealed that it is essential for their proliferation and survival. [Cancer Res] Abstract Gemcitabine Induces Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1 (PARP-1) Degradation through Autophagy in Pancreatic Cancer Scientists demonstrate that gemcitabine induces DNA-damage response and degradation of mono-ADP ribosylated PARP-1 through the autophagy pathway in pancreatic cancer cells, which is rescued by inhibiting autophagy. [PLoS One] Full Article Elevation of MMP-9 and IDO Induced by Pancreatic Cancer Cells Mediates Natural Killer Cell Dysfunction Natural killer (NK) cells isolated from fresh healthy peripheral blood were co-cultured with normal human pancreatic ductal cells hTERT-HPNE and human pancreatic cancer cell lines SW1990 and BxPc-3 in vitro. [BMC Cancer] Abstract | Full Article GDC-0980-Induced Apoptosis Is Enhanced by Autophagy Inhibition in Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells Researchers examined the activity of GDC-0980, a novel class I phosphoinositide-3 kinase/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) kinase inhibitor, against pancreatic cancer cells in vitro. GDC-0980 inhibited AKT-mTOR activation and pancreatic cancer cell survival. [Biochem Biophys Res Commun] Abstract Elevated Expression Level of Long Noncoding RNA MALAT-1 Facilitates Cell Growth, Migration and Invasion in Pancreatic Cancer Researchers showed that metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript-1 (MALAT-1) expression levels were upregulated in pancreatic cancer tissues compared with adjacent noncancerous controls. Consistently, higher expression level of MALAT-1 was found in seven pancreatic cancer cell lines relative to a human pancreatic ductal epithelial cell. [Oncol Rep] Abstract |