Pancreatic Cell News Volume 6.02 | Jan 20 2015

The Edges of Pancreatic Islet β Cells Constitute Adhesive and Signaling Microdomains
Scientists identified murine β cell edges, the sites at which adjacent cell faces meet at a sharp angle, as surface microdomains of cell-cell adhesion and signaling. The edges are marked by enrichment of F-actin and E-cadherin and are aligned between neighboring cells. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Gamma-Oryzanol Protects Pancreatic β-Cells against Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Male Mice
Researchers tested whether γ-oryzanol reduces endoplasmic reticulum stress and improves function and survival of pancreatic β-cells using murine β-cell line MIN6. [Endocrinology] Abstract | Full Article

Role of FXR in Beta-Cells of Lean and Obese Mice
Scientists aimed to discriminate between non-genomic and genomic effects of bile acids on beta-cells and to evaluate whether farnesoid X receptor (FXR) can modulate the adverse effects of a high fat diet. [Endocrinology] Abstract | Full Article

Mitochondrial Malic Enzyme 3 Is Important for Insulin Secretion in Pancreatic Beta Cells
Using shRNAs that targeted one or more malic enzyme (ME) mRNAs in the same cell, scientists generated > 25 stable INS-1 832/13-derived insulin cell lines expressing extremely low levels of ME1, ME2 and ME3 alone or low levels of two of these enzymes in the same cell line. [Mol Endocrinol] Abstract | Full Article

Effects of Nicotinamide N-Methyltransferase on PANC-1 Cells Proliferation, Metastatic Potential and Survival under Metabolic Stress
Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) silencing markedly reduced cell proliferation, whereas NNMT overexpression promoted cell growth moderately. Knocking down NNMT also significantly suppressed the migration and invasion capacities of PANC-1 cells. [Cell Physiol Biochem] Full Article

PANCREATIC CANCER

The Acinar Regulator Gata6 Suppresses Kras^G12V-Driven Pancreatic Tumorigenesis in Mice
Scientists show that Gata6 maintains the acinar differentiation programme, both directly and indirectly, and it concomitantly suppresses ectopic programmes in the pancreas. Gata6 ablation renders acinar cells more sensitive to KRas^G12V, thereby accelerating tumor development. [Gut] Abstract

NAMPT Inhibition Sensitizes Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Cells to Tumor-Selective, PAR-Independent Metabolic Catastrophe and Cell Death Induced by β-Lapachone
Reducing NAD⁺ pools by inhibiting nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) primed pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells for poly(ADP ribose) polymerase-dependent cell death induced by the targeted cancer therapeutic, β-lapachone, independent of poly(ADP ribose) (PAR) accumulation. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Enriched Environment Inhibits Mouse Pancreatic Cancer Growth and Down-Regulates the Expression of Mitochondria-Related Genes in Cancer Cells
Scientists investigated the impacts of enriched environment housing, a rodent model of “eustress”, on the growth of mouse pancreatic cancer, and explored the potential underlying mechanisms through gene expression profiling. [Sci Rep] Full Article

KLF10 Affects Pancreatic Function via the SEI-1/p21^Cip1 Pathway
Researchers conducted a series of assays to verify the presence of unknown regulation events between SEI-1 and KLF10. These showed that KLF10 transcriptionally activates the SEI-1 promoter and induces SEI-1 protein expression in pancreatic carcinoma cells. [Int J Biochem Cell Biol] Abstract

SREBP1 Regulates Tumorigenesis and Prognosis of Pancreatic Cancer through Targeting Lipid Metabolism
Scientists explored the expression characteristic and function of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1) in pancreatic cancer. SREBP1 silencing resulted in proliferation inhibition and induction of apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells. [Tumor Biol] Abstract

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PharmaEngine Announces Expanded Analyses of Phase III MM-398 NAPOLI-1 Study Presented Substantiate the Positive Results of MM-398 in Combination with 5-FU/LV
PharmaEngine, Inc. announced that the additional analyses from the global Phase III NAPOLI-1 study of MM-398 in metastatic pancreatic cancer were presented. [Press release from PharmaEngine, Inc. discussing research presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2015 Gastrointestinal Cancer Symposium, San Francisco] Press Release

Aduro Biotech Reports Long-Term Survival and Immune Biomarker Data from Phase II Clinical Trial of Its Immuno-Oncology Regimen in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer
Aduro Biotech, Inc. announced that seven pancreatic cancer patients treated with its combination immuno-oncology regimen in a 93-patient Phase IIa clinical trial continue in survival follow-up, with two of those patients remaining on the company’s combination therapy for more than two years with no evidence of cumulative toxicity. [Press release from Aduro Biotech, Inc. discussing research presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2015 Gastrointestinal Cancer Symposium, San Francisco] Press Release

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Kymab Partners with Cancer Immunotherapy Expert on Anti-Cancer Therapeutics
Kymab announced a collaboration with Dr. Stephen Gillies. Dr. Gillies is a pioneer in the field of cancer immunotherapy and inventor of immunocytokine platforms from which several molecules are currently in clinical development. [Kymab Limited] Press Release

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Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (United States)

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Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (United Kingdom)

Therapeutic Goods Administration (Australia)

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Postdoctoral Fellow – Wnt Signaling in Development and Disease (Van Andel Research Institute)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Dynamics of Regulatory Genomics (IGTP)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Post-Transcriptional Gene Regulation Governing Cancer Cell Behavior (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – The Role of the Fas Pathway in Regulating Autoimmune Diabetes (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine)

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

Assistant or Associate Professor – Pediatric Diabetes and Metabolic Disease (University of California San Diego Health System)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Chromatin and Epigenetic Regulation (Van Andel Research Institute)

Research Technologist – Media Development (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

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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