Pancreatic Cell News Volume 6.11 | Mar 24 2015

Dynamic Recruitment of Functionally Distinct Swi/Snf Chromatin Remodeling Complexes Modulates Pdx1 Activity in Islet β Cells
Pdx1 is a transcription factor of fundamental importance to pancreas formation and adult islet β cell function. Because chromatin remodeling activities are essential to developmental lineage decisions and adult cell function, scientists focused on investigating the influence of the Swi/Snf chromatin remodeler on Pdx1 action. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Forkhead Box O1 Mediates Defects in Palmitate-Induced Insulin Granule Exocytosis by Downregulation of Calcium/Calmodulin-Dependent Serine Protein Kinase Expression in INS-1 Cells
Using INS-1 cells with palmitate-induced insulin-release defects, researchers investigated the relationship between forkhead box O1 (FOXO1) and Cask. Palmitic acid reduced CASK levels and increased FOXO1 levels. [Diabetologia] Abstract

Insulin Receptor Isoform A Confers a Higher Proliferative Capability to Pancreatic Beta Cells Enabling Glucose Availability and IGF-I Signaling
Pancreatic beta cell proliferation studies showed that insulin receptor isoform A (IRA) cells are more sensitive than those expressing IRB to the mitogenic response induced by insulin-like growth factor type I (IGF-I), acting through the pathway IRA/IRS-1/2/αp85/Akt/mTORC1/p70S6K. [Mol Cell Endocrinol] Abstract

Complement Inhibitor CD55 Governs the Integrity of Membrane Rafts in Pancreatic Beta Cells, but Plays No Role in Insulin Secretion
Scientists observed that CD55 is highly expressed in INS1 832/13 beta cells as well as human pancreatic islets. Diabetic human islets show a tendency for increased expression of CD55 when compared to the healthy controls. [Biochem Biophys Res Commun] Abstract

PANCREATIC CANCER

Brg1 Promotes Both Tumor-Suppressive and Oncogenic Activities at Distinct Stages of Pancreatic Cancer Formation
Scientists demonstrated a parallel mechanism operative in mature duct cells during which functional cells undergo “ductal retrogression” to form intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN)-pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA). They further identified critical antagonistic roles for Brahma-related gene 1 (Brg1) [Genes Dev] Abstract

REG3A Accelerates Pancreatic Cancer Cell Growth under IL-6-Associated Inflammatory Condition: Involvement of a REG3A-JAK2/STAT3 Positive Feedback Loop
Researchers determined that exposure of human pancreatic cancer cells to cytokine IL-6 activated the oncogenic JAK2/STAT3 pathway, which directly upregulated regenerating gene protein (REG)3A expression, accelerated cell cycle progression by promoting CyclinD1 expression, and enhancing the expression of the anti-apoptosis Bcl family. [Cancer Lett] Abstract

S100 Calcium-Binding Protein A6 Promotes Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition through β-Catenin in Pancreatic Cancer Cell Line
β-catenin specific short hairpin RNA inhibited the migration and invasion of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells. Researchers confirmed that S100A6 induces PDAC cell migration and invasion via activation of β-catenin in vitro. [PLoS One] Full Article

SIRT1 and Circadian Gene Expression in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: Effect of Starvation
Scientists evaluated in pancreatic cancer (PC) derived cell lines if the modulation of SIRT1 expression through starvation could influence the temporal pattern of expression of the circadian genes. Levels and temporal patterns of expression of many circadian genes and SIRT1 significantly changed upon serum starvation in vitro, with differences among four different PC cell lines examined. [Chronobiol Int] Abstract

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City of Hope Launches Stem Cell Therapy Clinic to Fight Incurable Disease in New Ways
The City of Hope officially opens the Alpha Clinic for Cell Therapy and Innovation, patients battling cancer and other life-threatening diseases have another option: stem cell-based therapy. The Alpha Clinic is funded by an $8 million, five-year grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine that will be supplemented by matching funds from City of Hope. [City of Hope] Press Release

Semma Therapeutics Announces $44 Million in Funding Led by MPM Capital to Develop Cell Therapy for Treating Type 1 Diabetes; Signs Agreement with Global Pharmaceutical Company
Semma Therapeutics, a company developing a cell therapy for Type 1 diabetes, announced that it has closed a $44 million Series A consisting of equity financing and strategic funding. [Semma Therapeutics] Press Release

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

Research Associate – Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Postdoctoral Positions – Developmental Biology (Joslin Diabetes Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Type 2 Diabetes (Harvard Medical School)

PhD Student Positions – Regenerative Medicine/Stem Cell Biology (University Hospital Tubingen)

Tenure-Track Immunology Faculty Position – Diabetes (University of Connecticut Health Center)

Clinical Research Fellow – Pancreatic Cancer Biology (Cancer Research UK)

Postdoctoral Position – Endothelial Dysfunction and Diabetes (Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar)

Director – Vector Production (Sangamo BioSciences, Inc.)

Senior Process Development Engineer (Sangamo BioSciences, Inc.)

Assistant/Associate Professor – Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism Research (University of Pennsylvania)

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