Pancreatic Cell News Volume 6.14 | Apr 14 2015

Glucagon-Secreting Alpha Cell Selective Two-Photon Fluorescent Probe TP-α: For Live Pancreatic Islet Imaging
Through fluorescent image based screening using three pancreatic cell lines, scientists discovered two photon-alpha (TP-α) from a TP fluorescent dye library TP-green. In vitro fluorescence test showed that, TP-α have direct interaction with glucagon with a significant fluorescence increase, but not with insulin or other hormones/analytes. [J Am Chem Soc] Abstract

glucagon Is Essential for Alpha Cell Transdifferentiation and Beta Cell Neogenesis
Using lineage-tracing assays in a transgenic zebrafish model of beta cell ablation, scientists demonstrated conserved plasticity of alpha cells during islet regeneration. In addition, they showed that glucagon expression is upregulated after injury. [Development] Abstract

Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptorβ/δ Activation Is Essential for Modulating p-Foxo1/Foxo1 Status in Functional Insulin-Positive Cell Differentiation
Researchers showed a novel role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)β/δ activation in determining insulin-positive (INS⁺) cell differentiation and functional maturation. They found PPARβ/δ expression selectively upregulated in mouse embryonic pancreases or stem cells-derived INS⁺ cells at the pancreatic mature stage in vivo and in vitro. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid, a Microbiota-Derived Metabolite of Quercetin, Protects against Pancreatic β-Cells Dysfunction Induced by High Cholesterol
Investigators determined the protective effect of 3,4 dihydroxyphenylacetic acid against apoptosis, mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress induced by cholesterol in Min6 pancreatic β-cells. [Exp Cell Res] Abstract

PANCREATIC CANCER

Increased In Vitro and In Vivo Sensitivity of BRCA2-Associated Pancreatic Cancer to the Poly(ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1/2 Inhibitor BMN 673
Researchers assessed the sensitivities of BRCA2-deficient (Capan-1) and -proficient (MIA PaCa-2) pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cell lines to a panel of DNA crosslinking agents (DCLs) and PARP inhibitors (PARPis). Compared to MIA PaCa-2, Capan-1 was significantly more sensitive to all tested DCLs and PARPis, with similar increased sensitivities to cisplatin and the PARPi BMN 673 compared to other DCLs and the PARPi veliparib. [Cancer Lett] Abstract

Slug-Dependent Upregulation of L1CAM Is Responsible for the Increased Invasion Potential of Pancreatic Cancer Cells following Long-Term 5-FU Treatment
To investigate acquired 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) resistance in pancreatic adenocarcinoma, researchers established chemoresistant monoclonal cell lines from the Panc 03.27 cell line by long-term exposure to increasing doses of 5-FU. [PLoS One] Full Article

Amiloride Sensitizes Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells to Erlotinib In Vitro through Inhibition of the PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway
Cell proliferation, colony formation, cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed in four human pancreatic cancer cell lines Bxpc-3, PANC-1, Aspc-1 and CFPAC-1 treated with erlotinib or amiloride alone, or in their combination. [Acta Pharmacol Sin] Full Article

Diverse Effects of LPA₄, LPA₅ and LPA₆ on the Activation of Tumor Progression in Pancreatic Cancer Cells
To assess the roles of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptors LPA₄, LPA₅ and LPA₆ in cellular functions of pancreatic cancer cells, scientists generated LPA receptor knockdown cells from PANC-1 cells. [Biochem Biophys Res Commun] Abstract

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the pancreatic cell research field.

DiscoveryBioMed, Inc. Is Awarded a New Phase II SBIR Grant Award to Develop New Medicines to Fight the Diabetes and Obesity Epidemic in the US and Globally
DiscoveryBioMed, Inc. has been awarded a $1.61 million Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant award from the National Institutes of Health and its National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases to develop novel ‘first in class’ small molecule drugs to fight multiple disease abnormalities caused by high blood sugar and high blood fat such as metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity. [DiscoveryBioMed, Inc. (Business Wire)] Press Release

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Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the pancreatic cell community.

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

Research Associate – Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Postdoctoral Position – Image-Guided Drug Delivery (Eindhoven University of Technology)

Research Assistant Professor – Protein Misfolding and Toxicity (George Washington University)

Director – Center of Emphasis in Diabetes and Metabolism (Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center)

Postdoctoral Position – Type 2 Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism (Boston Children’s Hospital)

Postdoctoral Position – Obesity & Diabetes (INSERM U892)

PhD Position – Lineage Reprogramming (Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine)

Postdoctoral Positions – Developmental Biology (Joslin Diabetes Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Type 2 Diabetes (Harvard Medical School)

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

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