DIABETES & PANCREATITIS S6K1 Controls Pancreatic β Cell Size Independently of Intrauterine Growth Restriction Investigators found that S6K1 deficiency in mice also leads to decreased β cell growth, intrauterine growth restriction, and impaired placental development. [J Clin Invest] Full Article High-Fat Diet Increases Autophagic Flux in Pancreatic Beta Cells In Vivo and Ex Vivo in Mice Investigators determined the effects of high-fat feeding on true autophagic flux in beta cells in vivo in mice, and established the relationship between autophagy, endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis. [Diabetologia] Abstract Bile Acid Effects Are Mediated by ATP Release and Purinergic Signaling in Exocrine Pancreatic Cells Scientists aimed to elucidate whether there is interplay between ATP and bile acid signaling. They showed that chenodeoxycholic acid caused fast and concentration-dependent ATP release from acini and duct cells. [Cell Commun Signal] Full Article A Northern Contaminant Mixture Impairs Pancreas Function in Obese and Lean JCR Rats and Inhibits Insulin Secretion in MIN6 Cells Studies conducted with cultured mouse insulin-secreting MIN6 cells demonstrated that Northern contaminant mixture (NCM) inhibited insulin release and induced cell death through oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. 2,3,4,6-Tetrabromophenol, a minor component of the NCM, alone also inhibited insulin release from MIN6 cells after 10 minutes of exposure. [Toxicology] Abstract Sesamin Ameliorates Advanced Glycation End Products-Induced Pancreatic β-Cell Dysfunction and Apoptosis The authors investigated whether sesamin protects against advanced glycation end products-evoked β-cell damage via its antioxidant property. The effects of sesamin were examined in C57BL/6J mice and MIN6 cell line. [Nutrients] Abstract | Download Full Article PANCREATIC CANCER FoxO1-Negative Cells Are Cancer Stem-Like Cells in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Researchers reported evidence of FoxO1-negative pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells as cancer stem cells in PDAC. Both aldehyde dehydrogenase-high and CD133-high cell fractions isolated from PDAC of the patients expressed high levels of miR-21 and null FoxO1. [Sci Rep] Full Article ROBO3 Promotes Growth and Metastasis of Pancreatic Carcinoma Scientists showed that ROBO3 expression is up-regulated in pancreatic cancer tissue samples and cell lines. Over-expression of ROBO3 promotes pancreatic cancer cell growth, invasion and metastasis in vitro and in mouse xenograft tumor models. [Cancer Lett] Abstract MicroRNA-153 Is a Prognostic Marker and Inhibits Cell Migration and Invasion by Targeting SNAI1 in Human Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Researchers investigated the expression levels of microRNA (miR)-153 using RT-qPCR in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cell lines and tissues. They showed that the relative expression of miR-153 in PDAC cells was obviously decreased as compared to that in the normal human pancreatic duct epithelial cell line. [Oncol Rep] Abstract |