Pancreatic Cell News Volume 6.30 | Aug 4 2015

VAV2, a Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor for Rac1, Regulates Glucose-Stimulated Insulin Secretion in Pancreatic Beta Cells
Using immunological, short interfering RNA, pharmacological and microscopic approaches scientists investigated the role of VAV2 in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from islet beta cells. [Diabetologia] Abstract

Skeletal Muscle to Pancreatic β-Cell Cross-Talk: The Effect of Humoral Mediators Liberated by Muscle Contraction and Acute Exercise on β-Cell Apoptosis
Conditioned media and sera with or without IL-6 neutralization were used to incubate insulin-producing INS-1 cells and rat islets for 24 hours in the presence or absence of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β⁺IFN-γ). IL-1β⁺IFN-γ increased INS-1 and islet apoptosis and decreased insulin secretion. [J Clin Endocrinol Metab] Abstract

Induction of miR-132 and miR-212 Expression by Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 (GLP-1) in Rodent and Human Pancreatic β-Cells
Scientists investigated the potential involvement of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the effect of GLP-1 on glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. miRNA levels in INS-1 cells and isolated rodent and human islets treated with GLP-1 in vitro and in vivo were measured by real-time quantitative PCR. [Mol Endocrinol] Abstract

GPR39 Receptors and Actions of Trace Metals on Pancreatic Beta Cell Function and Glucose Homoeostasis
Investigators used clonal BRIN-BD11 cells and mouse pancreatic islets to assess the insulin-releasing actions of trace metals believed to act via GPR39, and the second messenger pathways involved in mediating their effects. [Acta Diabetol] Abstract

PANCREATIC CANCER

Modulation of PKM Alternative Splicing by PTBP1 Promotes Gemcitabine Resistance in Pancreatic Cancer Cells
The authors found that chronic exposure of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells to gemcitabine selected a subpopulation of cells that are drug-resistant (DR-PDAC cells). Importantly, alternative splicing of the pyruvate kinase gene (PKM) was differentially modulated in DR-PDAC cells, resulting in promotion of the cancer-related PKM2 isoform, whose high expression also correlated with shorter recurrence-free survival in PDAC patients. [Oncogene] Abstract

AduPARE1A and Gemcitabine Combined Treatment Trigger Synergistic Antitumor Effects in Pancreatic Cancer through NF-κB Mediated uPAR Activation
The authors investigated the potential to use gemcitabine in combination with the oncolytic adenovirus AduPARE1A to treat pancreatic cancer and evaluated the underlying mechanism. [Mol Cancer] Full Article

CCR7 Regulates Twist to Induce the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Effects of Twist on CC chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7)-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in the pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma were investigated in detail. The immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of Twist, and then, in vitro assays were applied. [Tumour Biol] Abstract

Polymeric Micelles of PEG-PLA Copolymer as a Carrier for Salinomycin against Gemcitabine-Resistant Pancreatic Cancer
MTT and Annexin V/PI assays were used to study cell proliferation and apoptosis in AsPC-1 cells in response to treatment with salinomycin micellar formulations. Alterations in cancer stem cell phenotype, invasion strength, and mRNA expression of epithelial mesenchymal transition markers were also determined in the treated cells. [Pharm Res] Abstract

The Crosstalk between Nrf2 and TGF-β1 in the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition of Pancreatic Duct Epithelial Cells
By using premalignant human pancreatic duct cells (HPDE) and the pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cell line Colo357, researchers showed that Nrf2 and TGF-β1 independently but additively conferred an invasive phenotype to HPDE cells, whereas acting synergistically in Colo357 cells. [PLoS One] Full Article

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

Moffitt Cancer Center Teams Up with MD Anderson to Discover, Test Novel Agents to Prevent Cancer
Moffitt Cancer Center has joined MD Anderson’s National Cancer Institute (NCI) Phase 0/I/II Cancer Prevention Clinical Chemoprevention Trials Consortia. Sponsored by the NCI’s Division of Cancer Prevention, the consortia conducts early clinical development of promising new preventive agents through its Phase 0/I/II Cancer Prevention Clinical Trials Program. [Moffitt Cancer Center (Newswise, Inc.)] Press Release

TWi Biotechnology Receives Notice of Patent Allowance for Its Lead Drug Candidate AC-201 for the Indication of Type II Diabetes in Europe and Russia
TWi Biotechnology, Inc. announced that it has received Notices of Allowance for AC-201 from the European Patent Office and the Patent Office of the Russian Federation for patent applications numbered 11766702.2-1460 and 2012147449, respectively. This patent includes AC-201, or its pharmaceutically acceptable salts or active metabolites, for treatment of both type I and type II diabetes. [TWi Biotechnology, Inc.] Press Release

From our sponsor: Learn about applications of ALDHbr cells in regenerative medicine. Watch the video.

Food and Drug Administration (United States)

Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (United States)

European Medicines Agency (European Union)

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (United Kingdom)

Therapeutic Goods Administration (Australia)

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

NEW Postdoctoral Research Assistant – Islet Cell Electrophysiology in Diabetes Research (University of Oxford)

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

Research Associate – Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Harry Eagle Scholar Awards for Postdoctoral Candidates (Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University)

Postdoctoral Positions – Cancer Research (Rutgers University)

Postdoctoral Research Scientist – Disease Gene Regulation (Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics)

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

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Pancreatic Beta Cell Biology and Regeneration, Relating to Diabetes (Mount Sinai School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Immunopathogenesis of Type 1 Diabetes (Tongji Medical College)

PhD Student – Diabetes (Danish Diabetes Academy)

Postdoctoral Position – Adipocyte Development (German Institute of Human Nutrition)

Recruit Top Talent: Reach more than 60,000 potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.