Pancreatic Cell News Volume 6.44 | Nov 10 2015

Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Activity Is Necessary for Beta Cell Development and Functionality in Mice
Scientists generated an Aldh1b1-knockout mouse line and used this to study pancreatic development, beta cell functionality and glucose homeostasis in the absence of Aldh1b1 function. [Diabetologia] Full Article

Inactivating the Permanent Neonatal Diabetes Gene Mnx1 Switches Insulin-Producing β-Cells to a δ-Like Fate and Reveals a Facultative Proliferative Capacity in Aged β-Cells
A systematic and longitudinal analysis of Mnx1 function during murine pancreas organogenesis and into the adult uncovered novel stage-specific roles for Mnx1 in endocrine lineage allocation and β-cell fate maintenance. [Development] Abstract

Cathelicidins Positively Regulate Pancreatic β-Cell Functions
Investigators found that cathelicidin-related antimicrobial peptide (CRAMP) is constitutively expressed by rat insulinoma β-cell clone INS-1 832/13. CRAMP promoted β-cell survival in vitro via the epidermal growth factor receptor and by modulating expression of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins. [FASEB J] Abstract

Generation of Polyhormonal and Multipotent Pancreatic Progenitor Lineages from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells
Investigators describe two serum-free differentiation protocols designed to generate specific pancreatic lineages from human pluripotent stem cells. [Methods] Abstract

Isolation and Characterization of Human Islet Stellate Cells
Using standard explants techniques, human islet stellate cells (ISCs) were enriched from freshly isolated human islets. Immunofluorescence visualization of markers for pancreatic stellate cells, desmin, vimentin, glial fibrillary acidic protein was used to characterize the human ISC. [Exp Cell Res] Abstract

PANCREATIC CANCER

BAG3 Promotes Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Growth by Activating Stromal Macrophages
Scientists report that pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells secrete BAG3, which binds and activates macrophages, inducing their activation and the secretion of PDAC supporting factors. They also identified IFITM-2 as a BAG3 receptor and showed that it signals through PI3K and the p38 MAPK pathways. [Nat Commun] Full Article

p-21 Activated Kinase 4 (PAK4) Maintains Stem Cell-Like Phenotypes in Pancreatic Cancer Cells through Activation of STAT3 Signaling
Researchers investigated the role of PAK4 in driving pancreatic cancer stemness properties. They demonstrated that triple-positive subpopulation of pancreatic cancer stem cell exhibits greater level of PAK4 as compared to triple-negative cells. [Cancer Lett] Full Article

Integrin β6 Acts as an Unfavorable Prognostic Indicator and Promotes Cellular Malignant Behaviors via ERK-ETS1 Pathway in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC)
Integrin β6 markedly promoted the proliferation and invasion of pancreatic carcinoma cells and induced ETS1 phosphorylation in an ERK-dependent manner, leading to the upregulation of matrix metalloprotease-9, which is essential for β6-mediated invasiveness of pancreatic carcinoma cells. [Tumor Biol] Abstract

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

UC San Diego Health Researchers Join Pancreatic Cancer ‘Dream Team’
In an effort to advance research on one of the deadliest forms of cancer, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine researchers Andrew Lowy, MD, and Tannishtha Reya, PhD, have been recruited for their expertise in preclinical modeling, clinical trials and stem cell biology to join a “dream team” of international pancreatic cancer researchers. [University of California, San Diego (EurekAlert!)] Press Release

City of Hope Clinical Trial Will Test Cancer Vaccine with Anti-Tumor Drug
In a clinical trial to be launched at City of Hope, researchers Don J. Diamond, Ph.D., Vincent Chung, M.D., and their collaborators will combine two approaches — an immune-boosting vaccine and a drug that blocks a tumor’s inhibitory signal — to more effectively activate a patient’s own immune system to fight his or her cancer. [City of Hope (Business Wire)] Press Release

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

Postdoctoral Research Scientist – Disease Gene Regulation (University of Oxford)

Postdoctoral Research Scientist – Diabetes Genetics (University of Oxford)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Immunometabolism (Karolinska Institute)

Diabetes Research – Beta-Cell Metabolism (Lund University)

Scientist – Preclinical Immunology (Kanyos Bio)

Postdoctoral Position – Diabetes (University of Geneva Medical School)

Senior Clinical Lecturer – Cancer & Inflammation (Queen Mary University of London)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Action in Obesity and Diabetes Pathogenesis (National Institutes of Health Diabetes)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Diabetes and Metabolism (Johns Hopkins University)

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