Pancreatic Cell News Volume 6.46 | Nov 24 2015

Accelerated Maturation of Human Stem Cell-Derived Pancreatic Progenitor Cells into Insulin-Secreting Cells in Immunodeficient Rats Relative to Mice
Pluripotent human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are a potential source of transplantable cells for treating patients with diabetes. To investigate the impact of the host recipient on hESC-derived pancreatic progenitor cell maturation, cells were transplanted into immunodeficient SCID-beige mice or nude rats. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article

Expression and Functional Studies of the GDNF Family Receptor-Alpha3 (GFRα3) in the Pancreas
Researchers aimed to determine the expression and function of Glial cell line derived neurotrophic factor receptor α 3 (GFRα3) and its ligand Artemin in islet cell development and function. They found that GFRα3 is expressed at the surface of a subset of Ngn3-positive endocrine progenitors as well as of embryonic α- and β-cells, while Artn is found in the pancreatic mesenchyme. [J Mol Endocrinol] Abstract

Autocrine Insulin Increases Plasma Membrane K_ATP Channel via PI3K-VAMP2 Pathway in MIN6 Cells
The molecular mechanism by which insulin inhibits hormone secretion remains elusive. Scientists investigated the effect of autocrine insulin on surface abundance of ATP-sensitive inwardly rectifying potassium (K_ATP) channel in mouse clonal β-cell line, MIN6. [Biochem Biophys Res Commun] Abstract

Differentiation Potential of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells into Insulin Producing Cells in Pancreatic Islet Microenvironment
The authors aimed to utilize the differentiation potential of embryonic stem cells to insulin producing cells by co-culture with mouse pancreatic islets for the first time. [Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes] Abstract

PANCREATIC CANCER

p53 Mutations Cooperate with Oncogenic Kras to Promote Adenocarcinoma from Pancreatic Ductal Cells
Owing to the high incidence of p53 mutations in PanIN 3 lesions and pancreatic tumors, the authors interrogated the comparative ability of adult pancreatic acinar and ductal cells to respond to oncogenic Kras and mutant Tp53^R172H using Hnf1b:CreER^T2 and Mist1:CreER^T2 mice. [Oncogene] Abstract

Antitumor Potential of a Synthetic Interferon-Alpha/PLGF-2 Positive Charge Peptide Hybrid Molecule in Pancreatic Cancer Cells
Scientists found that, using human pancreatic cell lines as a model system, a synthetic interferon alpha hybrid molecule exhibited significantly higher activity than did the wild-type interferon alpha in inhibiting tumor cell growth. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Dasatinib Blocks Transcriptional and Promigratory Responses to Transforming Growth Factor-Beta in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Cells through Inhibition of Smad Signaling: Implications for in Vivo Mode of Action
Researchers found that in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cell lines, dasatinib effectively blocked TGF-β1-induced Smad phosphorylation, activity of 3TPlux and pCAGA₍₁₂₎-luc reporter genes, cell migration, and expression of individual TGF-β1 target genes associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition and invasion. [Mol Cancer] Full Article

The Construction and Proliferative Effects of a Lentiviral Vector Capable of Stably Overexpressing SPINK1 Gene in Human Pancreatic Cancer AsPC-1 Cell Line
The authors aimed to design and generate a recombinant lentiviral vector containing the complete coding sequence region of human serine protease inhibitor Kazal type 1 gene (SPINK1) and establish a human pancreatic cancer cell line (AsPC-1) stably overexpressing SPINK1. Then, to assess the proliferative and oncogenic effects of upregulated SPINK1 gene on pancreatic cancer AsPC-1 cells using different methods. [Tumor Biol] Abstract

A Novel Epigenetic Mechanism Regulating Hyaluronan Production in Pancreatic Cancer Cells
Investigators studied the effect of 5-aza-2′-deoxycitidine, an inhibitor of DNA methylation, or DNA methyltransferase 1 knockdown by small interfering RNA, on hyaluronan production from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells. [Clin Exp Metastasis] Abstract | Press Release

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Ludwig Cancer Research and Cancer Research Institute Partner with Targovax to Test Candidate Virotherapy in Early-Phase Clinical Trials
Ludwig Cancer Research and the Cancer Research Institute announced an agreement with the biotechnology company Targovax to evaluate its experimental virotherapy, ONCOS-102, in early phase clinical trials testing the virotherapy in combination with other, potentially synergistic immunotherapies such as checkpoint inhibitors. [Ludwig Cancer Research] Press Release

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NEW Postdoctoral Fellowships – Cancer Research (International Agency for Research on Cancer)

NEW Postdoctoral Fellowship (German Cancer Research Center)

Investigator – Cancer Biology (Wake Forest Baptist School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Scientist – Pancreatic Cancer (German Cancer Research Center)

Faculty Positions – Regenerative Medicine for Organ Regeneration or Transplantation (The University of Texas Medical School At Houston)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Stem Cell Research (The University of Texas Medical School At Houston)

Postdoctoral Position – Type 2 Diabetes and Islet Biology (Lund University)

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

Postdoctoral Research Scientist – Diabetes Genetics (University of Oxford)

Scientist – Preclinical Immunology (Kanyos Bio)

Postdoctoral Position – Diabetes (University of Geneva Medical School)

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

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