Pancreatic Cell News Volume 7.00 | Jan 5 2016

Polycomb Repressor Complex 1 Promotes Gene Silencing through H2AK119 Mono-Ubiquitination in Acinar-to-Ductal Metaplasia and Pancreatic Cancer Cells
Researchers analyzed whether elevated levels of the polycomb repressor complex 1 components Bmi1 and Ring1b and their catalyzed histone modification H2AK119ub in acinar-to-ductal metaplasia and tumor cells, are responsible for the mediation of acinar gene silencing. [Oncotarget] Full Article

Regulation of Glucokinase by Intracellular Calcium Levels in Pancreatic Beta Cells
Post-translational glucokinase (GCK) activation can be stimulated through either G-protein coupled receptors or receptor tyrosine kinase signaling pathways, suggesting a common mechanism. Scientists showed that inhibiting Ca²⁺ release from the endoplasmic reticulum decouples GCK activation from receptor stimulation. [J Biol Chem] Abstract | Full Article

Activin Enhances α- to β-Cell Transdifferentiation as a Source for β-Cells in Male FSTL3 Knockout Mice
The authors recently reported that activin directly suppressed expression of critical α-cell genes while increasing expression of β-cell genes, supporting the hypothesis that activin is one of the local hormones controlling islet cell fate and that increased activin signaling accelerates α- to β-cell transdifferentiation. They tested this hypothesis using Glucagon-Cre/YFP α-cell lineage tracing technology combined with FSTL3 knockout mice to label α-cells with YFP. [Endocrinology] Abstract | Full Article

Pterostilbene Ameliorates Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes through Enhancing Antioxidant Signaling Pathways Mediated by Nrf2
Researchers investigated the anti-diabetic role of pterostilbene in streptozotocin-induced diabetic model through nuclear factor erythroid 3-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-mediated antioxidant mechanisms. [Chem Res Toxicol] Abstract

Silencing Mist1 Gene Expression Is Essential for Recovery from Acute Pancreatitis
The authors examined the importance of the acinar-specific maturation transcription factor MIST1 to acute pancreatitis damage and organ recovery. [PLoS One] Full Article

Inhibition of Chronic Pancreatitis and Murine Pancreatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia by a Dual Inhibitor of c-RAF and Soluble Epoxide Hydrolase in LSL-Kras^G12D/Pdx-1-Cre Mice.
Researchers determined the effect of the newly-synthesized novel compound t-CUPM, a dual inhibitor of soluble epoxide hydrolase and RAF1 proto-oncogene serine/threonine kinase (c-RAF), on inhibiting the development of pancreatitis and pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia in LSL-Kras(G12D)/Pdx1-Cre mice. [Anticancer Res] Abstract

PANCREATIC CANCER

The CaSm (LSm1) Oncogene Promotes Transformation, Chemoresistance and Metastasis of Pancreatic Cancer Cells
The authors demonstrated that cancer-associated Sm-like (CaSm) overexpression alters several hallmarks of cancer—including transformation, proliferation, chemoresistance and metastasis. [Oncogenesis] Full Article

PPM1D Exerts Its Oncogenic Properties in Human Pancreatic Cancer through Multiple Mechanisms
The authors determined Mg²⁺/Mn²⁺ dependent, 1D (PPM1D) expression in human pancreatic cancer tissues, cell lines and their respective noncancerous controls. They investigated the functional role of PPM1D in the migration, invasion, and apoptosis of MIA PaCa-2 and PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and explored the signaling pathways involved. [Apoptosis] Abstract

Increasing the Inflammatory Competence of Macrophages with IL-6 or with Combination of IL-4 and LPS Restrains the Invasiveness of Pancreatic Cancer Cells
The authors examined the interaction of type M1 and M2 macrophages with pancreatic cancer cells. They studied the migration rate of fluorescein stained pancreatic cancer cells on Matrigel cultured alone or with granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor-differentiated macrophages or with macrophage colony stimulating factor-differentiated macrophages, skewing the phenotype towards pro- and anti-inflammatory direction, respectively. [J Cancer] Full Article

Obesity and Cancer, a Case for Insulin Signaling
Extensive research over the last several years has painted a very complex picture of adipose tissue (AT) biology. One clear link between AT expansion and etiology of diseases like type 2 diabetes and cancer is the development of insulin resistance (IR) and hyperinsulinemia. This review focuses on defining the link between obesity, IR and cancer. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

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

NeuroMetrix Launches DPNCheck^® in Mexico with First Government Order
NeuroMetrix, Inc. reported the commercial launch of DPNCheck in Mexico. The initial DPNCheck order will be utilized by one of Mexico’s six major government healthcare institutions to improve the detection of diabetic neuropathy and advance the overall management of diabetes in their patient population. [NeuroMetrix, Inc.] Press Release

NIH $1.68 Million Grant Funds Research to Help Patients With Pancreatitis, Diabetes
Medical University of South Carolina researchers received a $1.68 million National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant to explore a better treatment for chronic pancreatitis, with the hopes that it also may shed light on a future cure for patients with type 1 diabetes. [Medical University of South Carolina] Press Release

MabVax Therapeutics Announces FDA Authorization to Proceed with HuMab-5B1 in a Phase I Clinical Trial for the Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer
MabVax Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. announced that it has received notice from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorizing the initiation a Phase I clinical trial with HuMab-5B1 as a therapeutic treatment for pancreatic cancer. [MabVax Therapeutics Holdings, Inc.] Press Release

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

NEW Visiting Scientist – Diabetes (Danish Diabetes Academy)

NEW Post-Doc Researcher – Type 1 Diabetes (University of Turku)

NEW Principal Investigator – Age Related Disease (Austrian Institute of Technology)

Post-Doc Researcher – Functional Genomics of Obesity (Inserm)

PhD Researcher – Signaling in Colorectal/Pancreatic Cancer (DKFZ)

Clinical Research Fellow – Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (Imperial College London)

MD/PhD Researcher – Biomedical Sciences (Hannover Medical School)

PhD Studentship – Cancer Biology (University of Salzburg)

Post-Doc Fellowship (German Cancer Research Center)

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