Pancreatic Cell News Volume 7.08 | Mar 1 2016

Bioengineering the Endocrine Pancreas: Intraomental Islet Transplantation within a Biologic Resorbable Scaffold
Investigators aimed at developing a clinically applicable protocol for extra-hepatic transplantation of pancreatic islets. The potency of islets implanted onto the omentum, using an in situ-generated adherent, resorbable plasma-thrombin biologic scaffold, was evaluated in diabetic rat and in a nonhuman primate models. [Diabetes] Abstract

Methylation of Insulin DNA in Response to Proinflammatory Cytokines during the Progression of Autoimmune Diabetes in NOD Mice
The authors studied how immune factors affect the function and epigenetics of beta cells during disease progression and identified possible triggers of these changes. [Diabetologia] Abstract

An Extract of Urtica dioica L. Mitigates Obesity Induced Insulin Resistance in Mice Skeletal Muscle via Protein Phosphatase 2A (PP2A)
Researchers found that supplementation with Urtica dioica L. (UT) improved plasma glucose homeostasis and enhanced skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity without affecting body weight and body composition. In myotubes, UT attenuated the ability of FFAs to induce insulin resistance and PP2A hyperactivity without affecting ceramide accumulation and PP2A expression. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Cell Polarity Defines Three Distinct Domains in Pancreatic Beta Cells
Using 3D two-photon, 3D confocal and 3D block-face serial electron microscopy, researchers demonstrate a consistent in situ polarization of beta cells and define three distinct cell-surface domains. [J Cell Sci] Abstract | Full Article

Altered Plasma Profile of Antioxidant Proteins as an Early Correlate of Pancreatic β Cell Dysfunction
The authors surveyed the plasma response to a metabolic challenge, to identify factors predictive of β cell dysfunction. To this end, they combined the power of unbiased iTRAQ mass spectrometry with direct sampling of the portal vein following an intravenous glucose/arginine challenge in mice with a genetic β cell defect. [J Biol Chem] Abstract | Full Article

miR-126 Suppresses the Glucose-Stimulated Proliferation via IRS-2 in INS-1 β Cells
Scientists provided evidences that insulin receptor substrate-2 (IRS-2) was one of the target genes of miR-126. And miR-126 has a proliferation inhibiting effects in INS-1 β cells, mainly through the suppression of IRS-2. [PLoS One] Full Article

PANCREATIC CANCER

Multiplexed Pancreatic Genome Engineering and Cancer Induction by Transfection-Based CRISPR/Cas9 Delivery in Mice
Investigators showed transfection-based multiplexed delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 to the pancreas of adult mice, allowing simultaneous editing of multiple gene sets in individual cells. They used the method to induce pancreatic cancer and exploit CRISPR/Cas9 mutational signatures for phylogenetic tracking of metastatic disease. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Ablation of Sensory Neurons in a Genetic Model of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Slows Initiation and Progression of Cancer
The authors showed that sensory neurons, an under-studied cohort of the pancreas tumor stroma, play a significant role in the initiation and progression of the early stages of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Full Article

MicroRNA-199a and -214 as Potential Therapeutic Targets in Pancreatic Stellate Cells in Pancreatic Tumor
Investigators explored microRNA as therapeutic targets in tumor stroma and found miR-199a-3p and miR-214-3p induced in patient-derived pancreatic cancer-associated fibroblasts and TGF-β-activated human pancreatic stellate cells. [Oncotarget] Full Article

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NDSU Researchers to Receive up to $9.62 Million to Establish a Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research
Researchers received an Institutional Development Award Center for Biomedical Research Excellence grant of up to $9.62 million. The award from the National Institutes of Health is being used to establish a research center aimed at early diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer. [North Dakota State University] Press Release

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Associate Professor – Pancreatic Cancer, Stem Cell Biology and Bioengineering (University of Copenhagen)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Mechanisms of Atherosclerosis, Diabetes and Obesity (Washington University School of Medicine)

Assistant Professor of Surgery – Molecular Biology and Pancreatic Development (University of Pittsburgh)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Neural Mechanisms of Diabetes (Albert Einstein College of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Atherosclerosis and Diabetes (Virginia Commonwealth University)

Faculty Position – Metabolic Disease Research (Lewis Katz School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Diabetes (Danish Diabetes Academy)

Post-Doc Fellowship – Glucose Metabolism (Joslin Diabetes Center)

Post-Doc Researcher – Drug Discovery in Cancer/Diabetes (D. E. Shaw Research)

Post-Doc Fellowship – Diabetes Research (Sanford Research/University of South Dakota)

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

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

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