Pancreatic Cell News 8.05 February 7, 2017 | |
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TOP STORYc-Myc Downregulation Is Required for Preacinar to Acinar Maturation and Pancreatic Homeostasis The transition from multipotent progenitor cells to unipotent acinar progenitors is associated with c-Myc downregulation; a role for c-Myc in this process, and its possible relationship to a role in cancer, has not been established. Scientists showed that c-Myc binds and represses the transcriptional activity of Ptf1a and c-Myc overexpression in preacinar cells leads to a massive erosion of differentiation. [Gut] Abstract | |
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PUBLICATIONS(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)DIABETES & PANCREATITISTwo-Photon Dye Cocktail for Dual-Color 3D Imaging of Pancreatic Beta and Alpha Cells in Live Islets Researchers report the development of a 2-glucosamine based two-photon fluorescent probe: TP-β, suitable for beta cell imaging in live pancreatic islets from mice. Their flow cytometry studies confirmed that TP-β is suitable for isolation of primary beta cells. Moreover, their two-photon imaging of TP-β stained pancreatic islet showed brightly stained beta cells in live islets. [J Am Chem Soc] Abstract The authors showed that inactivation of the β-arrestin-2 gene, barr2, in β-cells of adult mice greatly impairs insulin release and glucose tolerance in mice fed with a calorie-rich diet. Both glucose and KCl-induced insulin secretion and calcium responses were profoundly reduced in β-arrestin-2 (barr2) deficient β-cells. In human β-cells, barr2 knockdown abolished glucose-induced insulin secretion. [Nat Commun] Full Article Investigators present the first available protocol for perfusion decellularization of rat pancreata via three different perfusion routes. They provide first proof-of-concept for the repopulation of the decellularized rat pancreata with functional islets of Langerhans. [Sci Rep] Full Article Impairment of Endoplasmic Reticulum Is Involved in β-Cell Dysfunction Induced by Microcystin-LR Scientists explored the role of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) impairment in β-cell dysfunction caused by microcystin (MC)-LR. The results showed that MC-LR modified ER morphology evidenced by increased ER amount and size at low doses and vacuolar and dilated ER ultrastructure at high doses. [Environ Pollut] Abstract | Graphical Abstract PANCREATIC CANCERInvestigators report a novel exosome-mediated mechanism of drug-induced acquired chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer (PC) cells. Conditioned media (CM) from gemcitabine-treated PC cells (Gem-CM) provided significant chemoprotection to subsequent gemcitabine toxicity and most of the chemoresistance conferred by Gem-CM resulted from its extracellular vesicles fraction. [Br J Cancer] Abstract Scientists aimed to determine whether miR-34a has negative effects on pancreatic cancer and whether these effects are related to epithelial–mesenchymal transition and Notch signaling. In vitro, they demonstrated that miR-34a inhibited, while miR-34a inhibitors enhanced, migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer cell lines. [Sci Rep] Full Article Multifunctionalized Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Selective Targeting of Pancreatic Cancer Cells The authors present the generation of multifunctionalized iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles that include the anti-CD47 antibody and the chemotherapeutic drug gemcitabine in a single formulation. They demonstrated the in vitro efficacy of the formulation against CD47-positive pancreatic cancer cells. [Biochim Biophys Acta] Abstract | Graphical Abstract The authors evaluated the effects of the dietary flavonoid apigenin (API), on Ikaros expression and T cell immune responses. Treatment of splenocytes from naïve mice with API stabilized Ikaros expression and prevented Ikaros downregulation in the presence of murine Panc02 cells in vitro, similar to the proteasome inhibitor MG132. [PLoS One] Full Article Researchers describe a rapid, ultrasensitive and inexpensive nanoplasmon-enhanced scattering (nPES) assay that directly quantifies tumor-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) from as little as 1 μl of plasm. They identified a pancreatic cancer EV biomarker, ephrin type-A receptor 2 (EphA2), and demonstrated that an nPES assay for EphA2-EVs distinguishes pancreatic cancer patients from pancreatitis patients and healthy subjects. [Nat Biomed Eng] Full Article | Press Release | |
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REVIEWSOxidative Stress and Calcium Dysregulation by Palmitate in Type 2 Diabetes The authors summarize the molecular mechanisms leading to palmitate-induced toxicity in type 2 diabetes, including sources of reactive oxygen species generation and Ca2+-mediated pathogenic changes. [Exp Mol Med] Full Article Prion-Like Protein Aggregates and Type 2 Diabetes Researchers describe their current understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying the prion-like transmission of protein aggregates and its possible role in type 2 diabetes. [Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med] Abstract Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the pancreatic cell research field. | |
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INDUSTRY NEWSFour Pivotal NIH-Funded Artificial Pancreas Research Efforts Begin Four separate projects, funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, are designed to be the potential last steps between testing the fully automated devices and requesting regulatory approval for permanent use. [National Institutes of Health (NIH)] Press Release Tactiva Therapeutics LLC, a new biotech company spun off from Roswell Park Cancer Institute will develop next-generation cancer immunotherapies. The novel approach combines unique adoptive T cell therapy with stem cell therapy. They are planning a clinical trial in ovarian, pancreatic and other hard-to-treat cancers. [Tactiva Therapeutics LLC.] Press Release | Video Intarcia Therapeutics, Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for active review its NDA for ITCA 650, an investigational therapy for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. [Intarcia Therapeutics, Inc.] Press Release Teva Confirms Generic Victoza® Patent Challenge in the United States Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. announced that it has filed an abbreviated new drug application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration seeking approval to market the generic version of Novo Nordisk’s Victoza® injection. [Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.] Press Release | |
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POLICY NEWSStudy Retraction Reignites Concern over China’s Possible Use of Prisoner Organs A journal has decided to retract a 2016 study because of concerns that its data on the safety of liver transplantation involved organs sourced from executed prisoners in China. The action, taken despite a denial by the study’s authors that such organs were used, comes after clinical ethicist Wendy Rogers of Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, and colleagues authored a letter to the editor of Liver International, calling for the paper’s retraction in the “absence of credible evidence of ethical sourcing of organs.” [ScienceInsider] Editorial US Government Takes Animal-Welfare Data Offline The US Department of Agriculture agency charged with ensuring the humane treatment of large research animals, such as primates and goats, has quietly scrubbed all inspection reports and enforcement records from its website. The move has drawn criticism from animal-welfare and transparency activists who say the public has the right to know how their tax dollars are being used. [Nature News] Editorial Venezuela Is Running Short on HIV Meds—and Places to Turn for Help On top of its currency being in free fall for three years running, empty shelves at supermarkets, and electricity rationing, Venezuela has a serious shortage of medicines, including life-saving anti-HIV drugs. This led a network of Venezuelans living with HIV to seek “urgent humanitarian aid” in June 2016 from the Geneva, Switzerland–based Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. [ScienceInsider] Editorial
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EVENTSNEW Innovations in Cancer Research and Regenerative Medicine Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.
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JOB OPPORTUNITIESNEW Postdoctoral Research Scientist – Diabetes Research (University of Oxford) Senior Scientist – Pancreatic Cell Research (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.) Postdoctoral Fellow – Islet Function/Regeneration (Toronto General Research Institute) Postdoctoral Associate – Pancreatic Cancer (University of Miami) Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Pancreatic Cancer (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center) Postdoctoral Position – Pancreatic Cancer (University of Liege) Principle Scientist – Translational Development (Celgene Corporation) Assistant Professor – Molecular Therapeutics (Dartmouth College/Geisel School of Medicine) Vice President – Pancreatic Cancer Disease Lead (Celgene Corporation) Recruit Top Talent: Reach potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.
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Home Pancreatic Cell News Volume 8.05 | Feb 7 2017