Pancreatic Cell News 9.02 January 16, 2018 | |
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TOP STORYInvestigators established a pancreatic tumor organoid library encompassing 39 patient-derived pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas and identified three functional subtypes based on their stem cell niche factor dependencies on Wnt and R-spondin. [Cell Stem Cell] Abstract | Graphical Abstract | |
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PUBLICATIONS(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)DIABETES & PANCREATITISDistinct Roles of Systemic and Local Actions of Insulin on Pancreatic β-Cells Researchers generated an opposite mouse model with an excessive amount of ectopic β-cells, and analyzed its consequence on β-cell mass and survival. [Metabolism] Abstract To investigate the effects of adiponectin on β-cell protection and its down-stream signaling events, scientists generated β-cell-specific rat insulin promoter-AdipoR1 transgenic mice, in which the adiponectin receptor, AdipoR1, is overexpressed in β-cells in a manner synchronous with insulin demand. [PLoS One] Full Article Investigators explored the mechanism of impaired autophagy flux induced by exendin-4 and its role on cell apoptosis in pancreatic AR42J cells. The AR42J cells were treated with various concentration of exendin-4 for several time points to assess its cytotoxicity by MTT assay. [Biochem Biophys Res Commun] Abstract PANCREATIC CANCERTo test the feasibility of treating pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) using autophagy inhibition and further the understanding of the mechanisms of pro-tumor effects of autophagy, researchers developed a novel mouse model that allowed the acute and reversible inhibition of autophagy. They observed that autophagy inhibition causes significant tumor regression in an autochthonous mouse model of PDAC. [Cancer Discov] Abstract Researchers compared the effects of pyruvate kinase muscle isozyme 1 (PKM1) and PKM2 in cell invasiveness and metastasis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Both PKM1 and PKM2 expression affected cell migration and invasion abilities of PDAC cells, but only knockdown of PKM2 suppressed metastasis in a xenograft model. [Oncogene] Abstract The authors suggested that threonine starvation reduces the level of mucin1 (MUC1) and inhibits the migration of MUC1-expressing pancreatic cancer cells. Interestingly, knockdown of threonyl-tRNA synthetase, an enzyme that catalyzes the ligation of threonine to its cognate tRNA, also suppresses MUC1 levels but not mRNA levels. [Exp Mol Med] Full Article Regulation of Pancreatic Stellate Cell Activation by Notch3 Researchers investigated whether Notch signal transduction is involved in pancreatic stellate cells activation in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. [BMC Cancer] Full Article MicroRNA-494 Regulates Gli3 Expression and Inhibits Pancreatic Cancer Cells Growth and Migration Scientists explored the role of miR-494 in pancreatic cancer cells, and the regulation of glioma-associated oncogene 3 (Gli3) by miR-494. The mRNA level of Gli3 in 99 pairs of pancreatic cancer and correspondingly adjacent tissues was monitored by qRT-PCR. [J Cell Biochem] Abstract | |
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REVIEWSRecently developed organoid technology presents a more representative model culture system for pancreatic and colon epithelial tissues as well as better fostering the culture of nonimmortalized cells than two-dimensional culture. These advantages enable cancer researchers to directly compare tumor and normal tissue models to better study tumor initiation as well as therapeutic efficacy. [Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med] Abstract Regulation of Amino Acid Metabolism and Alpha Cell Proliferation by Glucagon Glucagon blockade suppresses hepatic amino acid catabolism and increases the serum amino acid level. In animal models defective in both glucagon and GLP-1, the blood glucose level is not reduced, indicating that GLP-1 is required for glucagon blockade to reduce the blood glucose level. [J Diabetes Investig] Abstract Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the pancreatic cell research field. | |
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INDUSTRY NEWSSTEMCELL Technologies Inc. has released two product lines for organoid research that will enable scientists to create powerful models for studying human disease in the lab. [STEMCELL Technologies Inc.] Press Release Lustgarten Foundation Awarded $22 Million for Pancreatic Cancer Research The Lustgarten Foundation announced that it funded $22 million in 2017 as part of its commitment to invest an unprecedented $40 million by the end of 2018. [The Lustgarten Foundation (PR Newswire Association LLC.)] Press Release | |
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POLICY NEWSMake Replication Studies ‘A Normal and Essential Part of Science,’ Dutch Science Academy Says Scientists, universities, funding agencies, and journals alike should be doing much more to ensure the reproducibility of scientific research, according to a new report released by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. [ScienceInsider] Editorial South Korean Universities Reach Agreement with Elsevier after Long Standoff After a months-long standoff, a consortium of hundreds of South Korean universities has reached a new deal with scientific publisher Elsevier for access to ScienceDirect, a database containing content from 3,500 academic journals and thousands of electronic books. [ScienceInsider] Editorial Rising Star Appointed UK Science Minister The United Kingdom has gained a new science minister as part of a broader reshuffle of government posts. Sam Gyimah, who moves from the Ministry of Justice, was appointed minister for universities and science, replacing Jo Johnson. [Nature News] Editorial
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EVENTSNEW The Stem Cell Niche Conference 2018 Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.
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JOB OPPORTUNITIESNEW Postdoctoral Research Scientist – Pancreatic Cancer (Columbia University) NEW Professorship – Pancreas Development and Disease (Technischen Universität Dresden) Tenure-Track Group Leader Position – Pancreatic Cancer Biology (University of Copenhagen) Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Pancreatic Cancer (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center) Postdoctoral Fellowship – Pancreatic Cancer (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center) PhD Studentship – Pancreatic Cancer (CRUK Manchester Institute) Postdoctoral Fellowship (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center) PhD Studentship – Pancreas Development and Stem Cells (Helmholtz Zentrum München) Postdoctoral Positions – Pancreatic Cancer (MD Anderson Cancer Center) Scientist – Diabetes and Obesity (Helmholtz Zentrum München) 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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