Pancreatic Cell News Volume 9.48 | Dec 4 2018

TOP STORY

ROBO2 Is a Stroma Suppressor Gene in the Pancreas and Acts via TGF-β Signaling

Scientists reported that in pancreatitis and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma mouse models, epithelial Robo2 expression was lost while Robo1 expression became most prominent in the stroma. [Nat Commun] Full Article

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

DIABETES & PANCREATITIS

Robo Signaling Controls Pancreatic Progenitor Identity by Regulating Tead Transcription Factors

Researchers identified Slit/Robo signaling as a key regulator of pancreatic progenitor identity. They found that Robo1 and Robo2 were required for preserving pancreatic cell identity shortly after fate induction and, subsequently, for expansion of the pancreatic progenitor pool in the mouse. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Transcriptional Heterogeneity of Beta Cells in the Intact Pancreas

Scientists developed an optimized protocol for single-molecule transcript imaging in the intact pancreas and used it to identify a sub-population of “extreme” beta cells with elevated mRNA levels of insulin and other secretory genes. [Dev Cell] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

β Cell Replacement after Gene Editing of a Neonatal Diabetes-Causing Mutation at the Insulin Locus

Investigators generated induced pluripotent stem cells from fibroblasts of a patient with permanent neonatal diabetes mellitus and undetectable insulin at birth due to a homozygous mutation in the translation start site of the insulin gene. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article

DEXI, a Candidate Gene for Type 1 Diabetes, Modulates Rat and Human Pancreatic Beta Cell Inflammation via Regulation of the Type I IFN/STAT Signaling Pathway

Dexamethasone-induced protein (DEXI)-silenced beta cells exposed to a synthetic double-stranded RNA showed reduced activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 1 and lower production of proinflammatory chemokines that was preceded by a reduction in IFNβ levels. [Diabetologia] Full Article

PANCREATIC CANCER

Hypoxia Potentiates Gemcitabine-Induced Stemness in Pancreatic Cancer Cells through AKT/Notch1 Signaling

Researchers investigated whether the hypoxic niche enhanced gemcitabine-induced stemness and acquired resistance in pancreatic cancer cells by activating the AKT/Notch1 signaling cascade. [J Exp Clin Cancer Res] Full Article

HIF1α-siRNA and Gemcitabine Combination-Based GE-11 Peptide Antibody-Targeted Nanomedicine for Enhanced Therapeutic Efficacy in Pancreatic Cancers

Gemcitabine and HIF1α-siRNA loaded GE-11 peptide conjugated liposome was successfully prepared and evaluated for its antitumor efficacy in pancreatic cancer cells. GE11 increased the targeting specificity of the liposome carrier and increased intracellular concentrations in the cancer cells. [J Drug Target] Abstract

Autotaxin Upregulated by STAT3 Activation Contributes to Invasion in Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms

The expression of autotaxin in pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasm (pNEN) tissues and the pNEN cell line BON1 was analysed by Western blot, PCR and immunocytochemistry upon exposure to interleukin-6. [Endocr Connect] Full Article

Prolyl Hydroxylase Domain 3 Influences the Radiotherapy Efficacy of Pancreatic Cancer Cells by Targeting Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α

Prolyl hydroxylase domain 3 overexpression suppressed hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α protein expression and EGFR phosphorylation and enhanced the 2 Gy irradiation-mediated reductions in HIF-1α and phosphorylated EGFR under either normoxic or hypoxic conditions. [Onco Targets Ther] Full Article

A Peptide-CpG-DNA-Liposome Complex Vaccine Targeting TM4SF5 Suppresses Growth of Pancreatic Cancer in a Mouse Allograft Model

Expression of TM4SF5 induced increased cell proliferation and motility in vitro. Injection of the TM4SF5 peptide vaccine induced the production of anti-hTM4SF5 antibodies and reduced the growth of pancreatic tumors in mice established by subcutaneous injection of the TM4SF5-expressing mouse pancreatic cancer cell line. [Onco Targets Ther] Full Article

Subscribe to one of our other 19 science newsletters such as Hepatic Cell News & Intestinal Cell News.

Modeling the Endocrine Pancreas in Health and Disease

Investigators discuss diverse modeling systems across different species that provide spatial and temporal resolution of cellular and molecular mechanisms to understand the evolutionary conserved genotype-phenotype relationship and translate them to humans. [Nat Rev Endocrinol] Abstract

Oral Semaglutide for the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes

The authors review oral semaglutide – an experimental glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist in Phase-III clinical development. Available pharmacological and clinical data of the drug are reviewed, and important end-points described. [Expert Opin Pharmacother] Abstract

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

PharmaCyte Biotech Engages cGMP Validation to Assist in Preparation of IND for Pancreatic Cancer Trial

PharmaCyte Biotech, Inc. announced that it has engaged cGMP Validation L.L.C. to assist in the preparation of the Investigational New Drug application (IND) that must be submitted to and approved by the FDA before PharmaCyte can begin its planned clinical trial in patients with locally advanced, non-metastatic, inoperable pancreatic cancer. [PharmaCyte Biotech, Inc.] Press Release

Quest PharmaTech Signs License Agreement with OncoCare Therapeutics to Develop and Commercialize Targeted Cancer Therapy Technology in the U.S.

Quest PharmaTech Inc.’s targeted cancer therapy technology includes two potential treatments, AR 9.6, an antibody licensed from the University of Nebraska Medical Center that binds to and blocks oncogenic activities of MUC16, and ACP-2127, which targets CDK/mTOR receptors. Both candidates are being developed for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. [Quest PharmaTech Inc.] Press Release

Moleculin Announces New Data Further Supporting Its Lead Drug for Treating Pancreatic Cancer

Moleculin Biotech, Inc. announced that data from an independent test in animal models confirmed that its immuno-stimulating STAT3 inhibitor achieves disproportionately high accumulation in the pancreas. [Moleculin Biotech, Inc.] Press Release

Researchers Sign Petition Backing Plans to End Paywalls

More than 1,400 researchers have signed an online letter backing the principles of Plan S, the bold open-access initiative led by research agencies who say that, by 2020, papers resulting from their funding should be immediately free to read on publication. [Nature News] Editorial

Data Sharing in Action: When Drug Companies Open Their Trial Vaults

Clinical trials generate tons of data that never see the light of day, but an initiative spearheaded by researchers at Yale University is trying to change that. Since 2011, the Yale University Open Data Access Project has developed a platform that allows external researchers to gain access to clinical trials data from pharmaceutical companies. [The Scientist] Editorial

NEW Keystone Symposia: Lipidomics and Functional Metabolic Pathways in Disease
March 31-April 4, 2019
Steamboat Springs, Colorado, United States

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

NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Neuroscience and Diabetes (The Child Health Institute of New Jersey)

NEW Postdoctoral Fellowship – Pancreatic Beta-Cell Development (City of Hope)

NEW Postdoctoral Research Associate – Pancreas Development (University of Illinois)

NEW Assistant Professor – Pancreatic Islet Biology (University of Copenhagen)

Research Technologist – Pancreatic Cell Research (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Organ on a Chip Microfluidic Platform Design (University of Oslo)

Computational Biologist – Translational Cancer Research (Technical University of Munich)

Research Lab Specialist – Cancer Biology (University of Southern California)

Postdoctoral Position – Pancreatic Cancer (University Hospitals)

PhD Positions – Cancer Biology (Technical University of Munich)

Bench Research Fellowship – Cardiovascular Disease (Brigham & Women’s Hospital – Harvard Medical School)

Postdoctoral Position – Lung and Pancreatic Cancers (University of California San Francisco)

Postdoctoral Position – Stem Cells and Diabetes (A*STAR)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Epithelial Carcinogenesis (Spanish National Cancer Research Centre)

Recruit Top Talent: Reach potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.

Have we missed an important article or publication in Pancreatic Cell News? Click here to submit!

Comments or suggestions? Submit your feedback here.