The RNA-binding protein HuR impairs adipose tissue anabolism in pancreatic cancer cachexia.

Background: Cachexia is defined by chronic loss of fat and muscle, is a frequent complication of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), and negatively impacts patient outcomes. Nutritional supplementation cannot fully reverse tissue wasting, and the mechanisms underlying this phenotype are unclear. This work aims to define the relative contributions of catabolism and anabolism to adipose wasting in PDAC-bearing mice.

Pancreatic cancer cells overexpressing interleukin 6 induce T-cell-mediated tumor clearance and durable anti-tumor immune response.

Tumor immune resistance is recognized as a contributor to low survivorship in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We developed a novel murine model of spontaneous PDAC clearance, generated by overexpressing interleukin-6 (IL-6) in orthotopically implanted PDAC cancer cells (OT-PDAC). Circulating IL-6 was 100-fold higher in OT-PDAC than in OT-PDAC mice.

Hepatic signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 signalling drives early-stage pancreatic cancer cachexia via suppressed ketogenesis.

Background: Patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) often suffer from cachexia, a wasting syndrome that significantly reduces both quality of life and survival. Although advanced cachexia is associated with inflammatory signalling and elevated muscle catabolism, the early events driving wasting are poorly defined. During periods of nutritional scarcity, the body relies on hepatic ketogenesis to generate ketone bodies, and lipid metabolism via ketogenesis is thought to protect muscle from catabolizing during nutritional scarcity.

Grb7 Ablation in Mice Improved Glycemic Control, Enhanced Insulin Signaling, and Increased Abdominal fat Mass in Females.

Objectives: Growth factor receptor bound protein 7 (GRB7) is a multidomain signaling adaptor. Members of the Grb7/10/14 family, specifically Gbrb10/14, have important roles in metabolism. We ablated the Grb7 gene in mice to examine its metabolic function.

Lipocalin 2 mediates appetite suppression during pancreatic cancer cachexia.

Lipocalin 2 (LCN2) was recently identified as an endogenous ligand of the type 4 melanocortin receptor (MC4R), a critical regulator of appetite. However, it remains unknown if this molecule influences appetite during cancer cachexia, a devastating clinical entity characterized by decreased nutrition and progressive wasting. We demonstrate that LCN2 is robustly upregulated in murine models of pancreatic cancer, its expression is associated with reduced food consumption, and Lcn2 deletion is protective from cachexia-anorexia.

Interferon-regulated pathways that control hepatitis B virus replication in transgenic mice.

We previously showed that the intrahepatic induction of cytokines such as alpha/beta interferon (IFN-alpha/beta) and gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) inhibits hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication noncytopathically in the livers of transgenic mice. The intracellular pathway(s) responsible for this effect is still poorly understood. To identify interferon (IFN)-inducible intracellular genes that could play a role in our system, we crossed HBV transgenic mice with mice deficient in IFN regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1), the double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase (PKR), or RNase L (RNase L) (IRF-1(-/-), PKR(-/-), or RNase L(-/-) mice, respectively), three well-characterized IFN-inducible genes that mediate antiviral activity.