Objective To investigate the role of Notch signaling pathway in pancreas development and pancreatic cancer. Methods The related literatures were reviewed and analyzed. Results Notch signaling played a role early in development by maintaining pancreatic epithelial cells in a progenitor state and delaying their differentiation until timely appropriate. Notch signaling was reactivated in the initiation and progression of pancreatic cancer. Conclusion Notch signaling pathway plays an important role in the pancreas development. Sustained Notch signaling activity promotes the progression of pancreatic cancer, and may be one of major factors in the initiation of pancreatic cancer.
Objective To investigate the short term and long term effects of laparoscopic gastric bypass on obesity related type 2 diabetes. Methods Twenty obese patients with type 2 diabetes underwent laparoscopic gastric bypass between Nov. 2009 and Feb. 2012 were identified in the computer database of West China Hospital of Sichuan University. All patients had short term follow-up of less than 1 year and among them 11 were with long term follow-up of 1 year or more. Body weight， body mass index （BMI）， blood glucose， glycosylated hemoglobin （HbA1c）， homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance-insulin resistance （HOMA-IR）， blood pressure， and blood lipids were examined. Short term （＜1 year） and long term （≥1 year） remission rates of diabetes were calculated and factors which might have effects on the remission of diabetes were analyzed. Results Of patients with short term follow-up，body weight， fasting plasma glucose （FPG）， 2h plasma glucose （2hPG）， HbA1c， and HOMA-IR were reduced significantly. Among them， 18 of 20 patients （90.0%） reached the glucose and medication standards of complete remission and partial remission， 9 patients were defined as completely remitted （9/20， 45.0%）. Those accompanied with hypertension and （or） hyperlipemia were all improved clinically. The duration of diabetes， fasting and 2 h C peptide were found to be related to short term diabetes remission. Patients with long term follow-up of 1 year or more were observed to have significant reductions in body weight， FPG， 2hPG， HbA1c， and HOMA-IR as well. Hypertension and hyperlipidemia were all well controlled. The remission rate of diabetes reached 9/11 （81.8%）and those who were defined as completely remitted took a proportion of 6/11 （54.5%）. In these patients， those who did not reach the standards of complete remission had longer duration of diabetes and higher FPG when compared with those who did. No severe adverse event was found during the follow-up in either group. Most patients investigated were satisfied with the surgery.Conclusion Laparoscopic gastric bypass is effective and safe on short term and long term treatment of obesity related type 2 diabetes.