Beta Cells from Adult Islet Stem Cells

Scientists have found that a naturally occurring hormone can cause adult islet stem cells to mature into pancreatic beta cells. The results, which may help researchers design a strategy for reversing diabetes, were reported in the August 2002 issue of Endocrinology.

The transplantation of pancreatic beta cells is being explored for treating type 1 diabetes, but the supply of these cells is limited and they may be rejected by a patient's immune system. Therefore, alternative sources need to be found. Earlier trials showed that an intestinal hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) can provoke beta cells to proliferate and secrete insulin. Researchers identified islet stem cells called nestin-positive islet-derived progenitor cells (NIPs) and showed they could develop into insulin-secreting cells.

In the current study, researchers found that NIPs express a receptor protein that binds to GLP-1 and, when activated, induces the NIPs to differentiate into insulin-secreting cells. They believe locally produced GLP-1 may stimulate the development of beta cells by causing the adult islet stem cells to differentiate. These finding are expected to contribute to new strategies for using NIPs to treat diabetes.

"If we can transplant beta cells grown from a patient's own stem cells, the risk of rejection is gone,” says Joel Habener, M.D., of the laboratory of molecular endocrinology at Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston, USA; www.mgh.harvard.edu) and senior author. "And now with the addition of GLP-1, we might be able to stimulate those cells to become truly functional.”

Since the NIPs are derived from adult tissues, the ethical issues surrounding the use of fetal or embryonic stem cells are not relevant. Dr. Habener is working with a cellular therapy company to design preclinical studies that will test the findings of this study.





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