title: Adenovirus-mediated XIAP gene transfer reverses the negative effects of immunosuppressive drugs on insulin secretion and cell viability of isolated human islets.
abstract: Immunosuppressive drugs are routinely used to provide tolerance after whole pancreas and islet cell transplantations. While they are essential in inhibiting graft rejection, little is known about their effect on islet function and beta-cell viability. In this study, we report that tacrolimus, sirolimus, and mycophenolic acid, when added to cultures of freshly isolated human islets, induce a downregulation of the synthesis and secretion of insulin. These functional changes are associated with decreased islet cell viability. All three agents induce a decrease of intracellular levels of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, with an increased level of Smac, indicating that they are capable of promoting a downregulation of anti-apoptotic factors and an accumulation of pro-apoptotic mediators. Transduction of islet cells with the anti-apoptotic gene XIAP prevents the negative effects of these drugs on the function and viability of islets. XIAP-infected cells show a higher expression of phospho-CREB (cAMP-responsive element binding protein) and a reduced level of Smac, resulting in a significant reduction of apoptotic cells and a preservation of the glucose-dependent secretion of insulin. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that genetically modified human islets expressing XIAP are resistant to the negative effects of immunosuppressive drugs on insulin secretion and cell viability.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology & Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8723 Alden Dr., SSB #290, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA.
authors.forename: Hongxiang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: Nasif
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Khoury
authors.forename: Xiaoning
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Levent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Balkir
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: D'Amico
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bullotta
authors.forename: Elizabeth D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gambotto
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Perfetti
mesh_terms: D000256:Adenoviridae; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000494:pharmacology; D014162:Transfection; D051636:X-Linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007328:Insulin; D011506:Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D051636:X-Linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein; C496866:XIAP protein, human; D016559:Tacrolimus