title: A unique human blood-derived cell population displays high potential for producing insulin.
abstract: Blood can provide a valuable source for the generation of stem cells. Herein we identified a novel cell population from adult human blood, designated peripheral blood insulin-producing cells (PB-IPC). Phenotypic analysis demonstrated that PB-IPC displayed the embryonic stem (ES) cell-associated transcription factors including Oct-4 and Nanog, along with the hematopoietic markers CD9, CD45, and CD117; but lacked expression of the hematopoietic stem cell marker CD34 as well as lymphocyte and monocyte/macrophage markers. Notably, in vitro and in vivo characterization revealed that PB-IPC demonstrated characteristics of islet beta cell progenitors including the expression of beta cell-specific insulin gene transcription factors and prohormone convertases, production of insulin, formation of insulin granules, and the ability to reduce hyperglycemia and migrate into pancreatic islets after transplantation into the diabetic mice. These findings may open up new avenues for autologous blood stem cell-based therapies for diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1819 W Polk Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. yongzhao@uic.edu
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Zhihua
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lazzarini
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Anke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di
authors.forename: Meiling
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000145:classification / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin