title: Generation of insulin-producing cells from human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells by genetic manipulation.
abstract: Beta cell replacement is a promising approach for treatment of type 1 diabetes; however, it is limited by a shortage of pancreas donors. The pluripotent MSC in adult bone marrow (BM) offer an attractive source of stem cells for generation of surrogate beta cells. BM-MSC can be obtained with relative ease from each patient, allowing potential circumvention of allograft rejection. Here, we report a procedure for expansion of BM-MSC in vitro and their differentiation into insulin-producing cells. The pancreatic duodenal homeobox 1 (Pdx1) gene was expressed in BM-MSC from 14 human donors, and the extent of differentiation of these cells toward the beta-cell phenotype was evaluated. RNA and protein analyses documented the activation of expression of all four islet hormones. However, the cells lacked expression of NEUROD1, a key transcription factor in differentiated beta cells. A significant insulin content, as well as glucose-stimulated insulin release, were demonstrated in vitro. Cell transplantation into streptozotocin-diabetic immunodeficient mice resulted in further differentiation, including induction of NEUROD1, and reduction of hyperglycemia. These findings were reproducible in BM-MSC from 9 of 14 donors of both sexes, ages 19-62. These results suggest a therapeutic potential for PDX1-expressing BM-MSC in beta-cell replacement in patients with type 1 diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Ohad
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Karnieli
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Izhar-Prato
authors.forename: Shlomo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bulvik
authors.forename: Shimon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Efrat
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D008875:Middle Aged; D051381:Rats; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D007328:Insulin; D015534:Trans-Activators; C084010:pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1 protein