title: Hedgehog signaling during expansion of human pancreatic islet-derived precursors.
abstract: A detailed understanding of the molecular process involved in the proliferation of pancreatic precursor cells would provide key elements for developing new therapeutic strategies to cure type 1 diabetes. In the present study we investigated the potential involvement of hedgehog signaling in proliferating human pancreatic islet-derived mesenchymal (hPIDM) cells, a population of cells that can be successfully expanded and induced to differentiate into an insulin-secreting phenotype. Here we report that in these precursor cells a hedgehog signaling pathway is activated, as shown by Gli1 expression, and that a dose-dependent inhibition of such a pathway by cyclopamine results in a significant reduction of cell proliferation.
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Endocrine and Metabolic Sciences and Biochemistry, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gallo
authors.forename: Fabio Arturo
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Grieco
authors.forename: Lorella
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marselli
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ferretti
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gulino
authors.forename: Piero
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marchetti
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dotta
mesh_terms: D053687:Adult Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000071676:Zinc Finger Protein GLI1
chemical_list: C400551:GLI1 protein, human; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000071676:Zinc Finger Protein GLI1