Generation and characterization of human insulin-releasing cell lines.
BACKGROUND
The in vitro culture of insulinomas provides an attractive tool to study cell proliferation and insulin synthesis and secretion. However, only a few human beta cell lines have been described, with long-term passage resulting in loss of insulin secretion. Therefore, we set out to establish and characterize human insulin-releasing cell lines.


RESULTS
We generated ex-vivo primary cultures from two independent human insulinomas and from a human nesidioblastosis, all of which were cultured up to passage number 20. All cell lines secreted human insulin and C-peptide. These cell lines expressed neuroendocrine and islets markers, confirming the expression profile found in the biopsies. Although all beta cell lineages survived an anchorage independent culture, none of them were able to invade an extracellular matrix substrate.


CONCLUSIONS
We have established three human insulin-releasing cell lines which maintain antigenic characteristics and insulin secretion profiles of the original tumors. These cell lines represent valuable tools for the study of molecular events underlying beta cell function and dysfunction.
Labriola
Leticia
L
Nucleo de Terapia Celular e Molecular, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. mcsoga@iq.usp.br. labriola@iq.usp.br
Peters
Maria G
MG
Krogh
Karin
K
Stigliano
Iván
I
Terra
Letícia F
LF
Buchanan
Cecilia
C
Machado
Marcel C C
MC
Bal de Kier Joffé
Elisa
E
Puricelli
Lydia
L
Sogayar
Mari C
MC
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D002460:Cell Line; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D007340:Insulinoma; D008297:Male; D046768:Nesidioblastosis; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D007328:Insulin; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases