title: Induction of pancreatic β-cell-like cells from CD44+/CD105+ human amniotic fluids via epigenetic regulation of the pancreatic and duodenal homeobox factor 1 promoter.
abstract: Pancreatic and duodenal homeobox factor 1 (PDX-1) maintains β-cell function and differentiation via direct regulation of multiple islet cell genes. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in this process remain unknown. Here, we show that PDX-1 plays an important role in the induction of CD44+/CD105+ human amniotic fluid cells (HuAFCs) into functional pancreatic β-cell-like cells in vitro. CD44+/CD105+ HuAFCs were transfected with either siRNA targeting PDX-1 (siRNA-PDX-1) or mock plasmid (siRNA-MOCK). Following induction, siRNA-MOCK-transfected cells differentiated into β-cell-like cells that expressed multiple islet cell markers and produced insulin and C-peptide in a glucose-regulated manner. However, siRNA-PDX-1-transfected cells did not fully differentiate into β-cell-like cells. Further, we observed epigenetic changes at the PDX-1 gene locus in induced CD44(+)/CD105(+) HuAFCs. Therefore, CD44+/CD105+ HuAFCs could be a source of human pancreatic β-cell-like cells with potential uses in cell replacement therapy for diabetes.
authors: Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors: Gang
authors: G
authors: Zou
authors: Te
authors: T
authors: Liu
authors: Lifan
authors: L
authors: Zhang
authors: Yan
authors: Y
authors: Liu
authors: Min
authors: M
authors: Li
authors: Xiling
authors: X
authors: Du
authors: Fuhui
authors: F
authors: Xu
authors: Lihe
authors: L
authors: Guo
authors: Zhixue
authors: Z
authors: Liu