Pancreatic Regeneration After Partial Pancreatectomy in Rodents. In: A. Hardikar A, editor. Pancreatic Islet Biology. Cham: Springer International Publishing; 2016. pp. 111-23. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-45307-1_5]

Pancreatic beta cell regenerative potential of Zanthoxylum chalybeum Engl. Aqueous stem bark extract

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Zanthoxylum chalybeum Engl. is endemic to Africa and has been used traditionally to treat diabetes mellitus. Moreover, its pharmacological efficacy has been confirmed experimentally using in vitro and in vivo models of diabetes. However, the effects of Z. chalybeum extracts and its major constituent compounds on beta cell and islet regeneration are not clear. Further, the mechanisms associated with observed antidiabetic effects at the beta cell level are not fully elucidated.

AIM OF THE STUDY

We determined the beta cell regenerative efficacy of Z. chalybeum aqueous stem bark extract, identified the chemical compounds in Z. chalybeum aqueous stem bark extracts and explored their putative mechanisms of action.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Phytochemical profiling of the Z. chalybeum extract was achieved using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography hyphenated to high-resolution mass spectrometry. Thereafter, molecular interactions of the compounds with beta cell regeneration targets were evaluated via molecular docking. In vitro, effects of the extract on cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis and oxidative stress were investigated in RIN-5F beta cells exposed to palmitate or streptozotocin. In vivo, pancreas tissue sections from streptozotocin-induced diabetic male Wistar rats treated with Z. chalybeum extract were stained for insulin, glucagon, pancreatic duodenal homeobox protein 1 (Pdx-1) and Ki-67.

RESULTS

Based on ligand target and molecular docking interactions diosmin was identified as a dual specificity tyrosine-phosphorylation-regulated kinase 1A (Dyrk1A) inhibitor. In vitro, Z. chalybeum augmented cell viability and cell proliferation while in palmitate-pre-treated cells, the extract significantly increased cell activity after 72 h. In vivo, although morphometric analysis showed decreased islet and beta cell size and density, observation of increased Pdx-1 and Ki-67 immunoreactivity in extract-treated islets suggests that Z. chalybeum extract has mild beta cell regenerative potential mediated by increased cell proliferation.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the mitogenic effects observed in vitro, were not robust enough to elicit sufficient recovery of functional beta cell mass in our in vivo model, in the context of a sustained diabetic milieu. However, the identification of diosmin as a potential Dyrk1A inhibitor merits further inquiry into the attendant molecular interactions.

Regenerative medicine of pancreatic islets

The pancreas became one of the first objects of regenerative medicine, since other possibilities of dealing with the pancreatic endocrine insufficiency were clearly exhausted. The number of people living with diabetes mellitus is currently approaching half a billion, hence the crucial relevance of new methods to stimulate regeneration of the insulin-secreting β-cells of the islets of Langerhans. Natural restrictions on the islet regeneration are very tight; nevertheless, the islets are capable of physiological regeneration via β-cell self-replication, direct differentiation of multipotent progenitor cells and spontaneous α- to β- or δ- to β-cell conversion (trans-differentiation). The existing preclinical models of β-cell dysfunction or ablation (induced surgically, chemically or genetically) have significantly expanded our understanding of reparative regeneration of the islets and possible ways of its stimulation. The ultimate goal, sufficient level of functional activity of β-cells or their substitutes can be achieved by two prospective broad strategies: β-cell replacement and β-cell regeneration. The “regeneration” strategy aims to maintain a preserved population of β-cells through in situ exposure to biologically active substances that improve β-cell survival, replication and insulin secretion, or to evoke the intrinsic adaptive mechanisms triggering the spontaneous non-β- to β-cell conversion. The “replacement” strategy implies transplantation of β-cells (as non-disintegrated pancreatic material or isolated donor islets) or β-like cells obtained ex vivo from progenitors or mature somatic cells (for example, hepatocytes or α-cells) under the action of small-molecule inducers or by genetic modification. We believe that the huge volume of experimental and clinical studies will finally allow a safe and effective solution to a seemingly simple goal-restoration of the functionally active β-cells, the innermost hope of millions of people globally.