1
|
Zhang H, Wei Y, Wang Y, Liang J, Hou Y, Nie X, Hou J. Emerging Diabetes Therapies: Regenerating Pancreatic β Cells. TISSUE ENGINEERING. PART B, REVIEWS 2024. [PMID: 39276101 DOI: 10.1089/ten.teb.2024.0041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/16/2024]
Abstract
The incidence of diabetes mellitus (DM) is steadily increasing annually, with 537 million diabetic patients as of 2021. Restoring diminished β cell mass or impaired islet function is crucial in treating DM, particularly type 1 DM. However, the regenerative capacity of islet β cells, which primarily produce insulin, is severely limited, and natural regeneration is only observed in young rodents or children. Hence, there is an urgent need to develop advanced therapeutic approaches that can regenerate endogenous β cells or replace them with stem cell (SC)-derived or engineered β-like cells. Current strategies for treating insulin-dependent DM mainly include promoting the self-replication of endogenous β cells, inducing SC differentiation, reprogramming non-β cells into β-like cells, and generating pancreatic-like organoids through cell-based intervention. In this Review, we discuss the current state of the art in these approaches, describe associated challenges, propose potential solutions, and highlight ongoing efforts to optimize β cell or islet transplantation and related clinical trials. These effective cell-based therapies will generate a sustainable source of functional β cells for transplantation and lay strong foundations for future curative treatments for DM.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haojie Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Receptors-Mediated Gene Regulation and Drug Discovery, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Yaxin Wei
- Key Laboratory of Receptors-Mediated Gene Regulation and Drug Discovery, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Yubo Wang
- Key Laboratory of Receptors-Mediated Gene Regulation and Drug Discovery, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Jialin Liang
- Key Laboratory of Receptors-Mediated Gene Regulation and Drug Discovery, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Yifan Hou
- Kaifeng 155 Hospital, China RongTong Medical Healthcare Group Co. Ltd., Kaifeng, China
- Department of Urinary Surgery, Henan Provincial Research Center for the Prevention and Diagnosis of Prostate Diseases, Huaihe Hospital, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Xiaobo Nie
- Key Laboratory of Receptors-Mediated Gene Regulation and Drug Discovery, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
- Department of Urinary Surgery, Henan Provincial Research Center for the Prevention and Diagnosis of Prostate Diseases, Huaihe Hospital, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Junqing Hou
- Kaifeng 155 Hospital, China RongTong Medical Healthcare Group Co. Ltd., Kaifeng, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Blake MJ, Steer CJ. Chimeric Livers: Interspecies Blastocyst Complementation and Xenotransplantation for End-Stage Liver Disease. Hepat Med 2024; 16:11-29. [PMID: 38379783 PMCID: PMC10878318 DOI: 10.2147/hmer.s440697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) currently serves as the sole definitive treatment for thousands of patients suffering from end-stage liver disease; and the existing supply of donor livers for OLT is drastically outpaced by the increasing demand. To alleviate this significant gap in treatment, several experimental approaches have been devised with the aim of either offering interim support to patients waiting on the transplant list or bioengineering complete livers for OLT by infusing them with fresh hepatic cells. Recently, interspecies blastocyst complementation has emerged as a promising method for generating complete organs in utero over a short timeframe. When coupled with gene editing technology, it has brought about a potentially revolutionary transformation in regenerative medicine. Blastocyst complementation harbors notable potential for generating complete human livers in large animals, which could be used for xenotransplantation in humans, addressing the scarcity of livers for OLT. Nevertheless, substantial experimental and ethical challenges still need to be overcome to produce human livers in larger domestic animals like pigs. This review compiles the current understanding of interspecies blastocyst complementation and outlines future possibilities for liver xenotransplantation in humans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Madelyn J Blake
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Clifford J Steer
- Departments of Medicine, and Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Li Y, Huang K. Human-animal interspecies chimerism via blastocyst complementation: advances, challenges and perspectives: a narrative review. Stem Cell Investig 2021; 8:20. [PMID: 34815975 PMCID: PMC8578738 DOI: 10.21037/sci-2020-074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Interspecific human-animal chimerism via blastocyst complementation provides a promising strategy to generate function human cells, tissues or organs from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), although it is still quite challenging. In this review, we will mainly focus on the recent advances, such as the options of donor hPSCs and the understanding of interspecific chimera barriers, challenges, and perspectives on the efficient generation of human-animal interspecies chimeras. BACKGROUND hPSCs, including the human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and the human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) hold great promise for regenerative medicine to treat various degenerative diseases. However, although hPSCs can differentiate to all lineage cells in dish, the functionality of these cells is limited, hinting that the in vitro differentiation system failed to fully recapture the in vivo development. A promising alternative strategy is in vivo generation of functional human cells in animals through interspecies chimerism, based on the principle that mammalian development is highly conserved across species. This strategy was inspired by the successful generation of functional rat pancreas in mice through blastocyst injection of rat pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). Over the past ten years, since this milestone work was reported, advances have been made in the human-animal interspecies chimerism. However, it is still challenging to efficiently generate human cells, tissues, or organs in the interspecies chimeras. This phenomenon suggests that there are still obstacles to illustrate and overcome implicated in human-animal interspecies chimeras. METHODS Narrative overview of the literatures reported the recent advances, challenges and perspectives regarding the interspecies chimerism via blastocyst complementation. CONCLUSIONS Human-animal interspecies chimerism via blastocyst complementation is a valuable method to generate functional human cells, tissues or organs, while there are at least three barriers need to be overcome. Firstly, conventional hPSCs should be converted to possess the chimera competency; secondly, efficient human-animal chimerism are required to robustly generate human derivatives in chimera; thirdly, the discrepancy regarding the developmental regulation network between human and host animals must be eliminated to generate certain human cells, tissues or organs in the interspecies chimeras.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuhang Li
- The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ke Huang
- The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Nagaya M, Hasegawa K, Uchikura A, Nakano K, Watanabe M, Umeyama K, Matsunari H, Osafune K, Kobayashi E, Nakauchi H, Nagashima H. Feasibility of large experimental animal models in testing novel therapeutic strategies for diabetes. World J Diabetes 2021; 12:306-330. [PMID: 33889282 PMCID: PMC8040081 DOI: 10.4239/wjd.v12.i4.306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2021] [Revised: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Diabetes is among the top 10 causes of death in adults and caused approximately four million deaths worldwide in 2017. The incidence and prevalence of diabetes is predicted to increase. To alleviate this potentially severe situation, safer and more effective therapeutics are urgently required. Mice have long been the mainstay as preclinical models for basic research on diabetes, although they are not ideally suited for translating basic knowledge into clinical applications. To validate and optimize novel therapeutics for safe application in humans, an appropriate large animal model is needed. Large animals, especially pigs, are well suited for biomedical research and share many similarities with humans, including body size, anatomical features, physiology, and pathophysiology. Moreover, pigs already play an important role in translational studies, including clinical trials for xenotransplantation. Progress in genetic engineering over the past few decades has facilitated the development of transgenic animals, including porcine models of diabetes. This article discusses features that attest to the attractiveness of genetically modified porcine models of diabetes for testing novel treatment strategies using recent technical advances.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Masaki Nagaya
- Meiji University International Institute for Bio-Resource Research, Meiji University, Kawasaki 214-8571, Kanagawa, Japan
- Department of Immunology, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kawasaki 261-8511, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Koki Hasegawa
- Laboratory of Medical Bioengineering, Department of Life Sciences, School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kawasaki 214-8571, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Ayuko Uchikura
- Laboratory of Medical Bioengineering, Department of Life Sciences, School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kawasaki 214-8571, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kazuaki Nakano
- Meiji University International Institute for Bio-Resource Research, Meiji University, Kawasaki 214-8571, Kanagawa, Japan
- Laboratory of Medical Bioengineering, Department of Life Sciences, School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kawasaki 214-8571, Kanagawa, Japan
- Research and Development, PorMedTec Co. Ltd, Kawasaki 214-0034, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Masahito Watanabe
- Meiji University International Institute for Bio-Resource Research, Meiji University, Kawasaki 214-8571, Kanagawa, Japan
- Laboratory of Medical Bioengineering, Department of Life Sciences, School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kawasaki 214-8571, Kanagawa, Japan
- Research and Development, PorMedTec Co. Ltd, Kawasaki 214-0034, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Umeyama
- Meiji University International Institute for Bio-Resource Research, Meiji University, Kawasaki 214-8571, Kanagawa, Japan
- Laboratory of Medical Bioengineering, Department of Life Sciences, School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kawasaki 214-8571, Kanagawa, Japan
- Research and Development, PorMedTec Co. Ltd, Kawasaki 214-0034, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Hitomi Matsunari
- Meiji University International Institute for Bio-Resource Research, Meiji University, Kawasaki 214-8571, Kanagawa, Japan
- Laboratory of Medical Bioengineering, Department of Life Sciences, School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kawasaki 214-8571, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kenji Osafune
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Eiji Kobayashi
- Department of Organ Fabrication, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku 160-8582, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiromitsu Nakauchi
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, United States
- Division of Stem Cell Therapy, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato 108-8639, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Nagashima
- Meiji University International Institute for Bio-Resource Research, Meiji University, Kawasaki 214-8571, Kanagawa, Japan
- Laboratory of Medical Bioengineering, Department of Life Sciences, School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kawasaki 214-8571, Kanagawa, Japan
| |
Collapse
|