Efficient Generation of Glucose-Responsive Beta Cells from Isolated GP2+ Human Pancreatic Progenitors

PDX1+ cell budding morphogenesis in a stem cell-derived islet spheroid system

Remarkable advances in protocol development have been achieved to manufacture insulin-secreting islets from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). Distinct from current approaches, we devised a tunable strategy to generate islet spheroids enriched for major islet cell types by incorporating PDX1+ cell budding morphogenesis into staged differentiation. In this process that appears to mimic normal islet morphogenesis, the differentiating islet spheroids organize with endocrine cells that are intermingled or arranged in a core-mantle architecture, accompanied with functional heterogeneity. Through in vitro modelling of human pancreas development, we illustrate the importance of PDX1 and the requirement for EphB3/4 signaling in eliciting cell budding morphogenesis. Using this new approach, we model Mitchell-Riley syndrome with RFX6 knockout hPSCs illustrating unexpected morphogenesis defects in the differentiation towards islet cells. The tunable differentiation system and stem cell-derived islet models described in this work may facilitate addressing fundamental questions in islet biology and probing human pancreas diseases.

TGF-β modulates cell fate in human ES cell-derived foregut endoderm by inhibiting Wnt and BMP signaling

Genetic differences between pluripotent stem cell lines cause variable activity of extracellular signaling pathways, limiting reproducibility of directed differentiation protocols. Here we used human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to interrogate how exogenous factors modulate endogenous signaling events during specification of foregut endoderm lineages. We find that transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) activates a putative human OTX2/LHX1 gene regulatory network which promotes anterior fate by antagonizing endogenous Wnt signaling. In contrast to Porcupine inhibition, TGF-β1 effects cannot be reversed by exogenous Wnt ligands, suggesting that induction of SHISA proteins and intracellular accumulation of Fzd receptors render TGF-β1-treated cells refractory to Wnt signaling. Subsequently, TGF-β1-mediated inhibition of BMP and Wnt signaling suppresses liver fate and promotes pancreas fate. Furthermore, combined TGF-β1 treatment and Wnt inhibition during pancreatic specification reproducibly and robustly enhance INSULIN+ cell yield across hESC lines. This modification of widely used differentiation protocols will enhance pancreatic β cell yield for cell-based therapeutic applications.

CD200R promotes high glucose-induced oxidative stress and damage in human retinal pigment epithelial cells by activating the mTOR signaling pathway

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is established as the primary cause of visual impairment and preventable blindness, posing significant social and economic burdens on healthcare systems worldwide. Oxidative stress has been identified as a major contributor to DR, yet the precise role of the transmembrane glycoprotein CD200R in this context remains elusive. We studied human retinal pigment epithelia ARPE-19 cells to investigate the role of CD200R in high-glucose (HG) induced oxidative stress. Under HG conditions, we found a significant increase in CD200R expression in a time-dependent pattern. Conversely, knockdown of CD200R effectively alleviated oxidative stress and restored cell viability in HG-treated ARPE-19 cells, a phenomenon corroborated by the addition of a reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger. Exploration of the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway confirmed its mediating role regarding CD200R knockdown suppression of the expression of key proteins induced by HG conditions. Additionally, we found that the inhibition of mTOR signaling with Rapamycin effectively countered HG-induced oxidative stress in ARPE-19 cells, suggesting a promising therapeutic target against oxidative stress in the context of DR. This study establishes the crucial role of CD200R in HG-induced oxidative stress and identifies potential therapeutic avenues for the treatment of DR.

From stem cells to pancreatic β-cells: strategies, applications, and potential treatments for diabetes

Loss and functional failure of pancreatic β-cells results in disruption of glucose homeostasis and progression of diabetes. Although whole pancreas or pancreatic islet transplantation serves as a promising approach for β-cell replenishment and diabetes therapy, the severe scarcity of donor islets makes it unattainable for most diabetic patients. Stem cells, particularly induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), are promising for the treatment of diabetes owing to their self-renewal capacity and ability to differentiate into functional β-cells. In this review, we first introduce the development of functional β-cells and their heterogeneity and then turn to highlight recent advances in the generation of β-cells from stem cells and their potential applications in disease modeling, drug discovery and clinical therapy. Finally, we have discussed the current challenges in developing stem cell-based therapeutic strategies for improving the treatment of diabetes. Although some significant technical hurdles remain, stem cells offer great hope for patients with diabetes and will certainly transform future clinical practice.

Scaling Insulin-Producing Cells by Multiple Strategies

In the quest to combat insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), allogenic pancreatic islet cell therapy sourced from deceased donors represents a significant therapeutic advance. However, the applicability of this approach is hampered by donor scarcity and the demand for sustained immunosuppression. Human induced pluripotent stem cells are a game-changing resource for generating synthetic functional insulin-producing β cells. In addition, novel methodologies allow the direct expansion of pancreatic progenitors and mature β cells, thereby circumventing prolonged differentiation. Nevertheless, achieving practical reproducibility and scalability presents a substantial challenge for this technology. As these innovative approaches become more prominent, it is crucial to thoroughly evaluate existing expansion techniques with an emphasis on their optimization and scalability. This manuscript delineates these cutting-edge advancements, offers a critical analysis of the prevailing strategies, and underscores pivotal challenges, including cost-efficiency and logistical issues. Our insights provide a roadmap, elucidating both the promises and the imperatives in harnessing the potential of these cellular therapies for IDDM.

Regulation of multiple signaling pathways promotes the consistent expansion of human pancreatic progenitors in defined conditions

The unlimited expansion of human progenitor cells in vitro could unlock many prospects for regenerative medicine. However, it remains an important challenge as it requires the decoupling of the mechanisms supporting progenitor self-renewal and expansion from those mechanisms promoting their differentiation. This study focuses on the expansion of human pluripotent stem (hPS) cell-derived pancreatic progenitors (PP) to advance novel therapies for diabetes. We obtained mechanistic insights into PP expansion requirements and identified conditions for the robust and unlimited expansion of hPS cell-derived PP cells under GMP-compliant conditions through a hypothesis-driven iterative approach. We show that the combined stimulation of specific mitogenic pathways, suppression of retinoic acid signaling, and inhibition of selected branches of the TGFβ and Wnt signaling pathways are necessary for the effective decoupling of PP proliferation from differentiation. This enabled the reproducible, 2000-fold, over 10 passages and 40-45 d, expansion of PDX1+/SOX9+/NKX6-1+ PP cells. Transcriptome analyses confirmed the stabilization of PP identity and the effective suppression of differentiation. Using these conditions, PDX1+/SOX9+/NKX6-1+ PP cells, derived from different, both XY and XX, hPS cell lines, were enriched to nearly 90% homogeneity and expanded with very similar kinetics and efficiency. Furthermore, non-expanded and expanded PP cells, from different hPS cell lines, were differentiated in microwells into homogeneous islet-like clusters (SC-islets) with very similar efficiency. These clusters contained abundant β-cells of comparable functionality as assessed by glucose-stimulated insulin secretion assays. These findings established the signaling requirements to decouple PP proliferation from differentiation and allowed the consistent expansion of hPS cell-derived PP cells. They will enable the establishment of large banks of GMP-produced PP cells derived from diverse hPS cell lines. This approach will streamline SC-islet production for further development of the differentiation process, diabetes research, personalized medicine, and cell therapies.

Metabolic switching, growth kinetics and cell yields in the scalable manufacture of stem cell-derived insulin-producing cells

BACKGROUND

Diabetes is a disease affecting over 500 million people globally due to insulin insufficiency or insensitivity. For individuals with type 1 diabetes, pancreatic islet transplantation can help regulate their blood glucose levels. However, the scarcity of cadaveric donor islets limits the number of people that could receive this therapy. To address this issue, human pluripotent stem cells offer a potentially unlimited source for generating insulin-producing cells through directed differentiation. Several protocols have been developed to make stem cell-derived insulin-producing cells. However, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the bioprocess parameters associated with these differentiation protocols and how they can be utilized to increase the cell yield.

METHODS

We investigated various bioprocess parameters and quality target product profiles that may influence the differentiation pipeline using a seven-stage protocol in a scalable manner with CellSTACKs and vertical wheel bioreactors (PBS-Minis).

RESULTS

Cells maintained > 80% viability through all stages of differentiation and appropriately expressed stage-specific markers. During the initial four stages leading up to the development of pancreatic progenitors, there was an increase in cell numbers. Following pancreatic progenitor stage, there was a gradual decrease in the percentage of proliferative cells, as determined by Ki67 positivity, and a significant loss of cells during the period of endocrine differentiation. By minimizing the occurrence of aggregate fusion, we were able to enhance cell yield during the later stages of differentiation. We suggest that glucose utilization and lactate production are cell quality attributes that should be considered during the characterization of insulin-producing cells derived from stem cells. Our findings also revealed a gradual metabolic shift from glycolysis, during the initial four stages of pancreatic progenitor formation, to oxidative phosphorylation later on during endocrine differentiation. Furthermore, the resulting insulin-producing cells exhibited a response to several secretagogues, including high glucose.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates process parameters such as glucose consumption and lactate production rates that may be used to facilitate the scalable manufacture of stem cell-derived insulin-producing cells.

Glycoprotein 2 as a gut gate keeper for mucosal equilibrium between inflammation and immunity

Glycoprotein 2 (GP2) is a widely distributed protein in the digestive tract, contributing to mucosal barrier maintenance, immune homeostasis, and antigen-specific immune response, while also being linked to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) pathogenesis. This review sheds light on the extensive distribution of GP2 within the gastrointestinal tract and its intricate interplay with the immune system. Furthermore, the significance of GP2 autoantibodies in diagnosing and categorizing IBD is underscored, alongside the promising therapeutic avenues for modulating GP2 to regulate immunity and maintain mucosal balance.

AT7867 promotes pancreatic progenitor differentiation of human iPSCs

Generation of pure pancreatic progenitor (PP) cells is critical for clinical translation of stem cell-derived islets. Herein, we performed PP differentiation with and without AKT/P70 inhibitor AT7867 and characterized the resulting cells at protein and transcript level in vitro and in vivo upon transplantation into diabetic mice. AT7867 treatment increased the percentage of PDX1+NKX6.1+ (-AT7867: 50.9% [IQR 48.9%-53.8%]; +AT7867: 90.8% [IQR 88.9%-93.7%]; p = 0.0021) and PDX1+GP2+ PP cells (-AT7867: 39.22% [IQR 36.7%-44.1%]; +AT7867: 90.0% [IQR 88.2%-93.6%]; p = 0.0021). Transcriptionally, AT7867 treatment significantly upregulated PDX1 (p = 0.0001), NKX6.1 (p = 0.0005), and GP2 (p = 0.002) expression compared with controls, while off-target markers PODXL (p < 0.0001) and TBX2 (p < 0.0001) were significantly downregulated. Transplantation of AT7867-treated PPs resulted in faster hyperglycemia reversal in diabetic mice compared with controls (time and group: p < 0.0001). Overall, our data show that AT7867 enhances PP cell differentiation leading to accelerated diabetes reversal.

Dynamic scRNA-seq of live human pancreatic slices reveals functional endocrine cell neogenesis through an intermediate ducto-acinar stage

Human pancreatic plasticity is implied from multiple single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) studies. However, these have been invariably based on static datasets from which fate trajectories can only be inferred using pseudotemporal estimations. Furthermore, the analysis of isolated islets has resulted in a drastic underrepresentation of other cell types, hindering our ability to interrogate exocrine-endocrine interactions. The long-term culture of human pancreatic slices (HPSs) has presented the field with an opportunity to dynamically track tissue plasticity at the single-cell level. Combining datasets from same-donor HPSs at different time points, with or without a known regenerative stimulus (BMP signaling), led to integrated single-cell datasets storing true temporal or treatment-dependent information. This integration revealed population shifts consistent with ductal progenitor activation, blurring of ductal/acinar boundaries, formation of ducto-acinar-endocrine differentiation axes, and detection of transitional insulin-producing cells. This study provides the first longitudinal scRNA-seq analysis of whole human pancreatic tissue, confirming its plasticity in a dynamic fashion.

eQTL mapping in fetal-like pancreatic progenitor cells reveals early developmental insights into diabetes risk

The impact of genetic regulatory variation active in early pancreatic development on adult pancreatic disease and traits is not well understood. Here, we generate a panel of 107 fetal-like iPSC-derived pancreatic progenitor cells (iPSC-PPCs) from whole genome-sequenced individuals and identify 4065 genes and 4016 isoforms whose expression and/or alternative splicing are affected by regulatory variation. We integrate eQTLs identified in adult islets and whole pancreas samples, which reveal 1805 eQTL associations that are unique to the fetal-like iPSC-PPCs and 1043 eQTLs that exhibit regulatory plasticity across the fetal-like and adult pancreas tissues. Colocalization with GWAS risk loci for pancreatic diseases and traits show that some putative causal regulatory variants are active only in the fetal-like iPSC-PPCs and likely influence disease by modulating expression of disease-associated genes in early development, while others with regulatory plasticity likely exert their effects in both the fetal and adult pancreas by modulating expression of different disease genes in the two developmental stages.

Pancreatic β-cell heterogeneity in adult human islets and stem cell-derived islets

Recent studies reported that pancreatic β-cells are heterogeneous in terms of their transcriptional profiles and their abilities for insulin secretion. Sub-populations of pancreatic β-cells have been identified based on the functionality and expression of specific surface markers. Under diabetes condition, β-cell identity is altered leading to different β-cell sub-populations. Furthermore, cell-cell contact between β-cells and other endocrine cells within the islet play an important role in regulating insulin secretion. This highlights the significance of generating a cell product derived from stem cells containing β-cells along with other major islet cells for treating patients with diabetes, instead of transplanting a purified population of β-cells. Another key question is how close in terms of heterogeneity are the islet cells derived from stem cells? In this review, we summarize the heterogeneity in islet cells of the adult pancreas and those generated from stem cells. In addition, we highlight the significance of this heterogeneity in health and disease conditions and how this can be used to design a stem cell-derived product for diabetes cell therapy.

Protocol development to further differentiate and transition stem cell-derived pancreatic progenitors from a monolayer into endocrine cells in suspension culture

The generation of functional β-cells from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) for cell replacement therapy and disease modeling of diabetes is being investigated by many groups. We have developed a protocol to harvest and aggregate hPSC-derived pancreatic progenitors generated using a commercially available kit into near uniform spheroids and to further differentiate the cells toward an endocrine cell fate in suspension culture. Using a static suspension culture platform, we could generate a high percentage of insulin-expressing, glucose-responsive cells. We identified FGF7 as a soluble factor promoting aggregate survival with no inhibitory effect on endocrine gene expression. Notch inhibition of pancreatic progenitor cells during aggregation improved endocrine cell induction in vitro and improved graft function following implantation and further differentiation in mice. Thus we provide an approach to promote endocrine formation from kit-derived pancreatic progenitors, either through extended culture or post implant.

Single-nucleus multi-omics of human stem cell-derived islets identifies deficiencies in lineage specification

Insulin-producing β cells created from human pluripotent stem cells have potential as a therapy for insulin-dependent diabetes, but human pluripotent stem cell-derived islets (SC-islets) still differ from their in vivo counterparts. To better understand the state of cell types within SC-islets and identify lineage specification deficiencies, we used single-nucleus multi-omic sequencing to analyse chromatin accessibility and transcriptional profiles of SC-islets and primary human islets. Here we provide an analysis that enabled the derivation of gene lists and activity for identifying each SC-islet cell type compared with primary islets. Within SC-islets, we found that the difference between β cells and awry enterochromaffin-like cells is a gradient of cell states rather than a stark difference in identity. Furthermore, transplantation of SC-islets in vivo improved cellular identities overtime, while long-term in vitro culture did not. Collectively, our results highlight the importance of chromatin and transcriptional landscapes during islet cell specification and maturation.

Differentiation of stem cell-derived pancreatic progenitors into insulin-secreting islet clusters in a multiwell-based static 3D culture system

Orbital shaker-based suspension culture systems have been in widespread use for differentiating human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived pancreatic progenitors toward islet-like clusters during endocrine induction stages. However, reproducibility between experiments is hampered by variable degrees of cell loss in shaking cultures, which contributes to variable differentiation efficiencies. Here, we describe a 96-well-based static suspension culture method for differentiation of pancreatic progenitors into hPSC-islets. Compared with shaking culture, this static 3D culture system induces similar islet gene expression profiles during differentiation processes but significantly reduces cell loss and improves cell viability of endocrine clusters. This static culture method results in more reproducible and efficient generation of glucose-responsive, insulin-secreting hPSC-islets. The successful differentiation and well-to-well consistency in 96-well plates also provides a proof of principle that the static 3D culture system can serve as a platform for small-scale compound screening experiments as well as facilitating further protocol development.

Human pluripotent stem cell-derived β cells: Truly immature islet β cells for type 1 diabetes therapy?

A century has passed since the Nobel Prize winning discovery of insulin, which still remains the mainstay treatment for type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) to this day. True to the words of its discoverer Sir Frederick Banting, “insulin is not a cure for diabetes, it is a treatment”, millions of people with T1DM are dependent on daily insulin medications for life. Clinical donor islet transplantation has proven that T1DM is curable, however due to profound shortages of donor islets, it is not a mainstream treatment option for T1DM. Human pluripotent stem cell derived insulin-secreting cells, pervasively known as stem cell-derived β cells (SC-β cells), are a promising alternative source and have the potential to become a T1DM treatment through cell replacement therapy. Here we briefly review how islet β cells develop and mature in vivo and several types of reported SC-β cells produced using different ex vivo protocols in the last decade. Although some markers of maturation were expressed and glucose stimulated insulin secretion was shown, the SC-β cells have not been directly compared to their in vivo counterparts, generally have limited glucose response, and are not yet fully matured. Due to the presence of extra-pancreatic insulin-expressing cells, and ethical and technological issues, further clarification of the true nature of these SC-β cells is required.

Bidirectional Relationship between Glycemic Control and COVID-19 and Perspectives of Islet Organoid Models of SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) leads to morbidity and mortality, with several clinical manifestations, and has caused a widespread pandemic. It has been found that type 2 diabetes is a risk factor for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) illness. Moreover, accumulating evidence has shown that SARS-CoV-2 infection can increase the risk of hyperglycemia and diabetes, though the underlying mechanism remains unclear because of a lack of authentic disease models to recapitulate the abnormalities involved in the development, regeneration, and function of human pancreatic islets under SARS-CoV-2 infection. Stem-cell-derived islet organoids have been valued as a model to study islets’ development and function, and thus provide a promising model for unraveling the mechanisms underlying the onset of diabetes under SARS-CoV-2 infection. This review summarized the latest results from clinical and basic research on SARS-CoV-2-induced pancreatic islet damage and impaired glycemic control. Furthermore, we discuss the potential and perspectives of using human ES/iPS cell-derived islet organoids to unravel the bidirectional relationship between glycemic control and SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Expansion of ventral foregut is linked to changes in the enhancer landscape for organ-specific differentiation

Cell proliferation is fundamental for almost all stages of development and differentiation that require an increase in cell number. Although cell cycle phase has been associated with differentiation, the actual process of proliferation has not been considered as having a specific role. Here we exploit human embryonic stem cell-derived endodermal progenitors that we find are an in vitro model for the ventral foregut. These cells exhibit expansion-dependent increases in differentiation efficiency to pancreatic progenitors that are linked to organ-specific enhancer priming at the level of chromatin accessibility and the decommissioning of lineage-inappropriate enhancers. Our findings suggest that cell proliferation in embryonic development is about more than tissue expansion; it is required to ensure equilibration of gene regulatory networks allowing cells to become primed for future differentiation. Expansion of lineage-specific intermediates may therefore be an important step in achieving high-fidelity in vitro differentiation.

Stem cell-based multi-tissue platforms to model human autoimmune diabetes

BACKGROUND

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease in which pancreatic insulin-producing β cells are specifically destroyed by the immune system. Understanding the initiation and progression of human T1D has been hampered by the lack of appropriate models that can reproduce the complexity and heterogeneity of the disease. The development of platforms combining multiple human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) derived tissues to model distinct aspects of T1D has the potential to provide critical novel insights into the etiology and pathogenesis of the human disease.

SCOPE OF REVIEW

In this review, we summarize the state of hPSC differentiation approaches to generate cell types and tissues relevant to T1D, with a particular focus on pancreatic islet cells, T cells, and thymic epithelium. We present current applications as well as limitations of using these hPSC-derived cells for disease modeling and discuss efforts to optimize platforms combining multiple cell types to model human T1D. Finally, we outline remaining challenges and emphasize future improvements needed to accelerate progress in this emerging field of research.

MAJOR CONCLUSIONS

Recent advances in reprogramming approaches to create patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cell lines (iPSCs), genome engineering technologies to efficiently modify DNA of hPSCs, and protocols to direct their differentiation into mature cell types have empowered the use of stem cell derivatives to accurately model human disease. While challenges remain before complex interactions occurring in human T1D can be modeled with these derivatives, experiments combining hPSC-derived β cells and immune cells are already providing exciting insight into how these cells interact in the context of T1D, supporting the viability of this approach.

Pancreas organoid models of development and regeneration

Organoids have become one of the fastest progressing and applied models in biological and medical research, and various organoids have now been developed for most of the organs of the body. Here, we review the methods developed to generate pancreas organoids in vitro from embryonic, fetal and adult cells, as well as pluripotent stem cells. We discuss how these systems have been used to learn new aspects of pancreas development, regeneration and disease, as well as their limitations and potential for future discoveries.

Strategies to Improve the Safety of iPSC-Derived β Cells for β Cell Replacement in Diabetes

Allogeneic islet transplantation allows for the re-establishment of glycemic control with the possibility of insulin independence, but is severely limited by the scarcity of organ donors. However, a new source of insulin-producing cells could enable the widespread use of cell therapy for diabetes treatment. Recent breakthroughs in stem cell biology, particularly pluripotent stem cell (PSC) techniques, have highlighted the therapeutic potential of stem cells in regenerative medicine. An understanding of the stages that regulate β cell development has led to the establishment of protocols for PSC differentiation into β cells, and PSC-derived β cells are appearing in the first pioneering clinical trials. However, the safety of the final product prior to implantation remains crucial. Although PSC differentiate into functional β cells in vitro, not all cells complete differentiation, and a fraction remain undifferentiated and at risk of teratoma formation upon transplantation. A single case of stem cell-derived tumors may set the field back years. Thus, this review discusses four approaches to increase the safety of PSC-derived β cells: reprogramming of somatic cells into induced PSC, selection of pure differentiated pancreatic cells, depletion of contaminant PSC in the final cell product, and control or destruction of tumorigenic cells with engineered suicide genes.

Characterization of stem-cell-derived islets during differentiation and after implantation

Recapitulation of embryonic pancreatic development has enabled development of methods for in vitro islet cell differentiation using human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), which have the potential to cure diabetes. Advanced methods for optimal generation of stem-cell-derived islets (SC-islets) has enabled successful diabetes reversal in rodents and shown promising early clinical trial outcomes. The main impediment for use of SC-islets is concern about safety because of off-target growth resulting from contaminated residual cells. In this review, we summarize the different endocrine and non-endocrine cell populations that have been described to emerge throughout β cell differentiation and after transplantation. We discuss the most recent approaches to enrich endocrine populations and remove off-target cells. Finally, we discuss the critical quality control and release criteria testing that we anticipate will be required prior to transplantation to ensure product safety.

Stepwise differentiation of functional pancreatic β cells from human pluripotent stem cells

Pancreatic β cells differentiated from stem cells provide promise for cell replacement therapy of diabetes. Human pluripotent stem cells could be differentiated into definitive endoderm, followed by pancreatic progenitors, and then subjected to endocrinal differentiation and maturation in a stepwise fashion. Many achievements have been made in making pancreatic β cells from human pluripotent stem cells in last two decades, and a couple of phase I/II clinical trials have just been initiated. Here, we overview the major progresses in differentiating pancreatic β cells from human pluripotent stem cells with the focus on recent technical advances in each differentiation stage, and briefly discuss the current limitations as well.

Efficient generation of functional pancreatic β cells from dental-derived stem cells via laminin-induced differentiation

Background

This study was designed to generate functional insulin-producing cells (IPCs) from dental-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and further explore their therapeutic potential against diabetes mellitus in vivo. MSCs were isolated from human dental pulp and periodontal ligament and were induced to differentiate into insulin-producing cells (IPCs) using laminin-based differentiation protocol for 14 days. Confirmation of IPCs was performed through real-time PCR analysis and insulin release assay. Then, the generated IPCs were labeled with PKH26 dye prior to transplantation in experimental animals. Twenty-eight days later, blood glucose, serum insulin (INS), c-peptide (CP), and visfatin (VF) levels and pancreatic glucagon (GC) level were estimated. Pancreatic forkhead box protein A2 (Foxa2) and SRY-box transcription factor 17 (Sox17), insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-1), and fibroblast growth factor10 (FGF 10) gene expression levels were analyzed.

Results

Dental stem cells were successfully differentiated into IPCs that demonstrated increased expression of pancreatic endocrine genes. IPCs released insulin after being subjected to high levels of glucose. In vivo findings uncovered that the implanted IPCs triggered significant decrease in blood glucose, serum VF, and pancreatic GC levels with significant increase in serum INS and CP levels. Furthermore, the implanted IPCs provoked significant upregulation in the expression level of pancreatic genes. Histopathological description of the pancreas tissues revealed that transplantation of IPCs ameliorated the destabilization of pancreas tissue architecture.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates the significant role of the implantation of IPCs generated from dental-derived stem cells in treatment of diabetes mellitus.

Development of a scalable method to isolate subsets of stem cell-derived pancreatic islet cells

Cell replacement therapy using β cells derived from stem cells is a promising alternative to conventional diabetes treatment options. Although current differentiation methods produce glucose-responsive β cells, they can also yield populations of undesired endocrine progenitors and other proliferating cell types that might interfere with long-term islet function and safety of transplanted cells. Here, we describe the generation of an array of monoclonal antibodies against cell surface markers that selectively label stem cell-derived islet cells. A high-throughput screen identified promising candidates, including three clones that mark a high proportion of endocrine cells in differentiated cultures. A scalable magnetic sorting method was developed to enrich for human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived islet cells using these three antibodies, leading to the formation of islet-like clusters with improved glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and reduced growth upon transplantation. This strategy should facilitate large-scale production of functional islet clusters from stem cells for disease modeling and cell replacement therapy.

Long-term feeder-free culture of human pancreatic progenitors on fibronectin or matrix-free polymer potentiates β cell differentiation

With the aim of producing β cells for replacement therapies to treat diabetes, several protocols have been developed to differentiate human pluripotent stem cells to β cells via pancreatic progenitors. While in vivo pancreatic progenitors expand throughout development, the in vitro protocols have been designed to make these cells progress as fast as possible to β cells. Here, we report on a protocol enabling a long-term expansion of human pancreatic progenitors in a defined medium on fibronectin, in the absence of feeder layers. Moreover, through a screening of a polymer library we identify a polymer that can replace fibronectin. Our experiments, comparing expanded progenitors to directly differentiated progenitors, show that the expanded progenitors differentiate more efficiently into glucose-responsive β cells and produce fewer glucagon-expressing cells. The ability to expand progenitors under defined conditions and cryopreserve them will provide flexibility in research and therapeutic production.

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hPSC-derived pancreatic progenitors can be expanded long term without feeders

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Expansion can be achieved on fibronectin or on a polymer identified by screening

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Expansion enables increased NKX6-1 expression, which is crucial for β cell generation

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Expansion potentiates glucose-responsive β-like cells and decreases α cells

GP2-enriched pancreatic progenitors give rise to functional beta cells in vivo and eliminate the risk of teratoma formation

Human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived pancreatic progenitors (PPs) can be differentiated into beta-like cells in vitro and in vivo and therefore have therapeutic potential for type 1 diabetes (T1D) treatment. However, the purity of PPs varies across different hPSC lines, differentiation protocols, and laboratories. The uncommitted cells may give rise to non-pancreatic endodermal, mesodermal, or ectodermal derivatives in vivo, hampering the safety of hPSC-derived PPs for clinical applications and their differentiation efficiency in research settings. Recently, proteomics and transcriptomics analyses identified glycoprotein 2 (GP2) as a PP-specific cell surface marker. The GP2-enriched PPs generate higher percentages of beta-like cells in vitro, but their potential in vivo remains to be elucidated. Here, we demonstrate that the GP2-enriched-PPs give rise to all pancreatic cells in vivo, including functional beta-like cells. Remarkably, GP2 enrichment eliminates the risk of teratomas, which establishes GP2 sorting as an effective method for PP purification and safe pancreatic differentiation.

Human expandable pancreatic progenitor-derived β cells ameliorate diabetes

An unlimited source of human pancreatic β cells is in high demand. Even with recent advances in pancreatic differentiation from human pluripotent stem cells, major hurdles remain in large-scale and cost-effective production of functional β cells. Here, through chemical screening, we demonstrate that the bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) inhibitor I-BET151 can robustly promote the expansion of PDX1⁺NKX6.1⁺ pancreatic progenitors (PPs). These expandable PPs (ePPs) maintain pancreatic progenitor cell status in the long term and can efficiently differentiate into functional pancreatic β (ePP-β) cells. Notably, transplantation of ePP-β cells rapidly ameliorated diabetes in mice, suggesting strong potential for cell replacement therapy. Mechanistically, I-BET151 activates Notch signaling and promotes the expression of key PP-associated genes, underscoring the importance of epigenetic and transcriptional modulations for lineage-specific progenitor self-renewal. In summary, our studies achieve the long-term goal of robust expansion of PPs and represent a substantial step toward unlimited supplies of functional β cells for biomedical research and regenerative medicine.

OUP accepted manuscript

Insulin-producing stem cell-derived islets (SC-islets) provide a virtually unlimited cell source for diabetes cell replacement therapy. While SC-islets are less functional when first differentiated in vitro compared to isolated cadaveric islets, transplantation into mice has been shown to increase their maturation. To understand the effects of transplantation on maturation and function of SC-islets, we examined the effects of cell dose, transplantation strategy, and diabetic state in immunocompromised mice. Transplantation of 2 and 5, but not 0.75 million SC-islet cells underneath the kidney capsule successfully reversed diabetes in mice with pre-existing diabetes. SQ and intramuscular injections failed to reverse diabetes at all doses and had undetectable expression of maturation markers, such as MAFA and FAM159B. Furthermore, SC-islets had similar function and maturation marker expression regardless of diabetic state. Our results illustrate that transplantation parameters are linked to SC-islet function and maturation, providing ideal mouse models for preclinical diabetes SC therapy research.

Modeling Human Organ Development and Diseases With Fetal Tissue-Derived Organoids

Recent advances in human organoid technology have greatly facilitated the study of organ development and pathology. In most cases, these organoids are derived from either pluripotent stem cells or adult stem cells for the modeling of developmental events and tissue homeostasis. However, due to the lack of human fetal tissue references and research model, it is still challenging to capture early developmental changes and underlying mechanisms in human embryonic development. The establishment of fetal tissue–derived organoids in rigorous time points is necessary. Here we provide an overview of the strategies and applications of fetal tissue–derived organoids, mainly focusing on fetal organ development research, developmental defect disease modeling, and organ–organ interaction study. Discussion of the importance of fetal tissue research also highlights the prospects and challenges in this field.

Glycoprotein 2 in health and disease: lifting the veil

In 2020, we discovered glycoprotein 2 (GP2) variants associated with pancreatic cancer susceptibility in a genome-wide association study involving the Japanese population. Individuals carrying a missense coding variant (rs78193826) in the GP2 gene resulting in a p.V432M substitution had an approximately 1.5-fold higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer than those without this variant. GP2 is expressed on the inner surface of zymogen granules in pancreatic acinar cells, which are responsible for the sorting, storage and secretion of digestive enzymes. Upon neuronal, hormonal, or other stimulation, GP2 is cleaved from the membrane of zymogen granules and then secreted into the pancreatic duct and intestinal lumen. While the functions of GP2 remain poorly understood, emerging evidence suggests that it plays an antibacterial role in the gastrointestinal tract after being secreted from pancreatic acinar cells. Impaired GP2 functions may facilitate the adhesion of bacteria to the intestinal mucosa. In this review article, we summarize the role of GP2 in health and disease, emphasizing its functions in the gastrointestinal tract, as well as genetic variations in the GP2 gene and their associations with disease susceptibility. We hope that its robust genetic associations with pancreatic cancer, coupled with its emerging role in gastrointestinal mucosal immunity, will spur renewed research interest in GP2, which has been understudied over the past 30 years compared with its paralog uromodulin (UMOD).

Recapitulating pancreatic cell-cell interactions through bioengineering approaches: the momentous role of non-epithelial cells for diabetes cell therapy

Over the past few years, extensive efforts have been made to generate in-vitro pancreatic micro-tissue, for disease modeling or cell replacement approaches in pancreatic related diseases such as diabetes mellitus. To obtain these goals, a closer look at the diverse cells participating in pancreatic development is necessary. Five major non-epithelial pancreatic (pN-Epi) cell populations namely, pancreatic endothelium, mesothelium, neural crests, pericytes, and stellate cells exist in pancreas throughout its development, and they are hypothesized to be endogenous inducers of the development. In this review, we discuss different pN-Epi cells migrating to and existing within the pancreas and their diverse effects on pancreatic epithelium during organ development mediated via associated signaling pathways, soluble factors or mechanical cell-cell interactions. In-vivo and in-vitro experiments, with a focus on N-Epi cells' impact on pancreas endocrine development, have also been considered. Pluripotent stem cell technology and multicellular three-dimensional organoids as new approaches to generate pancreatic micro-tissues have also been discussed. Main challenges for reaching a detailed understanding of the role of pN-Epi cells in pancreas development in utilizing for in-vitro recapitulation have been summarized. Finally, various novel and innovative large-scale bioengineering approaches which may help to recapitulate cell-cell interactions and are crucial for generation of large-scale in-vitro multicellular pancreatic micro-tissues, are discussed.

CDKN2A-Mutated Pancreatic Ductal Organoids from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells to Model a Cancer Predisposition Syndrome

Patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) provide a unique platform to study hereditary disorders and predisposition syndromes by resembling germline mutations of affected individuals and by their potential to differentiate into nearly every cell type of the human body. We employed plucked human hair from two siblings with a family history of cancer carrying a pathogenic CDKN2A variant, P16-p.G101W/P14-p.R115L, to generate patient-specific iPSCs in a cancer-prone ancestry for downstream analytics. The differentiation capacity to pancreatic progenitors and to pancreatic duct-like organoids (PDLOs) according to a recently developed protocol remained unaffected. Upon inducible expression of KRAS^G12Dusing a piggyBac transposon system in CDKN2A-mutated PDLOs, we revealed structural and molecular changes in vitro, including disturbed polarity and epithelial-to-mesenchymal (EMT) transition. CDKN2A-mutated KRAS^G12DPDLO xenotransplants formed either a high-grade precancer lesion or a partially dedifferentiated PDAC-like tumor. Intriguingly, P14/P53/P21 and P16/RB cell-cycle checkpoint controls have been only partly overcome in these grafts, thereby still restricting the tumorous growth. Hereby, we provide a model for hereditary human pancreatic cancer that enables dissection of tumor initiation and early development starting from patient-specific CDKN2A-mutated pluripotent stem cells.

Improved Differentiation of hESC-Derived Pancreatic Progenitors by Using Human Fetal Pancreatic Mesenchymal Cells in a Micro-scalable Three-Dimensional Co-culture System

Mesenchymal cells of diverse origins differ in gene and protein expression besides producing varying effects on their organ-matched epithelial cells' maintenance and differentiation capacity. Co-culture with rodent's tissue-specific pancreatic mesenchyme accelerates proliferation, self-renewal, and differentiation of pancreatic epithelial progenitors. Therefore, in our study, the impact of three-dimensional (3D) co-culture of human fetal pancreatic-derived mesenchymal cells (hFP-MCs) with human embryonic stem cell-derived pancreatic progenitors (hESC-PPs) development towards endocrine and beta cells was assessed. Besides, the ability to maintain scalable cultures combining hFP-MCs and hESC-PPs was investigated. hFP-MCs expressed many markers in common with bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs). However, they showed higher expression of DESMIN compared to BM-MSCs. After co-culture of hESC-PPs with hFP-MCs, the pancreatic progenitor (PP) spheroids generated in Matrigel had higher expression of NGN3 and INSULIN than BM-MSCs co-culture group, which shows an inductive impact of pancreatic mesenchyme on hESC-PPs beta-cells maturation. Pancreatic aggregates generated by forced aggregation through scalable AggreWell system showed similar features compared to the spheroids. These aggregates, a combination of hFP-MCs and hESC-PPs, can be applied as an appropriate tool for assessing endocrine-niche interactions and developmental processes by mimicking the pancreatic tissue.

The Human Islet: Mini-Organ With Mega-Impact

This review focuses on the human pancreatic islet-including its structure, cell composition, development, function, and dysfunction. After providing a historical timeline of key discoveries about human islets over the past century, we describe new research approaches and technologies that are being used to study human islets and how these are providing insight into human islet physiology and pathophysiology. We also describe changes or adaptations in human islets in response to physiologic challenges such as pregnancy, aging, and insulin resistance and discuss islet changes in human diabetes of many forms. We outline current and future interventions being developed to protect, restore, or replace human islets. The review also highlights unresolved questions about human islets and proposes areas where additional research on human islets is needed.

New hPSC SOX9 and INS Reporter Cell Lines Facilitate the Observation and Optimization of Differentiation into Insulin-Producing Cells

Differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into insulin-producing stem cell-derived beta cells harbors great potential for research and therapy of diabetes. SOX9 plays a crucial role during development of the pancreas and particularly in the development of insulin-producing cells as SOX9⁺ cells form the source for NEUROG3⁺ endocrine progenitor cells. For the purpose of easy monitoring of differentiation efficiencies into pancreatic progenitors and insulin-producing cells, we generated new reporter lines by knocking in a P2A-H-2K^k-F2A-GFP2 reporter gene into the SOX9-locus and a P2A-mCherry reporter gene into the INS-locus mediated by CRISPR/CAS9-technology. The knock-ins enabled co-expression of the endogenous and reporter genes and report on the endogenous gene expression. Furthermore, FACS and MACS enabled the purification of pancreatic progenitors and insulin-producing cells. Using these cell lines, we established a new differentiation protocol geared towards SOX9⁺ cells to efficiently drive human pluripotent stem cells into glucose-responsive beta cells. Our new protocol offers an alternative route towards stem cell-derived beta cells, pointing out the importance of Wnt/beta-catenin inhibition and the efficacy of EGF for the development of pancreatic progenitors, as well as the significance of 3D culture for the functionality of the generated beta cells.

Process parameter development for the scaled generation of stem cell-derived pancreatic endocrine cells

Diabetes is a debilitating disease characterized by high blood glucose levels. The global prevalence of this disease has been projected to reach 700 million adults by the year 2045. Type 1 diabetes represents about 10% of the reported cases of diabetes. Although islet transplantation can be a highly effective method to treat type 1 diabetes, its widespread application is limited by the paucity of cadaveric donor islets. The use of pluripotent stem cells as an unlimited cell source to generate insulin‐producing cells for implant is a promising alternative for treating diabetes. However, to be clinically relevant, it is necessary to manufacture these stem cell‐derived cells at sufficient scales. Significant advances have been made in differentiation protocols used to generate stem cell‐derived cells capable of reversing diabetes in animal models and for testing in clinical trials. We discuss the potential of both stem cell‐derived pancreatic progenitors and more matured insulin‐producing cells to treat diabetes. We discuss the need for rigorous bioprocess parameter optimization and identify some critical process parameters and strategies that may influence the critical quality attributes of the cells with the goal of facilitating scalable manufacturing of human pluripotent stem cell‐derived pancreatic endocrine cells.

Engineering islets from stem cells for advanced therapies of diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder that affects more than 460 million people worldwide. Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is caused by autoimmune destruction of β-cells, whereas type 2 diabetes (T2D) is caused by a hostile metabolic environment that leads to β-cell exhaustion and dysfunction. Currently, first-line medications treat the symptomatic insulin resistance and hyperglycaemia, but do not prevent the progressive decline of β-cell mass and function. Thus, advanced therapies need to be developed that either protect or regenerate endogenous β-cell mass early in disease progression or replace lost β-cells with stem cell-derived β-like cells or engineered islet-like clusters. In this Review, we discuss the state of the art of stem cell differentiation and islet engineering, reflect on current and future challenges in the area and highlight the potential for cell replacement therapies, disease modelling and drug development using these cells. These efforts in stem cell and regenerative medicine will lay the foundations for future biomedical breakthroughs and potentially curative treatments for diabetes.

Reinforcing one-carbon metabolism via folic acid/Folr1 promotes β-cell differentiation

Diabetes can be caused by an insufficiency in β-cell mass. Here, we performed a genetic screen in a zebrafish model of β-cell loss to identify pathways promoting β-cell regeneration. We found that both folate receptor 1 (folr1) overexpression and treatment with folinic acid, stimulated β-cell differentiation in zebrafish. Treatment with folinic acid also stimulated β-cell differentiation in cultures of neonatal pig islets, showing that the effect could be translated to a mammalian system. In both zebrafish and neonatal pig islets, the increased β-cell differentiation originated from ductal cells. Mechanistically, comparative metabolomic analysis of zebrafish with/without β-cell ablation and with/without folinic acid treatment indicated β-cell regeneration could be attributed to changes in the pyrimidine, carnitine, and serine pathways. Overall, our results suggest evolutionarily conserved and previously unknown roles for folic acid and one-carbon metabolism in the generation of β-cells.

Purification of Live Stem-Cell-Derived Islet Lineage Intermediates

Stem-cell-derived tissues offer platforms to study organ development, model physiology during health and disease, and test novel therapies. We describe methods to isolate cells at successive stages during in vitro differentiation of human stem cells into the pancreatic endocrine lineage. Using flow cytometry, we purify live lineage intermediates in numbers not available by fetal biopsy. These include pancreatic and endocrine progenitors, isolated based on known surface markers. We further report a strategy that leverages intracellular zinc content and DPP4/CD26 expression to separate monohormonal insulin⁺ β cells from polyhormonal counterparts. These methods enable comprehensive molecular profiling during human islet lineage progression. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol: In vitro isolation of human islet developmental intermediates.

A 3D system to model human pancreas development and its reference single-cell transcriptome atlas identify signaling pathways required for progenitor expansion

Human organogenesis remains relatively unexplored for ethical and practical reasons. Here, we report the establishment of a single-cell transcriptome atlas of the human fetal pancreas between 7 and 10 post-conceptional weeks of development. To interrogate cell–cell interactions, we describe InterCom, an R-Package we developed for identifying receptor–ligand pairs and their downstream effects. We further report the establishment of a human pancreas culture system starting from fetal tissue or human pluripotent stem cells, enabling the long-term maintenance of pancreas progenitors in a minimal, defined medium in three-dimensions. Benchmarking the cells produced in 2-dimensions and those expanded in 3-dimensions to fetal tissue identifies that progenitors expanded in 3-dimensions are transcriptionally closer to the fetal pancreas. We further demonstrate the potential of this system as a screening platform and identify the importance of the EGF and FGF pathways controlling human pancreas progenitor expansion.

From single-cell transcriptome analyses to defining culture media for spheroids, the authors provide a census of information to understand the development of human pancreatic progenitors. This approach identifies signalling pathways (EGF and FGF) regulating progenitor proliferation.

CD82 is a marker to isolate β cell precursors from human iPS cells and plays a role for the maturation of β cells

Generation of pancreatic β cells from pluripotent stem cells is a key technology to develop cell therapy for insulin-dependent diabetes and considerable efforts have been made to produce β cells. However, due to multiple and lengthy differentiation steps, production of β cells is often unstable. It is also desirable to eliminate undifferentiated cells to avoid potential risks of tumorigenesis. To isolate β cell precursors from late stage pancreatic endocrine progenitor (EP) cells derived from iPS cells, we have identified CD82, a member of the tetraspanin family. CD82⁺ cells at the EP stage differentiated into endocrine cells more efficiently than CD82^- EP stage cells. We also show that CD82⁺ cells in human islets secreted insulin more efficiently than CD82^- cells. Furthermore, knockdown of CD82 expression by siRNA or inhibition of CD82 by monoclonal antibodies in NGN3⁺ cells suppressed the function of β cells with glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, suggesting that CD82 plays a role in maturation of EP cells to β cells.

The promise of stem cell-derived islet replacement therapy

Present-day treatments for people that are insulin dependent require multiple insulin injections, sometimes with an insulin pump, coupled with regular blood glucose monitoring. The availability of modified insulins, each with peaks of activity at varying times, has improved diabetes management. On the other hand, there have been impressive results leading to insulin independence by transplantation of cadaveric islets coupled with immune suppression. This review focuses on the possibility of treating diabetes with cellular transplants, specifically with the use of pluripotent stem cells, to produce a virtually unlimited and uniform supply of human islet-like clusters by directed differentiation. Prospects for improving the in vitro differentiation of human endocrine cells for the study of endocrine function and their possible clinical uses are also discussed.

Human pluripotent stem cell-derived insulin-producing cells: A regenerative medicine perspective

Tremendous progress has been made over the last two decades in the field of pancreatic beta cell replacement therapy as a curative measure for diabetes. Transplantation studies have demonstrated therapeutic efficacy, and cGMP-grade cell products are currently being deployed for the first time in human clinical trials. In this perspective, we discuss current challenges surrounding the generation, delivery, and engraftment of stem cell-derived islet-like cells, along with strategies to induce durable tolerance to grafted cells, with an eye toward a functional cellular-based therapy enabling insulin independence for patients with diabetes.

Islet organoid as a promising model for diabetes

Studies on diabetes have long been hampered by a lack of authentic disease models that, ideally, should be unlimited and able to recapitulate the abnormalities involved in the development, structure, and function of human pancreatic islets under pathological conditions. Stem cell-based islet organoids faithfully recapitulate islet development in vitro and provide large amounts of three-dimensional functional islet biomimetic materials with a morphological structure and cellular composition similar to those of native islets. Thus, islet organoids hold great promise for modeling islet development and function, deciphering the mechanisms underlying the onset of diabetes, providing an in vitro human organ model for infection of viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, and contributing to drug screening and autologous islet transplantation. However, the currently established islet organoids are generally immature compared with native islets, and further efforts should be made to improve the heterogeneity and functionality of islet organoids, making it an authentic and informative disease model for diabetes. Here, we review the advances and challenges in the generation of islet organoids, focusing on human pluripotent stem cell-derived islet organoids, and the potential applications of islet organoids as disease models and regenerative therapies for diabetes.

Modeling different types of diabetes using human pluripotent stem cells

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disease characterized by chronic hyperglycemia as a result of progressive loss of pancreatic β cells, which could lead to several debilitating complications. Different paths, triggered by several genetic and environmental factors, lead to the loss of pancreatic β cells and/or function. Understanding these many paths to β cell damage or dysfunction could help in identifying therapeutic approaches specific for each path. Most of our knowledge about diabetes pathophysiology has been obtained from studies on animal models, which do not fully recapitulate human diabetes phenotypes. Currently, human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) technology is a powerful tool for generating in vitro human models, which could provide key information about the disease pathogenesis and provide cells for personalized therapies. The recent progress in generating functional hPSC-derived β cells in combination with the rapid development in genomic and genome-editing technologies offer multiple options to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the development of different types of diabetes. Recently, several in vitro hPSC-based strategies have been used for studying monogenic and polygenic forms of diabetes. This review summarizes the current knowledge about different hPSC-based diabetes models and how these models improved our current understanding of the pathophysiology of distinct forms of diabetes. Also, it highlights the progress in generating functional β cells in vitro, and discusses the current challenges and future perspectives related to the use of the in vitro hPSC-based strategies.

Harnessing Proliferation for the Expansion of Stem Cell-Derived Pancreatic Cells: Advantages and Limitations

Restoring the number of glucose-responsive β-cells in patients living with diabetes is critical for achieving normoglycemia since functional β-cells are lost during the progression of both type 1 and 2 diabetes. Stem cell-derived β-cell replacement therapies offer an unprecedented opportunity to replace the lost β-cell mass, yet differentiation efficiencies and the final yield of insulin-expressing β-like cells are low when using established protocols. Driving cellular proliferation at targeted points during stem cell-derived pancreatic progenitor to β-like cell differentiation can serve as unique means to expand the final cell therapeutic product needed to restore insulin levels. Numerous studies have examined the effects of β-cell replication upon functionality, using primary islets in vitro and mouse models in vivo, yet studies that focus on proliferation in stem cell-derived pancreatic models are only just emerging in the field. This mini review will discuss the current literature on cell proliferation in pancreatic cells, with a focus on the proliferative state of stem cell-derived pancreatic progenitors and β-like cells during their differentiation and maturation. The benefits of inducing proliferation to increase the final number of β-like cells will be compared against limitations associated with driving replication, such as the blunted capacity of proliferating β-like cells to maintain optimal β-cell function. Potential strategies that may bypass the challenges induced by the up-regulation of cell cycle-associated factors during β-cell differentiation will be proposed.

Harnessing reaction-based probes to preferentially target pancreatic β-cells and β-like cells

Highly sensitive approaches to target insulin-expressing cells would allow more effective imaging, sorting, and analysis of pancreatic β-cells. Here, we introduce the use of a reaction-based probe, diacetylated Zinpyr1 (DA-ZP1), to image pancreatic β-cells and β-like cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells. We harness the high intracellular zinc concentration of β-cells to induce a fluorescence signal in cells after administration of DA-ZP1. Given its specificity and rapid uptake by cells, we used DA-ZP1 to purify live stem cell-derived β-like cells as confirmed by immunostaining analysis. We tested the ability of DA-ZP1 to image transplanted human islet grafts and endogenous mouse pancreatic islets in vivo after its systemic administration into mice. Thus, DA-ZP1 enables purification of insulin-secreting β-like cells for downstream applications, such as functional studies, gene-expression, and cell-cell interaction analyses and can be used to label engrafted human islets and endogenous mouse islets in vivo.

The quest of cell surface markers for stem cell therapy

Stem cells and their derivatives are novel pharmaceutics that have the potential for use as tissue replacement therapies. However, the heterogeneous characteristics of stem cell cultures have hindered their biomedical applications. In theory and practice, when cell type-specific or stage-specific cell surface proteins are targeted by unique antibodies, they become highly efficient in detecting and isolating specific cell populations. There is a growing demand to identify reliable and actionable cell surface markers that facilitate purification of particular cell types at specific developmental stages for use in research and clinical applications. The identification of these markers as very important members of plasma membrane proteins, ion channels, transporters, and signaling molecules has directly benefited from proteomics and tools for proteomics-derived data analyses. Here, we review the methodologies that have played a role in the discovery of cell surface markers and introduce cutting edge single cell proteomics as an advanced tool. We also discuss currently available specific cell surface markers for stem cells and their lineages, with emphasis on the nervous system, heart, pancreas, and liver. The remaining gaps that pertain to the discovery of these markers and how single cell proteomics and identification of surface markers associated with the progenitor stages of certain terminally differentiated cells may pave the way for their use in regenerative medicine are also discussed.

Human Pluripotent Stem Cells to Model Islet Defects in Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is characterized by elevated levels of blood glucose and is ultimately caused by insufficient insulin production from pancreatic beta cells. Different research models have been utilized to unravel the molecular mechanisms leading to the onset of diabetes. The generation of pancreatic endocrine cells from human pluripotent stem cells constitutes an approach to study genetic defects leading to impaired beta cell development and function. Here, we review the recent progress in generating and characterizing functional stem cell-derived beta cells. We summarize the diabetes disease modeling possibilities that stem cells offer and the challenges that lie ahead to further improve these models.