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Fráguas-Eggenschwiler M, Eggenschwiler R, Söllner JH, Cortnumme L, Vondran FWR, Cantz T, Ott M, Niemann H. Direct conversion of porcine primary fibroblasts into hepatocyte-like cells. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9334. [PMID: 33927320 PMCID: PMC8085017 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-88727-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The pig is an important model organism for biomedical research, mainly due to its extensive genetic, physiological and anatomical similarities with humans. Until date, direct conversion of somatic cells into hepatocyte-like cells (iHeps) has only been achieved in rodents and human cells. Here, we employed lentiviral vectors to screen a panel of 12 hepatic transcription factors (TF) for their potential to convert porcine fibroblasts into hepatocyte-like cells. We demonstrate for the first time, hepatic conversion of porcine somatic cells by over-expression of CEBPα, FOXA1 and HNF4α2 (3TF-piHeps). Reprogrammed 3TF-piHeps display a hepatocyte-like morphology and show functional characteristics of hepatic cells, including albumin secretion, Dil-AcLDL uptake, storage of lipids and glycogen and activity of cytochrome P450 enzymes CYP1A2 and CYP2C33 (CYP2C9 in humans). Moreover, we show that markers of mature hepatocytes are highly expressed in 3TF-piHeps, while fibroblastic markers are reduced. We envision piHeps as useful cell sources for future studies on drug metabolism and toxicity as well as in vitro models for investigation of pig-to-human infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariane Fráguas-Eggenschwiler
- Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology Department, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany. .,Twincore Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Hannover, Germany.
| | - Reto Eggenschwiler
- Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology Department, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Translational Hepatology and Stem Cell Biology, REBIRTH - Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine and Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Jenny-Helena Söllner
- Institute of Farm Animal Genetics, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), Mariensee, Neustadt, Germany
| | - Leon Cortnumme
- Translational Hepatology and Stem Cell Biology, REBIRTH - Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine and Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Florian W R Vondran
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Tobias Cantz
- Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology Department, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Translational Hepatology and Stem Cell Biology, REBIRTH - Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine and Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Michael Ott
- Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology Department, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Twincore Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Hannover, Germany
| | - Heiner Niemann
- Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology Department, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany. .,Twincore Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Hannover, Germany.
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Use of a Hybrid Adeno-Associated Viral Vector Transposon System to Deliver the Insulin Gene to Diabetic NOD Mice. Cells 2020; 9:cells9102227. [PMID: 33023100 PMCID: PMC7600325 DOI: 10.3390/cells9102227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Previously, we used a lentiviral vector to deliver furin-cleavable human insulin (INS-FUR) to the livers in several animal models of diabetes using intervallic infusion in full flow occlusion (FFO), with resultant reversal of diabetes, restoration of glucose tolerance and pancreatic transdifferentiation (PT), due to the expression of beta (β)-cell transcription factors (β-TFs). The present study aimed to determine whether we could similarly reverse diabetes in the non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse using an adeno-associated viral vector (AAV) to deliver INS-FUR ± the β-TF Pdx1 to the livers of diabetic mice. The traditional AAV8, which provides episomal expression, and the hybrid AAV8/piggyBac that results in transgene integration were used. Diabetic mice that received AAV8-INS-FUR became hypoglycaemic with abnormal intraperitoneal glucose tolerance tests (IPGTTs). Expression of β-TFs was not detected in the livers. Reversal of diabetes was not achieved in mice that received AAV8-INS-FUR and AAV8-Pdx1 and IPGTTs were abnormal. Normoglycaemia and glucose tolerance were achieved in mice that received AAV8/piggyBac-INS-FUR/FFO. Definitive evidence of PT was not observed. This is the first in vivo study using the hybrid AAV8/piggyBac system to treat Type 1 diabetes (T1D). However, further development is required before the system can be used for gene therapy of T1D.
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High-Efficiency Lentiviral Gene Modification of Primary Murine Bone-Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells. Methods Mol Biol 2019. [PMID: 31273744 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9631-5_16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Lentiviral vectors are the method of choice for stable gene modification of a variety of cell types. However, the efficiency with which they transduce target cells varies significantly, in particular their typically poor capacity to transduce primary stem cells. Here we describe the isolation and enrichment of murine bone-marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) via fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS); the cloning, production, and concentration of high-titer second generation lentiviral vectors via combined tangential flow filtration (TFF) and ultracentrifugation; and the subsequent high-efficiency gene modification of MSCs into insulin-producing cells via overexpression of the furin-cleavable human insulin (INS-FUR) gene.
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Ex Vivo Expansion of Murine MSC Impairs Transcription Factor-Induced Differentiation into Pancreatic β-Cells. Stem Cells Int 2019; 2019:1395301. [PMID: 30956666 PMCID: PMC6431458 DOI: 10.1155/2019/1395301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Revised: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Combinatorial gene and cell therapy as a means of generating surrogate β-cells has been investigated for the treatment of type 1 diabetes (T1D) for a number of years with varying success. One of the limitations of current cell therapies for T1D is the inability to generate sufficient quantities of functional transplantable insulin-producing cells. Due to their impressive immunomodulatory properties, in addition to their ease of expansion and genetic modification ex vivo, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are an attractive alternative source of adult stem cells for regenerative medicine. To overcome the aforementioned limitation of current therapies, we assessed the utility of ex vivo expanded bone marrow-derived murine MSCs for their persistence in immune-competent and immune-deficient animal models and their ability to differentiate into surrogate β-cells. CD45−/Ly6+ murine MSCs were isolated from the bone marrow of nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice and nucleofected to express the bioluminescent protein, Firefly luciferase (Luc2). The persistence of a subcutaneous (s.c.) transplant of Luc2-expressing MSCs was assessed in immune-competent (NOD) (n = 4) and immune-deficient (NOD/Scid) (n = 4) animal models of diabetes. Luc2-expressing MSCs persisted for 2 and 12 weeks, respectively, in NOD and NOD/Scid mice. Ex vivo expanded MSCs were transduced with the HMD lentiviral vector (MOI = 10) to express furin-cleavable human insulin (INS-FUR) and murine NeuroD1 and Pdx1. This was followed by the characterization of pancreatic transdifferentiation via reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and static and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). INS-FUR-expressing MSCs were assessed for their ability to reverse diabetes after transplantation into streptozotocin- (STZ-) diabetic NOD/Scid mice (n = 5). Transduced MSCs did not undergo pancreatic transdifferentiation, as determined by RT-PCR analyses, lacked glucose responsiveness, and upon transplantation did not reverse diabetes. The data suggest that ex vivo expanded MSCs lose their multipotent differentiation potential and may be more useful as gene therapy targets prior to expansion.
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Ren B, La QT, O'Brien BA, Nassif NT, Tan Y, Gerace D, Martiniello-Wilks R, Torpy F, Dane AP, Alexander IE, Simpson AM. Partial pancreatic transdifferentiation of primary human hepatocytes in the livers of a humanised mouse model. J Gene Med 2018; 20:e3017. [PMID: 29578255 DOI: 10.1002/jgm.3017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Revised: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 03/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gene therapy is one treatment that may ultimately cure type 1 diabetes. We have previously shown that the introduction of furin-cleavable human insulin (INS-FUR) to the livers in several animal models of diabetes resulted in the reversal of diabetes and partial pancreatic transdifferentiation of liver cells. The present study investigated whether streptozotocin-diabetes could be reversed in FRG mice in which chimeric mouse-human livers can readily be established and, in addition, whether pancreatic transdifferentiation occurred in the engrafted human hepatocytes. METHODS Engraftment of human hepatocytes was confirmed by measuring human albumin levels. Following delivery of the empty vector or the INS-FUR vector to diabetic FRG mice, mice were monitored for weight and blood glucose levels. Intraperitoneal glucose tolerance tests (IPGTTs) were performed. Expression levels of pancreatic hormones and transcription factors were determined by a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS Diabetes was reversed for a period of 60 days (experimental endpoint) after transduction with INS-FUR. IPGTTs of the insulin-transduced animals were not significantly different from nondiabetic animals. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed the expression of human albumin and insulin in transduced liver samples. Quantitative RT-PCR showed expression of human and mouse endocrine hormones and β-cell transcription factors, indicating partial pancreatic transdifferentiation of mouse and human hepatocytes. Nonfasting human C-peptide levels were significantly higher than mouse levels, suggesting that transdifferentiated human hepatocytes made a significant contribution to the reversal of diabetes. CONCLUSIONS These data show that human hepatocytes can be induced to undergo partial pancreatic transdifferentiation in vivo, indicating that the technology holds promise for the treatment of type 1 diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binhai Ren
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,The Centre for Health Technologies, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Que T La
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,The Centre for Health Technologies, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Bronwyn A O'Brien
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,The Centre for Health Technologies, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Najah T Nassif
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,The Centre for Health Technologies, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Yi Tan
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Dario Gerace
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,The Centre for Health Technologies, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Rosetta Martiniello-Wilks
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,The Centre for Health Technologies, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Fraser Torpy
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Allison P Dane
- The Children's Hospital at Westmead and Children's Medical Research Institute, Sydney, Australia
| | - Ian E Alexander
- The Children's Hospital at Westmead and Children's Medical Research Institute, Sydney, Australia.,Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Ann M Simpson
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,The Centre for Health Technologies, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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Gerace D, Martiniello-Wilks R, Nassif NT, Lal S, Steptoe R, Simpson AM. CRISPR-targeted genome editing of mesenchymal stem cell-derived therapies for type 1 diabetes: a path to clinical success? Stem Cell Res Ther 2017; 8:62. [PMID: 28279194 PMCID: PMC5345178 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-017-0511-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to their ease of isolation, differentiation capabilities, and immunomodulatory properties, the therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has been assessed in numerous pre-clinical and clinical settings. Currently, whole pancreas or islet transplantation is the only cure for people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and, due to the autoimmune nature of the disease, MSCs have been utilised either natively or transdifferentiated into insulin-producing cells (IPCs) as an alternative treatment. However, the initial success in pre-clinical animal models has not translated into successful clinical outcomes. Thus, this review will summarise the current state of MSC-derived therapies for the treatment of T1D in both the pre-clinical and clinical setting, in particular their use as an immunomodulatory therapy and targets for the generation of IPCs via gene modification. In this review, we highlight the limitations of current clinical trials of MSCs for the treatment of T1D, and suggest the novel clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) gene-editing technology and improved clinical trial design as strategies to translate pre-clinical success to the clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Gerace
- The School of Life Sciences, Chronic Disease Solutions Team and the Centre for Health Technologies, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Rosetta Martiniello-Wilks
- The School of Life Sciences, Chronic Disease Solutions Team and the Centre for Health Technologies, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, NSW, 2007, Australia.,Translational Cancer Research Group, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Najah Therese Nassif
- The School of Life Sciences, Chronic Disease Solutions Team and the Centre for Health Technologies, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Sara Lal
- The School of Life Sciences, Chronic Disease Solutions Team and the Centre for Health Technologies, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, NSW, 2007, Australia.,Neuroscience Research Unit, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Raymond Steptoe
- The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Ann Margaret Simpson
- The School of Life Sciences, Chronic Disease Solutions Team and the Centre for Health Technologies, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, NSW, 2007, Australia.
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Ren B, Tao C, Swan MA, Joachim N, Martiniello-Wilks R, Nassif NT, O'Brien BA, Simpson AM. Pancreatic Transdifferentiation and Glucose-Regulated Production of Human Insulin in the H4IIE Rat Liver Cell Line. Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17:534. [PMID: 27070593 PMCID: PMC4848990 DOI: 10.3390/ijms17040534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2016] [Revised: 03/24/2016] [Accepted: 04/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to the limitations of current treatment regimes, gene therapy is a promising strategy being explored to correct blood glucose concentrations in diabetic patients. In the current study, we used a retroviral vector to deliver either the human insulin gene alone, the rat NeuroD1 gene alone, or the human insulin gene and rat NeuroD1 genes together, to the rat liver cell line, H4IIE, to determine if storage of insulin and pancreatic transdifferentiation occurred. Stable clones were selected and expanded into cell lines: H4IIEins (insulin gene alone), H4IIE/ND (NeuroD1 gene alone), and H4IIEins/ND (insulin and NeuroD1 genes). The H4IIEins cells did not store insulin; however, H4IIE/ND and H4IIEins/ND cells stored 65.5 ± 5.6 and 1475.4 ± 171.8 pmol/insulin/5 × 106 cells, respectively. Additionally, several β cell transcription factors and pancreatic hormones were expressed in both H4IIE/ND and H4IIEins/ND cells. Electron microscopy revealed insulin storage vesicles in the H4IIE/ND and H4IIEins/ND cell lines. Regulated secretion of insulin to glucose (0–20 mmol/L) was seen in the H4IIEins/ND cell line. The H4IIEins/ND cells were transplanted into diabetic immunoincompetent mice, resulting in normalization of blood glucose. This data shows that the expression of NeuroD1 and insulin in liver cells may be a useful strategy for inducing islet neogenesis and reversing diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binhai Ren
- School of Life Sciences and Centre for Health Technologies, University of Technology Sydney, P.O. Box 123, Broadway, 2007 Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Chang Tao
- School of Life Sciences and Centre for Health Technologies, University of Technology Sydney, P.O. Box 123, Broadway, 2007 Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Margaret Anne Swan
- School of Medical Sciences (Anatomy & Histology) and Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, 2006 Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Nichole Joachim
- School of Medical Sciences (Anatomy & Histology) and Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, 2006 Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Rosetta Martiniello-Wilks
- School of Life Sciences and Centre for Health Technologies, University of Technology Sydney, P.O. Box 123, Broadway, 2007 Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Najah T Nassif
- School of Life Sciences and Centre for Health Technologies, University of Technology Sydney, P.O. Box 123, Broadway, 2007 Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Bronwyn A O'Brien
- School of Life Sciences and Centre for Health Technologies, University of Technology Sydney, P.O. Box 123, Broadway, 2007 Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Ann M Simpson
- School of Life Sciences and Centre for Health Technologies, University of Technology Sydney, P.O. Box 123, Broadway, 2007 Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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Bâlici Ş, Şuşman S, Rusu D, Nicula GZ, Soriţău O, Rusu M, Biris AS, Matei H. Differentiation of stem cells into insulin-producing cells under the influence of nanostructural polyoxometalates. J Appl Toxicol 2015; 36:373-84. [DOI: 10.1002/jat.3218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2015] [Revised: 07/01/2015] [Accepted: 07/01/2015] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ştefana Bâlici
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine; “Iuliu Haţieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy; Cluj-Napoca România
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; “Babeş-Bolyai” University; Cluj-Napoca România
| | - Sergiu Şuşman
- Department of Morphological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine; “Iuliu Haţieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy; Cluj-Napoca România
- Imogen Research Centre - Department of Pathology; Cluj-Napoca România
- Radiotherapy, Tumor and Radiobiology Laboratory; The Oncology Institute “Prof. Dr. Ion Chiricuţă”; Cluj-Napoca România
| | - Dan Rusu
- Department of Physical-Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy; “Iuliu Haţieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy; Cluj-Napoca România
| | - Gheorghe Zsolt Nicula
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine; “Iuliu Haţieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy; Cluj-Napoca România
| | - Olga Soriţău
- Radiotherapy, Tumor and Radiobiology Laboratory; The Oncology Institute “Prof. Dr. Ion Chiricuţă”; Cluj-Napoca România
| | - Mariana Rusu
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; “Babeş-Bolyai” University; Cluj-Napoca România
| | - Alexandru S. Biris
- Center for Integrative Nanotechnology Sciences; University of Arkansas at Little Rock; Little Rock AR USA
| | - Horea Matei
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine; “Iuliu Haţieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy; Cluj-Napoca România
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Reversal of diabetes following transplantation of an insulin-secreting human liver cell line: Melligen cells. MOLECULAR THERAPY-METHODS & CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT 2015; 2:15011. [PMID: 26029722 PMCID: PMC4445011 DOI: 10.1038/mtm.2015.11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2014] [Revised: 02/20/2015] [Accepted: 02/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
As an alternative to the transplantation of islets, a human liver cell line has been genetically engineered to reverse type 1 diabetes (TID). The initial liver cell line (Huh7ins) commenced secretion of insulin in response to a glucose concentration of 2.5 mmol/l. After transfection of the Huh7ins cells with human islet glucokinase, the resultant Melligen cells secreted insulin in response to glucose within the physiological range; commencing at 4.25 mmol/l. Melligen cells exhibited increased glucokinase enzymatic activity in response to physiological glucose concentrations, as compared with Huh7ins cells. When transplanted into diabetic immunoincompetent mice, Melligen cells restored normoglycemia. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) revealed that both cell lines expressed a range of β-cell transcription factors and pancreatic hormones. Exposure of Melligen and Huh7ins cells to proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IFN-γ) affected neither their viability nor their ability to secrete insulin to glucose. Gene expression (microarray and qRT-PCR) analyses indicated the survival of Melligen cells in the presence of known β-cell cytotoxins was associated with the expression of NF-κB and antiapoptotic genes (such as BIRC3). This study describes the successful generation of an artificial β-cell line, which, if encapsulated to avoid allograft rejection, may offer a clinically applicable cure for T1D.
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Gerace D, Martiniello-Wilks R, O'Brien BA, Simpson AM. The use of β-cell transcription factors in engineering artificial β cells from non-pancreatic tissue. Gene Ther 2014; 22:1-8. [DOI: 10.1038/gt.2014.93] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2014] [Revised: 09/04/2014] [Accepted: 09/18/2014] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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Ren B, O'Brien BA, Byrne MR, Ch'ng E, Gatt PN, Swan MA, Nassif NT, Wei MQ, Gijsbers R, Debyser Z, Simpson AM. Long-term reversal of diabetes in non-obese diabetic mice by liver-directed gene therapy. J Gene Med 2013; 15:28-41. [PMID: 23293075 DOI: 10.1002/jgm.2692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2012] [Revised: 10/01/2012] [Accepted: 12/20/2012] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Type 1 diabetes (T1D) results from an autoimmune attack against the insulin-producing β-cells of the pancreas. The present study aimed to reverse T1D by gene therapy. METHODS We used a novel surgical technique, which involves isolating the liver from the circulation before the delivery of a lentiviral vector carrying furin-cleavable human insulin (INS-FUR) or empty vector to the livers of diabetic non-obese diabetic mice (NOD). This was compared with the direct injection of the vector into the portal circulation. Mice were monitored for body weight and blood glucose. Intravenous glucose tolerance tests were performed. Expression of insulin and pancreatic transcription factors was determined by the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry and immunoelectron microscopy was used to localise insulin. RESULTS Using the novel surgical technique, we achieved long-term transduction (42% efficiency) of hepatocytes, restored normoglycaemia for 150 days (experimental endpoint) and re-established normal glucose tolerance. We showed the expression of β-cell transcription factors, murine insulin, glucagon and somatostatin, and hepatic storage of insulin in granules. The expression of hepatic markers, C/EBP-β, G6PC, AAT and GLUI was down-regulated in INS-FUR-treated livers. Liver function tests remained normal, with no evidence of intrahepatic inflammation or autoimmune destruction of the insulin-secreting liver tissue. By comparison, direct injection of INS-FUR reduced blood glucose levels, and no pancreatic transdifferentiation or normal glucose tolerance was observed. CONCLUSIONS This gene therapy protocol has, for the first time, permanently reversed T1D with normal glucose tolerance in NOD mice and, as such, represents a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of T1D.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binhai Ren
- School of Medical & Molecular Biosciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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