Mafa Enables Pdx1 to Effectively Convert Pancreatic Islet Progenitors and Committed Islet α-Cells Into β-Cells In Vivo.

ABSTRACT: Among the therapeutic avenues being explored for replacement of the functional islet β-cell mass lost in type 1 diabetes (T1D), reprogramming of adult cell types into new β-cells has been actively pursued. Notably, mouse islet α-cells will transdifferentiate into β-cells under conditions of near β-cell loss, a condition similar to T1D. Moreover, human islet α-cells also appear to poised for reprogramming into insulin-positive cells. Here we have generated transgenic mice conditionally expressing the islet β-cell-enriched Mafa and/or Pdx1 transcription factors to examine their potential to transdifferentiate embryonic pan-islet cell Ngn3-positive progenitors and the later glucagon-positive α-cell population into β-cells. Mafa was found to both potentiate the ability of Pdx1 to induce β-cell

SUBMITTER: Matsuoka TA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5399608 | biostudies-literature | 2017 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature