Diabetes relief in mice by glucose-sensing insulin-secreting human α-cells.

ABSTRACT: Cell-identity switches, in which terminally differentiated cells are converted into different cell types when stressed, represent a widespread regenerative strategy in animals, yet they are poorly documented in mammals. In mice, some glucagon-producing pancreatic α-cells and somatostatin-producing δ-cells become insulin-expressing cells after the ablation of insulin-secreting β-cells, thus promoting diabetes recovery. Whether human islets also display this plasticity, especially in diabetic conditions, remains unknown. Here we show that islet non-β-cells, namely α-cells and pancreatic polypeptide (PPY)-producing γ-cells, obtained from deceased non-diabetic or diabetic human donors, can be lineage-traced and reprogrammed by the transcription factors PDX1 and MAFA to produce and secrete insu

SUBMITTER: Furuyama K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6624841 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature