Regeneration of Pancreatic β-cells

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

We studied differentiation factors involved in the formation of pancreatic beta cells using AR42J cells as a model system. We showed that activin A and betacellulin are able to induce differentiation into insulin-producing cells. To determine whether or not these two factors are involved in the differentiation of pancreatic beta cells, we then studied the expression of these factors in the regenerating pancreas. Activin A was expressed in ductal cells of the pancreas and in newly-formed endocrine cells. Betacellulin was expressed in newly-formed endocrine cells. These results are consistent with the notion that these two factors are involved in the islet neogenesis. We therefore examined whether or not these factors are effective in promoting islet neogenesis. We found that exogenous activin A was not effective. However, betacellulin was quite effective in promoting islet neogenesis. Thus, Betacellulin enhanced the formation of endocrine cells in 90% pancreatectomized rats and increased the number of islets in remnant pancreas. Furthermore, plasma glucose after the administration of ip glucose was lower in betacellulin-treated rats and the plasma insulin concentrations were higher in betacellulin-treated rats. Betacellulin also increased the insulin content of the remnant pancreas. These results indicate that betacellulin is effective in promoting regeneration of pancreatic islets after 90% pancreatectomy. Betacellulin is a potential factor to promote islet regeneration.