Citation

Ariyachet C, Tovaglieri A, Xiang G, Lu J, Shah MS, Richmond CA, Verbeke C, Melton DA, Stanger BZ, Mooney D, Shivdasani RA, Mahony S, Xia Q, Breault DT, Zhou Q. 2016. Reprogrammed Stomach Tissue as a Renewable Source of Functional β Cells for Blood Glucose Regulation. Cell stem cell. 18(3):410-21. Pubmed: 26908146

Abstract

The gastrointestinal (GI) epithelium is a highly regenerative tissue with the potential to provide a renewable source of insulin(+) cells after undergoing cellular reprogramming. Here, we show that cells of the antral stomach have a previously unappreciated propensity for conversion into functional insulin-secreting cells. Native antral endocrine cells share a surprising degree of transcriptional similarity with pancreatic β cells, and expression of β cell reprogramming factors in vivo converts antral cells efficiently into insulin(+) cells with close molecular and functional similarity to β cells. Induced GI insulin(+) cells can suppress hyperglycemia in a diabetic mouse model for at least 6 months and regenerate rapidly after ablation. Reprogramming of antral stomach cells assembled into bioengineered mini-organs in vitro yielded transplantable units that also suppressed hyperglycemia in diabetic mice, highlighting the potential for development of engineered stomach tissues as a renewable source of functional β cells for glycemic control.
Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Related Faculty

Photo of Doug Melton

Doug Melton is pursuing a cure for type 1 diabetes. His lab studies the developmental biology of the pancreas, using that information to grow and develop pancreatic cells (islets of Langerhans). In parallel, they investigate ways to protect beta cells from autoimmune attack.

Photo of David Breault

David Breault’s research focuses on identifying mechanisms underlying tissue homeostasis in self-renewing tissues, such as intestine, adrenal gland, and bone.

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