Mesenchymal Stem Cells To Islets

Tel Aviv, Israel -

Mesenchymal stem cells are very promising as a vehicle for transfection with various genes. This is because mesenchymal stem cells can easily be expanded, can be used allogeneically, and have a rather broad proliferative potential.

In terms of using mesenchymal stem cells for treatment of diabetes, it has been reported that transfection with proinsulin can revert various mouse models of this condition. PDX-1 is a transcription factor found on islet stem cells. In a recent paper (Karnieli et al. Generation of Insulin-producing Cells From Human Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells By Genetic Manipulation. Stem Cells. 2007 Jul 5) mesenchymal stem cells were transfected with PDX-1.

PDX-1 transfected mesenchymal stem cells
- generated insulin in vitro
- possessed in vitro phenotypes similar to islets
- reversed diabetes in streptozoicin induced model
- could be generated from a wide variety of human sources