HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Yin, D. Articles by Chong, A. S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Yin, D. Articles by Chong, A. S. Social Bookmarking                What's this?

Recovery of Islet ß-Cell Function in Streptozotocin- Induced Diabetic Mice

An Indirect Role for the Spleen

¹ Section of Transplantation, Department of Surgery, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
² Section of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Anita S. Chong, PhD, Section of Transplantation, Department of Surgery, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637. Tel: 773–702 5521; FAX: 773-702-5517; E-mail: achong{at}uchicago.edu

Abbreviations: [Ca²⁺]_i, intracellular calcium contration; FISH, fluorescence in situ hybridization; FITC, fluoroscein isothiocyanate; IPGTT, intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test; STZ, streptozotocin

Limitations in islet ß-cell transplantation as a therapeutic option for type 1 diabetes have prompted renewed interest in islet regeneration as a source of new islets. In this study we tested whether severely diabetic adult C57BL/6 mice can regenerate ß-cells. Diabetes was induced in C57BL/6 mice with high-dose streptozotocin (160–170 mg/kg). In the absence of islet transplantation, all diabetic mice remained diabetic (blood glucose >400 mg/dl), and no spontaneous reversal of diabetes was observed. When syngeneic islets (200/mouse) were transplanted into these diabetic mice under a single kidney capsule, stable restoration of euglycemia for 120 days was achieved. Removal of the kidney bearing the transplanted islets at 120 days posttransplantation revealed significant restoration of endogenous ß-cell function. This restoration of islet function was associated with increased ß-cell mass, as well as ß-cell hypertrophy and proliferation. The restoration of islet cell function was facilitated by the presence of a spleen; however, the facilitation was not due to the direct differentiation of spleen-derived cells into ß-cells. This study supports the possibility of restoring ß-cell function in diabetic individuals and points to a role for the spleen in facilitating this process.

CiteULike    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?