Genetic engineering of a suboptimal islet graft with A20 preserves beta cell mass and function.
Transplantation of an excessive number of islets of Langerhans (two to four pancreata per recipient) into patients with type I diabetes is required to restore euglycemia. Hypoxia, nutrient deprivation, local inflammation, and the beta cell inflammatory response (up-regulation of NF-kappaB-dependent genes such as inos) result in beta cell destruction in the early post-transplantation period. Genetic engineering of islets with anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic genes may prevent beta cell loss and primary nonfunction. We have shown in vitro that A20 inhibits NF-kappaB activation in islets and protects from cytokine- and death receptor-mediated apoptosis. In vivo, protection of newly transplanted islets would reduce the number of islets required for successful transplantation. Transplantation of 500 B6/AF(1) mouse islets into syngeneic, diabetic recipients resulted in a cure rate of 100% within 5 days. Transplantation of 250 islets resulted in a cure rate of only 20%. Transplantation of 250 islets overexpressing A20 resulted in a cure rate of 75% with a mean time to cure of 5.2 days, comparable to that achieved with 500 islets. A20-expressing islets preserve functional beta cell mass and are protected from cell death. These data demonstrate that A20 is an ideal cytoprotective gene therapy candidate for islet transplantation.
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- Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha-Induced Protein 3
- Recombinant Proteins
- Proteins
- Protein Engineering
- Protein Biosynthesis
- Protective Agents
- Postoperative Period
- Nuclear Proteins
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Inbred A
Citation
Published In
DOI
ISSN
Publication Date
Volume
Issue
Start / End Page
Location
Related Subject Headings
- Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha-Induced Protein 3
- Recombinant Proteins
- Proteins
- Protein Engineering
- Protein Biosynthesis
- Protective Agents
- Postoperative Period
- Nuclear Proteins
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Inbred A