Year: 2022
Type: review
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Stem cell therapies are finally coming of age as a viable alternative to pancreatic islet transplantation for the treatment of insulin-dependent diabetes. Several clinical trials using human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived β-like cells are currently underway, with encouraging preliminary results. Remaining challenges notwithstanding, these strategies are widely expected to reduce our reliance on human isolated islets for transplantation procedures, making cell therapies available to millions of diabetic patients. At the same time, advances in our understanding of pancreatic cell plasticity and the molecular mechanisms behind β-cell replication and regeneration have spawned a multitude of translational efforts aimed at inducing β-cell replenishment in situ through pharmacological means, thus circumventing the need for transplantation. SCOPE OF REVIEW: We discuss here the current state of the art in hESC transplantation, as well as the parallel quest to discover agents capable of either preserving the residual mass of β-cells or inducing their proliferation, transdifferentiation or differentiation from progenitor cells. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS: Stem cell-based replacement therapies in the mold of islet transplantation are already around the corner, but a permanent cure for type 1 diabetes will likely require the endogenous regeneration of β-cells aided by interventions to restore the immune balance. The promise of current research avenues and a strong pipeline of clinical trials designed to tackle these challenges bode well for the realization of this goal.
Source: Molecular Metabolism
Language: English
Subfield: Surgery
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,360
Awards: G1104028309, Single-cell longitudinal analysis of regeneration in human pancreatic slices, G2445166129, Improving human pluripotent stem cell derived beta cell transplantation using genetic lineage tracing., G3087398241, Repurposing estrogens to improve pancreatic islet transplantation, Bridging the gap between type 2 diabetes GWAS and therapeutic targets, G3577507879, G4293829488, HIGH-RESOLUTION CHARACTERIZATION OF HUMAN DUCTAL PROGENITOR CELLS AND THEIR REGENERATION POTENTIAL, G4849004728, G5986421188, G6055009284, G6817911067, G729790316, G736152691, G8682118619, G9000126259, Genetic and molecular architecture of sex-specific drug response in human islets, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus DRC
OpenAlex ID: W4220991312