Ju Hee Kim, Sung Dae Moon, Seung Hyun Ko, Yu Bai Ahn, Ki Ho Song, Hyang Sook Lim, Sook Kyung Lee, Soon Jip Yoo, Hyun Shik Son, Kun Ho Yoon, Bong Yun Cha, Ho Young Son, Sung Joo Kim, Je Ho Han
Korean Diabetes J. 2007;31(1):9-21. Published online January 1, 2007
BACKGROUND Type 1 diabetes mellitus is an autoimmune disease resulting in destruction of the pancreatic beta cells. Insulin gene therapy for these patients has been vigorously researched. The strategy for achieving glucose-dependent insulin secretion in gene therapy relies on glucose-responsive transcription of insulin mRNA and the constitutive secretory pathway of target non-beta cells. We observed that genetically engineered K-cells using Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-based episomal vector can produce glucose-regulated insulin production. METHODS: Green fluorescent protein (GFP) or rat-preproinsulin (PPI) expression cassette transcriptionally controlled by the promoter of glucose dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIPP) is fused to pCEP4 containing the origin of replication (oriP) and Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA-1). CMV promoter was replaced by subcloning the GIPP into pCEP4 to generate pGIPP/CEP4. Two recombinant EBV-based episomal vectors, pGIPP/GFP/CEP4 and pGIPP/PPI/CEP4, were constructed. pGIPP/GFP/CEP4 and pGIPP/PPI/CEP4 containing K-cell specific GIPP were co-transfected into STC-1. K-cell was isolated from the clonal expansion of the fluorescent cells selected by hygromycin treatment in STC-1, and were analyzed for the expression of glucokinase (GK) or transcription factors involved in pancreas development. K-cells concurrently transfected with pGIPP/PPI/CEP4 and pGIPP/GFP/CEP4 were analyzed for the transcripts of PPI by RT-PCR, and for the glucose dependent insulin expression by immunocytochemistry or insulin assay using ultra-sensitive rat-specific insulin ELISA kit. RESULT: STC-1 was stably-transfected with pGIPP/GFP/CEP4 along with pGIPP/PPI/CEP4. Genetically selected fluorescent K-cells expressed GK and transcription factors involved in pancreas development. And K-cells transfected with pGIPP/PPI/CEP4 contained detectable levels of PPI transcripts and showed glucose-dependent immunoreactive insulin secretion. CONCLUSION: We identified genetically engineered K-cells which exert a glucose-dependent insulin expression using EBV-based episomal vector. The similarities between K-cells and pancreatic beta cells support that K-cells may make effective and ideal targeting cells for insulin gene therapy or alternative cell therapy.
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Relationship of traditional and nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors to coronary artery calcium in type 2 diabetes Ju-Yeon Sim, Ju-Hee Kim, Yu-Bae Ahn, Ki-Ho Song, Je-Ho Han, Bong-Yun Cha, Sook-Kyung Lee, Sung-Dae Moon Korean Diabetes Journal.2009; 33(6): 466. CrossRef
Transdifferentiation of Enteroendocrine K-cells into Insulin-expressing Cells Esder Lee, Jun Mo Yu, Min Kyung Lee, Gyeong Ryul Ryu, Seung-Hyun Ko, Yu-Bae Ahn, Sung-Dae Moon, Ki-Ho Song Korean Diabetes Journal.2009; 33(6): 475. CrossRef
BACKGROUND Despite improvement in insulin preparation and delivery, the use of insulin therapy alone to maintain normal glucose concentration and prevent the development of diabetic complication is not easy. Therefore, there has been considerable interest in developing gene therapy to supply insulin. We investigated that the administration of hemagglutinating virus of Japan (HVJ)- liposome complex, containing human insulin construct into the portal vein to control the blood glucose level in murine streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes. METHODS: Human insulin gene was delivered to STZ-induced diabetic rats through the portal vein using HVJ-liposome containing Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) replicon-based plasmid (pEB). Blood glucose and body weight were measured after insulin gene delivery. The animals were sacrificed 28 days later and the livers were collected for immuno-histochemical staining of insulin. In addition plasma insulin and C-peptide levels were measured. RESULTS: Significant decrease in blood glucose levels and an increase in insulin and C-peptide levels were observed in the insulin gene transfection group as compared to the control group. Immunohistochemical staining of insulin also showed significant differences between these two groups. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the possibility of insulin gene therapy through the portal vein using pEB and HVJ-liposome method to produce a sustained improvement of diabetic glucose metabolism.