In vitro transdifferentiation of adult pancreatic acinar cells into insulin-expressing cells

• Published in: Biochemical and biophysical research communications 2004-04, Vol.316 (4), p.1094-1100
• Main Authors: Song, Ki-Ho, Ko, Seung Hyun, Ahn, Yu-Bae, Yoo, Soon-Jib, Chin, Hyung-min, Kaneto, Hideaki, Yoon, Kun-Ho, Cha, Bong-Yun, Lee, Kwang-Woo, Son, Ho-Young
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acinar cell; alpha-Amylases - metabolism; Animals; Cell Culture Techniques - methods; Cell Differentiation - physiology; Cell Division - physiology; Cells, Cultured; Insulin - metabolism; Intermediate Filament Proteins - metabolism; Islet; Islet transplantation; Islets of Langerhans - cytology; Islets of Langerhans - metabolism; Keratin-20; Keratin-7; Keratins - metabolism; Male; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Tissue Engineering - methods; Transdifferentiation; β Cell
• ISSN: 0006-291X; 1090-2104
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2004.02.153

Despite a recent breakthrough in human islet transplantation for treating diabetes mellitus, the limited availability of insulin-producing tissue is still a major obstacle. Here, we studied whether adult pancreatic acinar cells have the potential to transdifferentiate into islet or β cells. Pancreatic acini were isolated from 7- to 8-weeks-old male Sprague–Dawley rats and cultured in suspension. Within 1 week, most of the acinar cells lost amylase expression and converted to cells with a duct cell phenotype. Insulin-positive cells were also observed, mainly at the periphery of the acini-derived spheroids. Insulin gene and protein expression was increased. Presence of a few insulin-positive cells coexpressing cytokeratins suggests that a spontaneous acinar to ductal cell transdifferentiation process was further going on towards β cells. This study provides the first evidence that adult pancreatic acinar cells could be differentiated into insulin-expressing cells in vitro.