Compositions and method of stimulating the proliferation and differentiation of human fetal and adult pancreatic cells ex vivo

US5888705A · kind A · utility

Assignees

• The United States of America, as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services · US
• Whittier Institute for Diabetes and Endocrinology · US

Inventors

• Jeffrey S. Rubin · Rockville, US
• Alberto Hayek · Village of La Jolla, US
• Gillian M. Beattie · Poway, US
• Timo OTONKOSKI · Helsinki, FI
• Vito Quaranta · Village of La Jolla, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 14, 1997
• Grant date: Mar 30, 1999
• Expiry date: Apr 14, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C12N2501/12
• WIPO field: Pharmaceuticals
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A method of inducing the proliferation and/or differentiation of human adult pancreatic cells entails contacting primary cultures of such cells with Hepatocyte Growth Factor/Scatter Factor (HGF/SF), thereby inducing a proliferation of .beta.-epithelial cells, an increase in the number of .beta.-epithelial cells which form islet-like cell clusters, and an increase in insulin production per cell. The method is improved by culturing the cells on an extracellular matrix such as 804G in the presence of HGF/SF, and is further improved by reaggregating thus-treated cells and contacting said cells with an insulin gene upregulating agent such as a poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase inhibitor such as a nicotinamide or benzamide. The method provides increased numbers of functional islet-like cell clusters for transplantation.