Open AccessPancreatic beta-cell replication and amelioration of surgical diabetes by Reg protein.
Author(s) -
Takashi Watanabe,
Yutaka Yonemura,
Hideto Yonekura,
Yuzuru Suzuki,
Hidetoshi Miyashita,
Kazuo Sugiyama,
Shigeki Moriizumi,
Michiaki Unno,
Osamu Tanaka,
Hiromichi Kondo
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.91.9.3589
Subject(s) - islet , medicine , beta cell , endocrinology , diabetes mellitus , pancreatic islets , pancreas , beta (programming language) , biology , protein biosynthesis , microbiology and biotechnology , computer science , programming language
We previously isolated from a rat regenerating islet cDNA library a gene named Reg, which is expressed in regenerating islets but is not expressed in normal islets. Here we examined the effect of rat Reg protein on pancreatic beta-cell replication using both 90% depancreatized rats and isolated islets. The depancreatized rats that received i.p. administration of recombinant rat Reg protein (1 mg/kg per day) for 2 months showed amelioration of the surgical diabetes, as evidenced by a significant decrease in blood glucose with an increased beta-cell mass in the residual pancreas. In isolated rat islets, Reg protein (18-180 nM: 0.3-3 micrograms/ml) significantly increased [3H]thymidine incorporation into the nuclei of beta cells. These results indicate that Reg protein is a growth factor for pancreatic beta cells and also suggest that the administration of Reg protein could be used as another therapeutic approach for diabetes mellitus.