Mount Sinai Researchers determines a significant beta cell proliferation using combination of pharmacologic and genetic inhibition.
They have discovered a novel combination of two classes of drugs that induces the highest rate of proliferation in adult human beta cells - the cells that produce insulin in the pancreas.
The result will help for the diabetes treatment that restores the body's capability to produce insulin.
The research finding includes one drug that inhibits the enzyme dual specificity tyrosine-regulated kinase 1A (DYRK1A) and another that inhibits transforming growth factor beta superfamily members (TGF?SF).
They both caused the cells to proliferate at a rate of 5 to 8 per cent per day.
Using this novel drug cocktail, researchers are capable to see rates of human cell beta cell replication that are sufficient to replenish beta cell mass in human beings.
Researchers have discovered a drug combination that makes beta cells regenerate at rates that are suitable for treatment.
Insulin is produced by special cells in the pancreas called beta cells. The new drug cocktail can make these cells proliferate at the highest rate ever observed in humans - a rate of 5 to 8 per cent per day.
In addition, Beta cell regeneration is a 'holy grail' for the treatment of diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes may be caused due to the loss of insulin-producing beta cells, in which the immune system will mistakenly attacks and destroys beta cells.
And also, a deficiency of functioning beta cells is also an important contributor to type 2 diabetes, which is the most common type that can occur in adults.
Thus, developing drugs that can increase the number of healthy beta cells is a major priority in diabetes research.
A drug called harmine drove sustained division and multiplication of adult human beta cells in culture.
Harmine treatment leads to normal control of blood sugar in mice whose beta cells had been replaced with human beta cells.
While this was a major advance, the proliferation rate was lower than needed to rapidly expand beta cells in people with diabetes.
This novel drug cocktail is one of the most exciting series of discoveries in the field of diabetes and is a key next step in drug development for this disease.
