Differentiation of IPSCs into Insulin-producing Cells Via Adenoviral Transfection of PDX-1, NeuroD1 and MafA

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of PDX-1 (pancreatic and duodenal homeobox-1), NeuroD1 (neurogenic differentiation-1) and MafA (V-maf musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma oncogene homolog A) in the differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into insulin-producing cells and to explore this new approach of cell transplantation therapy for type 1 diabetes in mice.

Methods: iPSCs were infected with adenovirus (Ad-Mouse PDX-1-IRES-GFP, Ad-Mouse NeuroD1-IRES-GFP and Ad-Mouse Mafa-IRES-GFP) and then differentiated into insulin-producing cells in vitro. RT-PCR was applied to detect insulin gene expression, immunofluorescence to identify insulin protein, and mouse insulin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to evaluate the amount of insulin at different concentration of glucose. Insulin-producing cells were transplanted into the liver parenchyma of diabetic mice. Immunohistochemistry, intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT) and fasting blood glucose (FBG) were performed to assess the function of insulin-producing cells.

Results: Insulin biosynthesis and secretion were induced in iPSCs and insulin-producing cells were responsive to glucose in a dose-dependent manner. Gene expression of the three-gene-modified embryoid bodies (EBs) was similar to the mouse pancreatic β cell line MIN6. Transplantation of insulin-producing cells into type I diabetic mice resulted in hyperglycemia reversal.

Conclusions: The insulin-producing cells we obtained from three-gene-modified EBs may be used as seed cells for tissue engineering and may represent a cell replacement strategy for the production of β cells for the treatment of type 1 diabetes.