Korean J Physiol Pharmacol.  2003 Oct;7(5):261-266.

Prevention of Diabetes Using Adenoviral Mediated Hepatocyte Growth Factor Gene Transfer in Mice

• Lee HJ
• Kim HJ
• Roh MS
• Lee JI
• Lee SW
• Jung DS
• Kim DK
• Park MK

Abstract

Type 1 diabetes is an organ-specific autoimmune disease caused by the cytotoxic T cells-mediated destruction of the insulin-producing beta cells in the Langerhans pancreatic islets. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a potent mitogen and a promoter of proliferation of insulin producing beta cells of pancreatic islets. To study the role of HGF via viral vector in the development of streptozotocin (STZ) -induced diabetes in mice, we have developed an adenoviral vector genetically engineered to carry the gene for human HGF (hHGF) and evaluate the change of blood glucose, insulin level, and insulin-secreting beta cells of pancreatic islets. We demonstrate that the treatment with hHGF gene prevented the development of STZ-induced diabetes and increased serum insulin level to above normal range. Furthermore, it preserved pancreatic beta cells from destruction. These in vivo results may support previous findings that HGF is insulinotropic agent for beta cells and HGF treatment renders the cells to be resistant to the development of diabetes from STZ administration. We suggest that an adenoviral mediated hHGF gene therapy is a good candidate for the prevention and treatment of type 1 diabetes.

Keyword

HGF; Gene therapy; Diabetes; Beta cells; Pancreatic islet

MeSH Terms

Animals
Autoimmune Diseases
Blood Glucose
Genetic Therapy
Hepatocyte Growth Factor*
Hepatocytes*
Humans
Insulin
Insulin-Secreting Cells
Islets of Langerhans
Mice*
Reference Values
Streptozocin
Blood Glucose
Hepatocyte Growth Factor
Insulin
Streptozocin