Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a potent mitogen and promoter of proliferation of insulin producing beta cells of pancreatic islets. To study the role of HGF, an adenoviral vector carrying the human HGF (Ad.hHGF) gene was transfected into the streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice and evaluated the effect on the blood glucose metabolism and the insulin-secreting beta cells of pancreatic islets. Ad.hHGF gene transfection resulted in amelioration of hyperglycemia and prolongation of survival period in the diabetic mice. Concomitantly adenoviral- mediated hHGF gene therapy slightly increased serum insulin concentration and the expression of insulin in the pancreatic islet. Although the proliferation of beta-cell mass was not noticeable, the beneficial effect of HGF is significant to an almost deteriorated pancreatic islets. Taken together, these data suggest that the Ad.hHGF gene therapy into diabetic mice may prevent the further destruction and present as a beneficial remedy for type 1 diabetic patients.
Adenoviridae/*genetics/physiology ; Animals ; Blood Glucose/analysis ; Body Weight ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/blood/genetics/*metabolism/*therapy ; *Gene Therapy ; Hepatocyte Growth Factor/genetics/*metabolism ; Humans ; Hyperglycemia/blood/complications/genetics/*therapy ; Insulin/blood ; Islets of Langerhans/metabolism/*pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Recombinant Proteins/genetics/metabolism ; Survival Rate

Hypoxic damage is one of the major causes of islet graft failure and VEGF is known to play a crucial role in revascularization. To address the effectiveness of a cationic lipid reagent as a VEGF gene carrier, and the beneficial effect of VEGF-transfected islets on glycemic control, we used effectene lipid reagent in a transfection experiment using mouse islets. Transfection efficiencies were highest for 4 microgram/microliter cDNA and 25 microliter effectene and cell viabilities were also satisfactory under this condition, and the overproduction of VEGF mRNA and protein were confirmed from conditioned cells. A minimal number of VEGF-transfected islets (100 IEQ/animal) were transplanted into streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice. Hyperglycemia was not controlled in the islet transplantation (IT)-alone group (0/8) (non- diabetic glucose mice number/total recipient mice number) or in the IT-pJDK control vector group (0/8). However, hyperglycemia was completely abrogated in the IT-pJDK-VEGF transduced group (8/8), and viable islets and increased VEGF-transfected grafts vascularization were observed in renal capsules.
Animals ; Body Weight ; Cell Survival ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/*complications/metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Glucose/pharmacology ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Hyperglycemia/complications/*metabolism/*therapy ; Insulin/secretion ; Islets of Langerhans/blood supply/cytology/secretion ; *Islets of Langerhans Transplantation ; Liposomes/*administration & dosage/chemistry ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; RNA, Messenger/genetics/metabolism ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Streptozocin ; Transfection ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors/biosynthesis/*genetics/*metabolism/secretion