Adaptive Immune Responses to Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Pancreatic Progenitor Cell
Funding:
Roche Organ Transplantation Research Foundation/Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
Principal Investigator:
Lab Website:
(Lab website not available at this time)
Project Summary:
Despite the successes of clinical islet transplantation, several major problems remain. These include the shortage of donor tissue and the immune response evoked by the adult allogeneic tissue necessitating long-term immunosuppression to prevent it. Human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived insulin-expressing tissues could in principle supply unlimited amounts of islet beta cells for transplantation, and moreover, recent studies suggest that hESCs may possess unique immunomodulatory properties. Together these attributes have potential clinical significance for developing new beta cell replacement therapies for patients with diabetes.
Although many studies have shown the ability of hESCs to differentiate into differentiated cell types including pancreatic progenitors and beta cells, the immunogenicity of these cells has not been comprehensively explored. The availability of the next generation of humanized mice with improved adaptive immunity now provides an opportunity to test the hypothesis that non-tumorigenic human PDX1+ pancreatic progenitor cells are less immunogenic than normal islet cells. These studies should advance our understanding of the immunogenicity of PDX1+ pancreatic progenitor cells and provide a potential platform for restoration of lost beta cell function.
Administration - Maps - Affiliated Hospitals - Med Student Information - UW Home
Transplantation
- University of Wisconsin Department of Surgery
First published: 07/15/02 Last updated: 10/07/08
webmaster@surgery.wisc.edu
Copyright © 2006 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System