NEUROD1 GENE EXPRESSION IN NON-ENDOCRINE PANCREATIC EPITHELIAL CELLS (NEPECS)

摘要

The introduction of the human NeuroD1 gene into human non-endocrine pancreatic epithelial cells (NEPECs) for producing insulin producing cells in vitro is described herein. Cytokeratin19 (CK19) positive NEPECs were transfected with plasmids encoding human NeuroD1 gene under human CK19 promoter. On characterization following the induction it was found that NEPEC+ND strongly expressed NeuroD1 and insulin mRNA. The ratio of NeuroD1 and human insulin positive cells in NEPEC+ND was significantly higher than NEPEC. Human insulin and C-peptide levels in culture media in NEPEC+ND were significantly higher than NEPEC. The findings demonstrate that human NeuroD1 under control of the CK19 promoter induces the differentiation of CK19 positive NEPECs into insulin producing cells.