A genetically engineered human pancreatic β cell line exhibiting glucose-inducible insulin secretion

Despite intense efforts over the past 30 years, human pancreatic β cell lines have not been available. Here, we describe a robust technology for producing a functional human β cell line using targeted oncogenesis in human fetal tissue. Human fetal pancreatic buds were transduced with a lentiviral vector that expressed SV40LT under the control of the insulin promoter. The transduced buds were then grafted into SCID mice so that they could develop into mature pancreatic tissue. Upon differentiation, the newly formed SV40LT-expressing β cells proliferated and formed insulinomas. The resulting β cells were then transduced with human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), grafted into other SCID mice, and…

• EC
  European Commission

  Awards: 115005, 241883
• IN
  Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale
• CN
  Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique