Open Funding

Institution:

University of Newcastle

Recipient:

Dr James Shaw

Project:

Enhancement of beta-cell mass and function in human islets by physiological factors up-regulated in pregnancy.

Summary:

Successful transplantation of islets (the part of the pancreas which makes insulin) or whole pancreas has allowed a limited number of people with diabetes to stop injecting insulin. Virtually normal glucose levels can be restored, preventing risk and fear of low glucose levels. More than one pancreas from a post mortem donor is required for every individual who benefits and most people have to re-start insulin injections in the longer term. Current donor rates are only enough for 1% of people with insulin-dependent Type 1 diabetes. During normal pregnancy, islets become considerably larger and are able to produce much higher levels of insulin. Evidence from animal studies suggests that this may be driven by increases in a range of hormones (prolactin, placental lactogen, growth hormone and insulin like growth factor 1). We will test the potential of these hormones to enhance overall health, size and insulin secretion of human islets before transplantation. We believe that previously untested combinations of these factors with another hormone found in normal people which increases insulin release (GLP1) are particularly likely to produce exciting results. The lessons learned from these focussed short-term studies will have an immediate impact on the way islets are prepared for clinical transplantation within the UK programme. Indeed it is hoped that pre-treatment of the cells with these hormones will enable reproducible sustained liberation from insulin injections following a single transplant procedure using islets from only one donor. The present work will lead on naturally to more detailed studies to understand the effects of these hormones on the insulin-producing cells. It is hoped that this in turn will lead to new tablet treatments to prevent progression of diabetes towards a need for insulin injections.

Amount:

£29,940