Efficient transduction of primary hepatocytes with the human insulin gene

Project Member(s): Simpson, A.

Start year: 2002

Summary: Type 1 diabetes is caused by the severe insulin deficiency secondary to autoimmune destruction of the pancreatic beta cells of the pancreas that secrete insulin. This problem could theoretically be solved by engineering an artificial beta cell i.e. a non-islet cell capable of synthsising, storing and secreting insulin to metabolic signals. In this proposal we will use two new retroviral vectors, derived from members of the lentivirus family to deliver a marker gene to 90% of the hepatocytes and in a tissue culture model ten time the amount of insulin is produced using this system compared to earlier results using the MoMuLV vectors. If successful, this project could alleviate the need for insulin-dependent diabetics to daily inject insulin.

Keywords: insulin dependent diabetes mellitus; gene therapy; lentiviral vectors; insulin dependent diabetes mellitus; gene therapy; liver

FOR Codes: Gene Therapy, Endocrine organs and diseases (incl. diabetes), Diabetes, Gene and Molecular Therapy, Gene and molecular therapy , Clinical health

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.