Biomaterial Database

Conophylline: a novel differentiation inducer for pancreatic beta cells. 2006

Itaru Kojima, and Kazuo Umezawa

Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan. ikojima@showa.gunma-u.ac.jp

Reduction of the beta cell mass is critical in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus. The discovery of agents, which induce differentiation of pancreatic progenitors to beta cells, would be useful to develop a new therapeutic approach to treat diabetes. To identify a new agent to stimulate differentiation of pancreatic progenitor cells to beta cells, we screened various compounds using pancreatic AR42J cells, a model of pancreatic progenitor cells. Among various compounds and extracts tested, we found that conophylline, a vinca alkaloid extracted from leaves of a tropical plant Ervatamia microphylla, was effective in converting AR42J into endocrine cells. Conophylline reproduces the differentiation-inducing activity of activin A. Unlike activin A, however, conophylline does not induce apoptosis. To induce differentiation of AR42J cells, conophylline increases the expression of neurogenin-3 by activating p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. Conophylline also induces differentiation in cultured pancreatic progenitor cells obtained from fetal and neonatal rats. More importantly, conophylline is effective in reversing hyperglycemia in neonatal streptozotocin-treated rats, and both the insulin content and the beta cell mass are increased by conophylline. Histologically, conophylline increases the numbers of ductal cells positive for pancreatic-duodenal-homeobox protein-1 and islet-like cell clusters. Conophylline and related compounds are useful in inducing differentiation of pancreatic beta cells both in vivo and in vitro.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D002454	Cell Differentiation	Progressive restriction of the developmental potential and increasing specialization of function that leads to the formation of specialized cells, tissues, and organs.	Differentiation, Cell,Cell Differentiations,Differentiations, Cell
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013234	Stem Cells	Relatively undifferentiated cells that retain the ability to divide and proliferate throughout postnatal life to provide progenitor cells that can differentiate into specialized cells.	Colony-Forming Units,Mother Cells,Progenitor Cells,Colony-Forming Unit,Cell, Mother,Cell, Progenitor,Cell, Stem,Cells, Mother,Cells, Progenitor,Cells, Stem,Colony Forming Unit,Colony Forming Units,Mother Cell,Progenitor Cell,Stem Cell
D014748	Vinca Alkaloids	A group of indole-indoline dimers which are ALKALOIDS obtained from the VINCA genus of plants. They inhibit polymerization of TUBULIN into MICROTUBULES thus blocking spindle formation and arresting cells in METAPHASE. They are some of the most useful ANTINEOPLASTIC AGENTS.	Alkaloids, Vinca
D016381	Islets of Langerhans Transplantation	The transference of pancreatic islets within an individual, between individuals of the same species, or between individuals of different species.	Grafting, Islets of Langerhans,Pancreatic Islets Transplantation,Transplantation, Islets of Langerhans,Transplantation, Pancreatic Islets,Islands of Langerhans Transplantation,Islands of Pancreas Transplantation,Islet Transplantation,Transplantation, Islands of Langerhans,Transplantation, Islands of Pancreas,Transplantation, Islet,Islet Transplantations,Islets Transplantation, Pancreatic,Transplantations, Islet
D045744	Cell Line, Tumor	A cell line derived from cultured tumor cells.	Tumor Cell Line,Cell Lines, Tumor,Line, Tumor Cell,Lines, Tumor Cell,Tumor Cell Lines
D050417	Insulin-Secreting Cells	A type of pancreatic cell representing about 50-80% of the islet cells. Beta cells secrete INSULIN.	Pancreatic beta Cells,beta Cells, Pancreatic,Pancreatic B Cells,B Cell, Pancreatic,B Cells, Pancreatic,Cell, Insulin-Secreting,Cells, Insulin-Secreting,Insulin Secreting Cells,Insulin-Secreting Cell,Pancreatic B Cell,Pancreatic beta Cell,beta Cell, Pancreatic
D051381	Rats	The common name for the genus Rattus.	Rattus,Rats, Laboratory,Rats, Norway,Rattus norvegicus,Laboratory Rat,Laboratory Rats,Norway Rat,Norway Rats,Rat,Rat, Laboratory,Rat, Norway,norvegicus, Rattus
D028341	Activins	Activins are produced in the pituitary, gonads, and other tissues. By acting locally, they stimulate pituitary FSH secretion and have diverse effects on cell differentiation and embryonic development. Activins are glycoproteins that are hetero- or homodimers of INHIBIN-BETA SUBUNITS.	Activin,FSH-Releasing Protein,FSH Releasing Protein,Protein, FSH-Releasing