Stem cells of the islets of langerhans and their use in treating diabetes mellitus
First Claim
1. A method of treating a patient with diabetes mellitus, comprising the steps of:
- (a) isolating a nestin-positive pancreatic stem cell from a pancreatic islet of a donor; and
(b) transferring the stem cell into the patient, wherein the stem cell differentiates into an insulin-producing cell.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and compositions are described for the treatment of type I insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and other conditions using newly identified stem cells that are capable of differentiation into a variety of pancreatic islet cells, including insulin-producing beta cells, as well as hepatocytes. Nestin has been identified as a molecular marker for pancreatic stem cells, while cytokeratin-19 serves as a marker for a distinct class of islet ductal cells. Methods are described whereby nestin-positive stem cells can be isolated from pancreatic islets and cultured to obtain further stem cells or pseudo-islet like structures. Methods for ex vivo differentiation of the pancreatic stem cells are disclosed. Methods are described whereby pancreatic stem cells can be isolated, expanded, and transplanted into a patient in need thereof, either allogeneically, isogeneically or xenogenically, to provide replacement for lost or damaged insulin-secreting cells or other cells.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A method of treating a patient with diabetes mellitus, comprising the steps of:
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(a) isolating a nestin-positive pancreatic stem cell from a pancreatic islet of a donor; and
(b) transferring the stem cell into the patient, wherein the stem cell differentiates into an insulin-producing cell. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of treating a patient with diabetes mellitus, comprising the steps of:
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(a) isolating a nestin-positive pancreatic stem cell from a pancreatic islet of a donor;
(b) expanding the stem cell ex vivo to produce a progenitor cell; and
(c) transferring the progenitor cell into the patient, wherein the progenitor cell differentiates into an insulin-producing beta cell. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of treating a patient with diabetes mellitus, comprising the steps of:
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(a) isolating a nestin-positive pancreatic stem cell from a pancreatic islet of a donor;
(b) expanding the stem cell to produce a progenitor cell;
(c) differentiating the progenitor cell in culture to form pseudo-islet like aggregates; and
(d) transferring the pseudo-islet like aggregates into the patient. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of isolating a stem cell from a pancreatic islet of Langerhans, comprising the steps of:
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(a) removing a pancreatic islet from a donor;
(b) culturing cells from the pancreatic islet; and
(c) selecting a nestin-positive clone from the culture. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A method of inducing the differentiation of a nestin-positive pancreatic stem cell into a pancreatic progenitor cell, comprising the step of:
treating a nestin-positive pancreatic stem cell with an agent selected from the group consisting of EGF, bFGF-2, high glucose, KGF, HGF/SF, IDX-1, a nucleic acid molecule encoding IDX-l, GLP-1, exendin-4, betacellulin, activin A, TGF-β
, and combinations thereof, whereby the stem cell subsequently differentiates into a pancreatic progenitor cell.- View Dependent Claims (23)
- 24. An isolated, nestin-positive human pancreatic or liver stem cell that is not a neural stem cell.
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30. A method of identifying a pancreatic cell as a stem cell, comprising the step of:
contacting a cell with a labeled nestin-specific antibody, whereby if the cell becomes labeled with the antibody the cell is identified as a stem cell. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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33. A method of inducing a nestin-positive pancreatic stem cell to differentiate into hepatocytes, comprising the step of:
treating the nestin-positive pancreatic stem cell with an effective amount of an agent that induces the stem cell to differentiate into hepatocytes or into progenitor cells that differentiate into hepatocytes. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. A method of treating a patient with liver disease, comprising the steps of:
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(a) isolating a nestin-positive pancreatic stem cell from a pancreatic islet of a donor; and
(b) transferring the stem cell into the patient, wherein the stem cell differentiates into a hepatocyte. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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37. A method of treating a patient with liver disease, comprising the steps of:
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(a) isolating a nestin-positive pancreatic stem cell from a pancreatic islet of a donor;
(b) expanding the stem cell ex vivo to produce a progenitor cell; and
(c) transferring the progenitor cell into the patient, wherein the progenitor cell differentiates into a hepatocyte. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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39. A method of treating a patient with liver disease, comprising the steps of:
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(a) isolating a nestin-positive pancreatic stem cell from a pancreatic islet of a donor;
(b) differentiating the stem cell ex vivo to produce a hepatocyte; and
(c) transferring the hepatocyte into the patient. - View Dependent Claims (40)
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Specification