Inhibiting PTP-1B to improve islet graft outcomes for Type I diabetes

INDICATION: Diabetes; islet cell transplant

Inhibition of PTP-1B in pancreatic islet cell grafts could help improve outcomes in Type I diabetes. In a mouse model of Type I diabetes, knockout of PTP-1B in transplanted mouse pancreatic islet cells increased graft survival and vascular density in the graft region, which promotes islet cell function, restored glucose-induced insulin secretion and glucose tolerance, and reduced blood glucose concentrations and disease-associated weight loss. Also in the model, expression of an shRNA targeting PTP-1B in transplanted primary human islet cells increased vascular density in the graft region...