Description of Invention:
Diabetes results when beta cell performance is compromised through loss of cells or reduced cell function. Anti-diabetic drugs that stimulate insulin production, such as sulfonylureas and meglitinides, have limited efficacy when beta cell responsiveness is deficient. There exists a critical need for methods to increase beta cell responsiveness by enhancing cell function or by increasing beta cell numbers.

Notch has been shown to play an important role in pancreas development and diabetes and NIA investigators discovered that pancreatic precursor cells can be identified and isolated using Notch and its ligands. This technology describes methods for identifying pancreatic precursor cells using a Notch ligand, as well as methods for isolating pancreatic precursor cells from a pancreatic cell sample, such as pancreatic islet cells or pancreatic extra-islet cells from a diabetic patient.

Applications:

• Isolation and expansion of pancreatic progenitor cells for diabetes therapy
• Development of a diagnostic test to monitor beta cell function

Advantages:

• New diagnostic strategies for diabetes
• Potential use in regenerative medicine (pancreatic precursor cells recently have been shown to have the potential to develop into other cell types)

Development Status:

• Early-stage
• In vitro data available

Inventors:
Josephine M Egan (NIA)
Maire Doyle (NIA)


Patent Status:
HHS, Reference No. E-262-2003/0
US, , Patent No. 7,888,116, Issued 15 Feb 2012


Relevant Publication:

1. Kim W, et al. [ PMID 20035712 ]

For Licensing Information Please Contact:
Tara Kirby Ph.D.
NIH Office of Technology Transfer
6011 Executive Blvd. Suite 325,
Rockville, MD 20852
United States
Email: tk200h@nih.gov
Phone: 301-435-4426
Fax: 301-402-0220


Ref No: 1452

Updated: 08/2012