화학공학소재연구정보센터
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, Vol.278, No.2, 368-376, 2000
Diabetes and tumor formation in transgenic mice expressing Reg I
To examine the effect of overexpressed regenerating gene (Reg) I on pancreatic beta -cells, we generated transgenic mice expressing Beg I in islets (Reg-Tg mice). Three lines of Reg-Tg mice were established. In line-1 Reg-Tg mice, the expression level of Beg I mRNA in islets was 7 times higher than those in lines 2 and 3 of Reg-Tg mice, and line 1 mice developed diabetes by apoptosis of beta -cells, as well as various malignant tumors. In addition to the decrease in beta -cells, compensatory islet regeneration and proliferation of ductal epithelial cells were observed in line-1 Reg-Tg mice. Because Beg I protein was secreted primarily into pancreatic ducts from acinar cells, it may primarily stimulate the proliferation of ductal epithelial cells, and not p-cells, and their differentiation into islets. Moreover, the tumor-promoting activity of Beg I protein should be considered for its possible clinical applications.