Method for treating or preventing a pancreatic dysfunction
View Patent ↗The present invention provides a method for improving pancreatic function in a subject in need thereof, the method comprising administering to the subject STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny cells thereof and/or soluble factors derived therefrom. The method of the invention is useful for treating and/or preventing and/or delaying the onset or progression of a disorder resulting from or associated with pancreatic dysfunction, e.g., resulting from abnormal endocrine or exocrine function of the pancreas.
1. A method for treating diabetes mellitus in a subject in need thereof, the method comprising administering to the subject STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny cells thereof and/or soluble factors derived therefrom.
2. The method of claim 1 , comprising administering an amount of STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny cells thereof and/or soluble factors derived therefrom sufficient to promote regeneration of pancreatic beta cells and/or pancreatic islets.
3. The method of claim 1 , comprising administering an amount of STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny cells thereof and/or soluble factors derived therefrom sufficient to reduce blood glucose levels and/or increase blood/serum insulin levels in the subject.
4. The method of claim 1 , comprising administering an amount of STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny cells thereof and/or soluble factors derived therefrom sufficient to increase the number of pancreatic beta cells and/or increase the number of pancreatic beta cells relative to pancreatic alpha cells and/or reduce the number of pancreatic alpha cells and/or increase the number of pancreatic islets in the subject.
5. The method of claim 1 , comprising administering an amount of STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny cells thereof and/or soluble factors derived therefrom sufficient to increase pancreatic and duodenal homeobox factor-1 (PDX-1) expression and/or increase the number of PDX-1 expressing cells in a pancreas of the subject.
6. The method of claim 1 , comprising administering an amount of STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny cells thereof and/or soluble factors derived therefrom sufficient to induce or promote arteriogenesis or angiogenesis in the pancreas of the subject.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny cells thereof and/or soluble factors derived therefrom are administered directly into the bloodstream of the subject.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny cells thereof and/or soluble factors derived therefrom are administered intra-arterially.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the STRO-1 + cells administered to the subject are STRO-1 bri , and/or express tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) and/or the progeny cells and/or soluble factors are derived from STRO-1 + cells that are STRO-1 bri and/or express TNAP.
10. The method of claim 1 for delaying the progression of diabetes mellitus, wherein the STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny cells thereof and/or soluble factors derived therefrom are administered following diagnosis of the disorder.
11. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising monitoring or detecting onset and/or progression of diabetes mellitus and/or blood glucose levels and/or blood/serum insulin levels and/or the number of beta cells and/or the number of alpha cells and/or the number of pancreatic islets and/or the number of PDX-1 expressing cells and/or the amount of PDX-1 expression and/or the number of blood vessels.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the STRO-1+ cells and/or progeny cells thereof and/or soluble factors derived therefrom are administered in the form of a composition comprising said STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny cells thereof and/or soluble factors derived therefrom and a carrier and/or excipient.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the composition additionally comprises a factor that induces or enhances differentiation of progenitor cells into vascular cells or the composition comprises a tissue specific committed cell.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the diabetes mellitus is Type I or Type II diabetes mellitus.