Repurposing Lesogaberan to Promote Human Islet Cell Survival and β-Cell Replication

Figure 3

Oral lesogaberan protects human islet β-cells from apoptosis in islet grafts in mice. Diabetic NOD/scid mice were implanted with human islets and treated with plain water or water containing lesogaberan (0.08 mg/ml) or GABA (6 mg/ml) for 48 h. The percentages of apoptotic islet cells and islet β-cells in total human islet cells were determined by TUNEL assay and costaining with anti-insulin as well as DAPI. At least 2000 human islet cells in 10 fields (magnification ×400) from individual grafts were counted. Data are representative image or expressed as the mean % ± SEM for each group of mice () from three separate experiments.(a) A representative image with white arrows indicating TUNEL⁺ cells (green for TUNEL⁺, red for anti-insulin⁺, and light blue for DAPI staining). (b) Percent apoptotic islet cells and (c) percent insulin⁺ islet cells. versus the control.

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