Harnessing beta cell regeneration biology for diabetes therapy

• Published in: Trends in endocrinology and metabolism
• Main Authors: Bourgeois, Stephanie, Coenen, Sophie, Degroote, Laure, Willems, Lien, Van Mulders, Annelore, Pierreux, Julie, Heremans, Yves, De Leu, Nico, Staels, Willem
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Ltd 20.04.2024
• Subjects: beta cell regeneration; diabetes mellitus; personalized medicine; regenerative medicine; beta cell regeneration; diabetes mellitus; regenerative medicine; personalized medicine
• ISSN: 1043-2760; 1879-3061
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2024.03.006

Attaining a true diabetes cure hinges on restoring functional β-cell mass, with regeneration offering advantages over transplantation, yet remaining elusive.The regenerative pathway is likely influenced by the severity of β-cell injury, involving replication or redifferentiation after mild-to-severe loss and neogenesis or reprogramming after extreme loss.Precision in understanding pathophysiological mechanisms and quantifying residual β-cell mass is essential for advancing personalized medicine and integrating regenerative therapies for diabetes.Safety in regenerative therapies demands targeted compound delivery, while efficacy and treatment personalization require a combination of therapies. The pandemic scale of diabetes mellitus is alarming, its complications remain devastating, and current treatments still pose a major burden on those affected and on the healthcare system as a whole. As the disease emanates from the destruction or dysfunction of insulin-producing pancreatic β-cells, a real cure requires their restoration and protection. An attractive strategy is to regenerate β-cells directly within the pancreas; however, while several approaches for β-cell regeneration have been proposed in the past, clinical translation has proven challenging. This review scrutinizes recent findings in β-cell regeneration and discusses their potential clinical implementation. Hereby, we aim to delineate a path for innovative, targeted therapies to help shift from ‘caring for’ to ‘curing’ diabetes. The pandemic scale of diabetes mellitus is alarming, its complications remain devastating, and current treatments still pose a major burden on those affected and on the healthcare system as a whole. As the disease emanates from the destruction or dysfunction of insulin-producing pancreatic β-cells, a real cure requires their restoration and protection. An attractive strategy is to regenerate β-cells directly within the pancreas; however, while several approaches for β-cell regeneration have been proposed in the past, clinical translation has proven challenging. This review scrutinizes recent findings in β-cell regeneration and discusses their potential clinical implementation. Hereby, we aim to delineate a path for innovative, targeted therapies to help shift from ‘caring for’ to ‘curing’ diabetes.