Therapeutic Approaches for Preserving or Restoring Pancreatic β-Cell Function and Mass

• Main Authors: Kyong Yeun Jung, Kyoung Min Kim, Soo Lim
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korean Diabetes Association 2014-12-01
• Series: Diabetes & Metabolism Journal
• Subjects: β-Cell function; β-Cell mass; Therapeutic agents
• Online Access: http://e-dmj.org/Synapse/Data/PDFData/2004DMJ/dmj-38-426.pdf

The goal for the treatment of patients with diabetes has today shifted from merely reducing glucose concentrations to preventing the natural decline in β-cell function and delay the progression of disease. Pancreatic β-cell dysfunction and decreased β-cell mass are crucial in the development of diabetes. The β-cell defects are the main pathogenesis in patients with type 1 diabetes and are associated with type 2 diabetes as the disease progresses. Recent studies suggest that human pancreatic β-cells have a capacity for increased proliferation according to increased demands for insulin. In humans, β-cell mass has been shown to increase in patients showing insulin-resistance states such as obesity or in pregnancy. This capacity might be useful for identifying new therapeutic strategies to reestablish a functional β-cell mass. In this context, therapeutic approaches designed to increase β-cell mass might prove a significant way to manage diabetes and prevent its progression. This review describes the various β-cell defects that appear in patients with diabetes and outline the mechanisms of β-cell failure. We also review common methods for assessing β-cell function and mass and methodological limitations in vivo. Finally, we discuss the current therapeutic approaches to improve β-cell function and increase β-cell mass.