AGENTS FOR PROLIFERATING PANCREATIC BETA-CELLS OF THE ISLETS OF LANGERHANS, AGENTS FOR SUPPRESSING APOPTOSIS OF SAID CELLS, AND SCREENING OF CANDIDATE COMPOUNDS FOR THESE AGENTS

摘要

It is indicated that the expression of Reg gene in .szlig. cells can beremarkably induced and thus the proliferation of .szlig. cells can be promotedby using an inflammation transmitter IL-6 together with glucocorticoid. It isalso indicated that HGF inhibits apoptosis induced by Reg protein and that IL-6 and glucocorticoid induce the expression of HGF gene in cells. PARPinhibitors such as nicotinic acid amide and 3-aminobenzamide further enhancethe induction of the expression of these genes. Moreover, the expressioninduction mechanism is analyzed by using the promoter regions of Reg gene andHGF gene and a method of efficiently screening candidate compounds for thesegene expression inducers is developed.