日時：	2022年11月15日（火）14：00～　Nov 15, 2022 (Tue), 2pm
場所：	CiRA auditorium Also via on Zoom (Pre-registration required) [Meeting ID: 864 9868 7764, Passcode: 723571]
演者：	Dr. Stephen Dalton Professor and Global STEM Scholar School of Biomedical Sciences Faculty of Medicine Chinese University of Hong Kong
演題：	DEVELOPING NEW THERAPIES FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES USING hPSC-DERIVED BROWN AND BEIGE ADIPOCYTES

講演要旨

Nearly all drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes (T2D) target the liver, pancreas, intestines, or
kidneys and function by normalizing blood glucose levels, as monitored through hemoglobin A1C
levels. Metformin and other biguanides control circulating glucose levels by inhibiting glucose
production in the liver whereas sulfonylureas, dipeptidyl-peptidase inhibitors, and meglitinides
stimulate insulin secretion by pancreatic b-cells. Other drugs, such as a-glucosidase and SGLT2
inhibitors, control intestinal carbohydrate digestion/absorption and block glucose reabsorption by the
kidneys, respectively. Many of these drugs have potential side effects, including weight gain, nausea,
diarrhoea, vomiting, and hypoglycemia and only reduce A1C levels by 0.5-2.0%. Consequently, T2D
patients often rely on dual-drug therapies (A1C >9) or triple-drug therapies (A1C >10) in conjunction
with injectable insulin. Over time, the efficacy of these treatments decreases. These points highlight
the need to develop new therapies with new targets and mechanisms of action.
Targeting the metabolic activity of brown and beige adipocytes (BAs) represents an
unexplored strategy for treating T2D and pre-diabetes. Beige and brown adipose depots have critical
roles in metabolic homeostasis by regulating the clearance of circulating glucose and triglycerides,
and by improving insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetic patients. Furthermore, BAs improve the clinical
status of individuals with obesity-associated co-morbidities, such as cardiovascular disease and
obesity. Increasing the metabolic activity of brown and beige adipocyte activity is, therefore, likely to
have a significant clinical impact by ameliorating diabetic hyperglycemia.
The Dalton laboratory has recently developed technology for the efficient generation of brown
and beige adipocytes from human pluripotent stem cells (Zhang et al., Cell Stem Cell 2020; Singh, A.
et al., Nature Comms. 2020). This opens new avenues for the development of new treatments for
T2D in the cell therapy and drug discovery areas. This talk will focus on the generation of BAs from
hPSCs and will outline pathways for therapeutic development.

[Abstract provided by the speaker; Seminar will be given in English]

 

Contact: Takahiro Ito, Div. Cell Fate Dynamics and Therapeutics, LiMe
takahiro.ito*infront.kyoto-u.ac.jp; Ph: 075-751-4809（*を＠に変えてください。）
医生物学研究所 伊藤貴浩（がん・幹細胞シグナル分野）