Amyloid inhibitors enhance survival of cultured human islets

Amyloid fibrils created by misfolding and aggregation of proteins are a major pathological feature in a variety of degenerative diseases. Therapeutic approaches including amyloid vaccines and anti-aggregation compounds in models of amyloidosis point to an important role for amyloid in disease pathogenesis. Amyloid deposits derived from the beta-cell peptide islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP or amylin) are a characteristic of type 2 diabetes and may contribute to loss of beta-cells in this disease.

We developed a cellular model of rapid amyloid deposition using cultured human islets and observed a correlation between fibril accumulation and beta-cell death. A series of overlapping peptides derived from IAPP was generated.

A potent inhibitor (ANFLVH) of human IAPP aggregation was identified. This inhibitory peptide prevented IAPP fibril formation in vitro and in human islet cultures leading to a striking increase in islet cell viability.

These findings indicate an important contribution of IAPP aggregation to beta-cell death in situ and point to therapeutic applications for inhibitors of IAPP aggregation in enhancing beta-cell survival.

Anti-amyloid compounds could potentially reduce the loss of beta-cell mass in type 2 diabetes and maintain healthy human islet cultures for beta-cell replacement therapies.