Transcription Factors in Deriving β Cell Regeneration: A Potential Novel Therapeutic Target

Recently, remarkable advances have been achieved in the molecular biopathology field and researchers turned to evaluate the role, molecular mechanisms, and clinical value of transcription factors in curing a variety of parenchymal degenerative pathologies. Special agents have the capability to cell lineage reprogramming termed transcription factors with a capacity for gene expression modification. Therefore, whatever niche factor may modify gene expression is termed as a transcription factor. A variety of transcription factors have been identified to participate in the regulation of pancreatic stem cell maturation, differentiation, and proliferation; primarily, not only Pdx1, NeuroG3, and MafA, but transcription factors can also transdifferentiate somatic cells in between, liver and gallbladder cells into insulin-producing cells. These heterogenic capabilities of the transcription factors are of clinical significance since they can control cells' regeneration capacity. Physiologically, the pancreatic cells are subdivided into exocrine and endocrine cells. Pancreatic endocrine dysfunction is clinically more common and of more clinical relevance. The paper will illustrate the role and possible mechanisms of transcription factors in the transdifferentiation of endodermderived somatic cells into pancreatic beta-like cells. Clinically, understanding the potential mechanisms in generating physiologic beta cells is extremely crucial to optimize current therapies and evaluate new therapeutic targets via recruiting specific transcription factors. The transcription factors can be applied to both types of diabetes and chronic pancreatitis.