Reference Room

• Reversal of Diabetes in Non-Obese Diabetic Mice without Spleen Cell-Derived β Cell Regeneration, Science, March 2006.
• Islet Recovery and Reversal of Murine Type 1 Diabetes in the Absence of Any Infused Spleen Cell Contribution, Science, March 2006.
• Immunological Reversal of Autoimmune Diabetes without Hematopoietic Replacement of β Cells, Science, March 2006.
  • Independent confirmation of the ability to reverse established diabetes in the NOD mouse using the protocols first published by Keel’s co-founder Dr. Denise Faustman.  Unlike Dr. Faustman, these authors did not see any contribution of a donor-derived, adult stem cell to the regeneration of the islets of the mouse.

• Regenerative Medicine:  A Radical Reappraisal of the Spleen, TRENDS in Molecular Medicine, June 2005.
  • Review of evidence that the adult spleen may be a reservoir of stem cells with multi-lineage potential.

• The Therapeutic Potential of Tumor Necrosis Factor for Autoimmune Disease:  A Mechanistically Based Hypothesis, Cell and Molecular Life Sciences, June 2005.
  • Review of evidence that drugs that boost or restore the action of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) may have beneficial effects for autoimmune disease patients.

• Diabetes and Stem Cell Researchers Turn to the Lowly Spleen, Science of Aging Knowledge Environment, January 2005.
  • Review of evidence that the adult spleen may be a reservoir of stem cells with multi-lineage potential.

• Islet Regeneration During the Reversal of Autoimmune Diabetes in NOD Mice, Science, November 2003.
  • Demonstration by the laboratory of Keel’s co-founder Dr. Denise Faustman that established diabetes in the NOD mouse could be reversed using their previously published protocols and that an adult stem cell from the mouse spleen could enhance the regeneration of the islets.

• Reversal of Established Autoimmune Diabetes By Restoration of Endogenous β Cell Function, Journal of Clinical Investigation, July 2001.
  • First publication by the laboratory of Keel’s co-founder Dr. Denise Faustman that established diabetes in the NOD mouse could be reversed using a novel protocol and that islet function could be restored.

• Essential Role of Human Leukocyte Antigen-encoded Proteasome Subunits in NF-κB Activation and Prevention of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α-induced Apoptosis, The Journal of Biological Chemistry, February 2000.
  • Publication by the laboratory of Keel’s co-founder Dr. Denise Faustman showing that certain proteasome subunits are essential for NF-κB activation in the mouse, that homologous subunits are essential for NF-κB activation in humans, and that defects in the expression of such subunits results in cell sensitivity to TNF-induced cell death (apoptosis).   Because such defects are confined to autoreactive lymphocytes in autoimmune patients, this work forms the basis for Keel’s approach to treating autoimmunity by targeting the disease-causing cells for destruction.

• NOD Mice Are Defective in Proteasome Production and Activation of NF-κB, Molecular and Cellular Biology, December 1999.
  • Publication by the laboratory of Keel’s co-founder Dr. Denise Faustman showing that the NOD mouse is defective in the expression of certain proteasome subunits essential for NF-κB activation and that such defects contribute to the pathogenesis of diabetes in the NOD mouse.