R01DK129196
Project Grant
Overview
Grant Description
Dream Complex Maintenance of Human Beta Cell Quiescence - Summary
Types 1 and 2 diabetes result entirely or in part from a reduction in numbers of normally functioning pancreatic beta cells. Residual beta cells are present in most people with diabetes, suggesting that regenerative therapies may be uniquely helpful. Inducing human beta cells to regenerate has proven impossible until recently. This has changed with the discovery by several labs of drugs that inhibit the kinase, DYRK1A, and which induce human beta cells to replicate at "rates", or more properly, "labeling indices", of ~2%. Proliferation can be augmented by combining DYRK1A inhibitors with TGF-Beta superfamily inhibitors or with GLP1 receptor agonists, generating labeling indices of 5-8%.
Although these are exciting advances, they also demonstrate that >90% of human beta cells are recalcitrant to cell cycle entry. The cause of this remarkable refractoriness to proliferation is poorly understood. DYRK1A inhibition alters intracellular trafficking of the NFAT family of transcription factors. In the course of our studies on human insulinomas, we have uncovered a parallel pathway, the DREAM-MMB complex, that also restricts human beta cell proliferation. We show here that the extended family of ~200 canonical DREAM-MMB complex genes and proteins appear to be present in human beta cells, and that DREAM complex is switched from a repressive to a proliferative configuration by DYRK1A inhibition. In addition, we have also observed potential overlapping roles for Trithorax and Polycomb complexes with the DREAM complex in restraining human beta cell proliferation.
Accordingly, in this application, we propose three specific aims:
Aim 1. Complete the characterization of the functional DREAM-MMB complex in the human beta cell.
Aim 2. Delineate candidate DREAM-MMB complex target genes in the human beta cell.
Aim 3. Define genome-wide integration of repressive and proliferative DREAM-MMB mediators with Trithorax and Polycomb chromatin regulators and DREAM target genes in human beta cells.
Our overarching goals are:
1) To clearly and comprehensively define the fundamental mechanisms that enforce quiescence in the adult human beta cell.
2) To more clearly elucidate the fundamental mechanisms through which DYRK1A inhibitors, TGFSS inhibitors, and GLP1RA's synergize to induce their remarkable rates of human beta cell proliferation.
3) To reveal novel pathways and further expand therapeutic targets for human beta cell regeneration for diabetes.
Types 1 and 2 diabetes result entirely or in part from a reduction in numbers of normally functioning pancreatic beta cells. Residual beta cells are present in most people with diabetes, suggesting that regenerative therapies may be uniquely helpful. Inducing human beta cells to regenerate has proven impossible until recently. This has changed with the discovery by several labs of drugs that inhibit the kinase, DYRK1A, and which induce human beta cells to replicate at "rates", or more properly, "labeling indices", of ~2%. Proliferation can be augmented by combining DYRK1A inhibitors with TGF-Beta superfamily inhibitors or with GLP1 receptor agonists, generating labeling indices of 5-8%.
Although these are exciting advances, they also demonstrate that >90% of human beta cells are recalcitrant to cell cycle entry. The cause of this remarkable refractoriness to proliferation is poorly understood. DYRK1A inhibition alters intracellular trafficking of the NFAT family of transcription factors. In the course of our studies on human insulinomas, we have uncovered a parallel pathway, the DREAM-MMB complex, that also restricts human beta cell proliferation. We show here that the extended family of ~200 canonical DREAM-MMB complex genes and proteins appear to be present in human beta cells, and that DREAM complex is switched from a repressive to a proliferative configuration by DYRK1A inhibition. In addition, we have also observed potential overlapping roles for Trithorax and Polycomb complexes with the DREAM complex in restraining human beta cell proliferation.
Accordingly, in this application, we propose three specific aims:
Aim 1. Complete the characterization of the functional DREAM-MMB complex in the human beta cell.
Aim 2. Delineate candidate DREAM-MMB complex target genes in the human beta cell.
Aim 3. Define genome-wide integration of repressive and proliferative DREAM-MMB mediators with Trithorax and Polycomb chromatin regulators and DREAM target genes in human beta cells.
Our overarching goals are:
1) To clearly and comprehensively define the fundamental mechanisms that enforce quiescence in the adult human beta cell.
2) To more clearly elucidate the fundamental mechanisms through which DYRK1A inhibitors, TGFSS inhibitors, and GLP1RA's synergize to induce their remarkable rates of human beta cell proliferation.
3) To reveal novel pathways and further expand therapeutic targets for human beta cell regeneration for diabetes.
Funding Goals
(1) TO PROMOTE EXTRAMURAL BASIC AND CLINICAL BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH THAT IMPROVES THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE MECHANISMS UNDERLYING DISEASE AND LEADS TO IMPROVED PREVENTIONS, DIAGNOSIS, AND TREATMENT OF DIABETES, DIGESTIVE, AND KIDNEY DISEASES. PROGRAMMATIC AREAS WITHIN THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DIABETES AND DIGESTIVE AND KIDNEY DISEASES INCLUDE DIABETES, DIGESTIVE, ENDOCRINE, HEMATOLOGIC, LIVER, METABOLIC, NEPHROLOGIC, NUTRITION, OBESITY, AND UROLOGIC DISEASES. SPECIFIC PROGRAMS AREAS OF INTEREST INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: (A) FOR DIABETES, ENDOCRINE, AND METABOLIC DISEASES AREAS: FUNDAMENTAL AND CLINICAL STUDIES INCLUDING THE ETIOLOGY, PATHOGENESIS, PREVENTION, DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT AND CURE OF DIABETES MELLITUS AND ITS COMPLICATIONS, NORMAL AND ABNORMAL FUNCTION OF THE PITUITARY, THYROID, PARATHYROID, ADRENAL, AND OTHER HORMONE SECRETING GLANDS, HORMONAL REGULATION OF BONE, ADIPOSE TISSUE, AND LIVER, ON FUNDAMENTAL ASPECTS OF SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION, INCLUDING THE ACTION OF HORMONES, COREGULATORS, AND CHROMATIN REMODELING PROTEINS, HORMONE BIOSYNTHESIS, SECRETION, METABOLISM, AND BINDING, AND ON HORMONAL REGULATION OF GENE EXPRESSION AND THE ROLE(S) OF SELECTIVE RECEPTOR MODULATORS AS PARTIAL AGONISTS OR ANTAGONISTS OF HORMONE ACTION, AND FUNDAMENTAL STUDIES RELEVANT TO METABOLIC DISORDERS INCLUDING MEMBRANE STRUCTURE, FUNCTION, AND TRANSPORT PHENOMENA AND ENZYME BIOSYNTHESIS, AND BASIC AND CLINICAL STUDIES ON THE ETIOLOGY, PATHOGENESIS, PREVENTION, AND TREATMENT OF INHERITED METABOLIC DISORDERS (SUCH AS CYSTIC FIBROSIS). (B) FOR DIGESTIVE DISEASE AND NUTRITION AREAS: GENETICS AND GENOMICS OF THE GI TRACT AND ITS DISEASES, GENETICS AND GENOMICS OF LIVER/PANCREAS AND DISEASES, GENETICS AND GENOMICS OF NUTRITION, GENETICS AND GENOMICS OF OBESITY, BARIATRIC SURGERY, CLINICAL NUTRITION RESEARCH, CLINICAL OBESITY RESEARCH, COMPLICATIONS OF CHRONIC LIVER DISEASE, FATTY LIVER DISEASE, GENETIC LIVER DISEASE, HIV AND LIVER, CELL INJURY, REPAIR, FIBROSIS AND INFLAMMATION IN THE LIVER, LIVER CANCER, LIVER TRANSPLANTATION, PEDIATRIC LIVER DISEASE, VIRAL HEPATITIS AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES, GASTROINTESTINAL AND NUTRITION EFFECTS OF AIDS, GASTROINTESTINAL MUCOSAL AND IMMUNOLOGY, GASTROINTESTINAL MOTILITY, BASIC NEUROGASTROENTEROLOGY, GASTROINTESTINAL DEVELOPMENT, GASTROINTESTINAL EPITHELIAL BIOLOGY, GASTROINTESTINAL INFLAMMATION, DIGESTIVE DISEASES EPIDEMIOLOGY AND DATA SYSTEMS, NUTRITIONAL EPIDEMIOLOGY AND DATA SYSTEMS, AUTOIMMUNE LIVER DISEASE, BILE, BILIRUBIN AND CHOLESTASIS, BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY RELATED TO DIGESTIVE DISEASES, LIVER, NUTRITION AND OBESITY, CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE LIVER, DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY AND REGENERATION, DRUG-INDUCED LIVER DISEASE, GALLBLADDER DISEASE AND BILIARY DISEASES, EXOCRINE PANCREAS BIOLOGY AND DISEASES, GASTROINTESTINAL NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY, GASTROINTESTINAL TRANSPORT AND ABSORPTION, NUTRIENT METABOLISM, PEDIATRIC CLINICAL OBESITY, CLINICAL TRIALS IN DIGESTIVE DISEASES, LIVER CLINICAL TRIALS, OBESITY PREVENTION AND TREATMENT, AND OBESITY AND EATING DISORDERS. (C) FOR KIDNEY, UROLOGIC AND HEMATOLOGIC DISEASES AREAS: STUDIES OF THE DEVELOPMENT, PHYSIOLOGY, AND CELL BIOLOGY OF THE KIDNEY, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF THE KIDNEY, GENETICS OF KIDNEY DISORDERS, IMMUNE MECHANISMS OF KIDNEY DISEASE, KIDNEY DISEASE AS A COMPLICATION OF DIABETES, EFFECTS OF DRUGS, NEPHROTOXINS AND ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS ON THE KIDNEY, MECHANISMS OF KIDNEY INJURY REPAIR, IMPROVED DIAGNOSIS, PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE AND END-STAGE RENAL DISEASE, IMPROVED APPROACHES TO MAINTENANCE DIALYSIS THERAPIES, BASIC STUDIES OF LOWER URINARY TRACT CELL BIOLOGY, DEVELOPMENT, PHYSIOLOGY, AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, CLINICAL STUDIES OF BLADDER DYSFUNCTION, INCONTINENCE, PYELONEPHRITIS, INTERSTITIAL CYSTITIS, BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA, UROLITHIASIS, AND VESICOURETERAL REFLUX, DEVELOPMENT OF NOVEL DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS AND IMPROVED THERAPIES, INCLUDING TISSUE ENGINEERING STRATEGIES, FOR UROLOGIC DISORDERS,RESEARCH ON HEMATOPOIETIC CELL DIFFERENTIATION, METABOLISM OF IRON OVERLOAD AND DEFICIENCY, STRUCTURE, BIOSYNTHESIS AND GENETIC REGULATION OF HEMOGLOBIN, AS WELL AS RESEARCH ON THE ETIOLOGY, PATHOGENESIS, AND THERAPEUTIC MODALITIES FOR THE ANEMIA OF INFLAMMATION AND CHRONIC DISEASES. (2) TO ENCOURAGE BASIC AND CLINICAL RESEARCH TRAINING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENTISTS DURING THE EARLY STAGES OF THEIR CAREERS. THE RUTH L. KIRSCHSTEIN NATIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE AWARD (NRSA) FUNDS BASIC AND CLINICAL RESEARCH TRAINING, SUPPORT FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT, AND THE TRANSITION FROM POSTDOCTORAL BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH TRAINING TO INDEPENDENT RESEARCH RELATED TO DIABETES, DIGESTIVE, ENDOCRINE, HEMATOLOGIC, LIVER, METABOLIC, NEPHROLOGIC, NUTRITION, OBESITY, AND UROLOGIC DISEASES. (3) TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE THE SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PROGRAM. THE SBIR PROGRAM AIMS TO INCREASE AND FACILITATE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, TO ENHANCE SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION IN FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION. (4) TO UTILIZE THE SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (STTR) PROGRAM. THE STTR PROGRAM INTENDS TO STIMULATE AND FOSTER SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION THROUGH COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CARRIED OUT BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO FOSTER TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION.
Grant Program (CFDA)
Awarding / Funding Agency
Place of Performance
New York,
New York
100296504
United States
Geographic Scope
Single Zip Code
Related Opportunity
Analysis Notes
Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 395% from $615,287 to $3,048,223.
Icahn School Of Medicine At Mount Sinai was awarded
Enhancing Human Beta Cell Quiescence for Diabetes Regeneration
Project Grant R01DK129196
worth $3,048,223
from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases in July 2021 with work to be completed primarily in New York New York United States.
The grant
has a duration of 4 years 10 months and
was awarded through assistance program 93.847 Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research.
The Project Grant was awarded through grant opportunity NIH Research Project Grant (Parent R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed).
Status
(Ongoing)
Last Modified 5/20/25
Period of Performance
7/1/21
Start Date
5/31/26
End Date
Funding Split
$3.0M
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$3.0M
Total Obligated
Activity Timeline
Transaction History
Modifications to R01DK129196
Additional Detail
Award ID FAIN
R01DK129196
SAI Number
R01DK129196-518026208
Award ID URI
SAI UNAVAILABLE
Awardee Classifications
Private Institution Of Higher Education
Awarding Office
75NK00 NIH National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Funding Office
75NK00 NIH National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Awardee UEI
C8H9CNG1VBD9
Awardee CAGE
1QSQ9
Performance District
NY-13
Senators
Kirsten Gillibrand
Charles Schumer
Charles Schumer
Budget Funding
| Federal Account | Budget Subfunction | Object Class | Total | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Health and Human Services (075-0884) | Health research and training | Grants, subsidies, and contributions (41.0) | $1,228,756 | 100% |
Modified: 5/20/25