@article {G{\"u}nther994, author = {G{\"u}nther, Lukas and Berberat, Pascal O. and Haga, Manabu and Brouard, Sophie and Smith, R. Neal and Soares, Miguel P. and Bach, Fritz H. and Tobiasch, Edda}, title = {Carbon Monoxide Protects Pancreatic β-Cells From Apoptosis and Improves Islet Function/Survival After Transplantation}, volume = {51}, number = {4}, pages = {994--999}, year = {2002}, doi = {10.2337/diabetes.51.4.994}, publisher = {American Diabetes Association}, abstract = {Pancreatic islets transplanted to treat autoimmune type 1 diabetes often fail to function (primary nonfunction), likely because of islet β-cell apoptosis. We show that carbon monoxide (CO), a product of heme oxygenase activity, protects β-cells from apoptosis. Protection is mediated through guanylate cyclase activation, generation of cyclic GMP (cGMP), and activation of cGMP-dependent protein kinases. This antiapoptotic effect is still observed when β-cells are exposed to CO for 1 h before the apoptotic stimulus. In a similar manner, mouse islets exposed to CO for just 2 h function significantly better after transplantation than islets not exposed to CO. These findings suggest a potential therapeutic application for CO in improving islet function/survival after transplantation in humans.}, issn = {0012-1797}, URL = {https://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/51/4/994}, eprint = {https://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/51/4/994.full.pdf}, journal = {Diabetes} }