In vivo regeneration of lost or dysfunctional islet β cells can fulfill the promise of improved therapy for diabetic patients. To achieve this, many mitogenic factors have been attempted, including gamma‐aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA remarkably affects pancreatic islet cells’ (α cells and β cells) function through paracrine and/or autocrine binding to its membrane receptors on these cells. GABA has also been studied for promoting the transformation of α cells to β cells. Nonetheless, the gimmickry of GABA‐induced α‐cell transformation to β cells has two different perspectives. On the one hand, GABA was found to induce α‐cell transformation to β cells in vivo and insulin‐secreting β‐like cells in vitro. On the other hand, GABA treatment showed that it has no α‐ to β‐cell transformation response. Here, we will summarize the physiological effects of GABA on pancreatic islet β cells with an emphasis on its regenerative effects for transdifferentiation of islet α cells to β cells. We will also critically discuss the controversial results about GABA‐mediated transdifferentiation of α cells to β cells.

中文翻译：

---

γ-氨基丁酸（GABA）通过胰腺α-细胞向β细胞的转分化而产生的mm动

丢失或功能异常的胰岛β细胞的体内再生可以满足改善糖尿病患者治疗的希望。为了达到这个目的，已经尝试了许多促有丝分裂因子，包括γ-氨基丁酸（GABA）。GABA通过旁分泌和/或自分泌与其在这些细胞上的膜受体结合而显着影响胰岛细胞（α细胞和β细胞）的功能。还已经研究了GABA用于促进α细胞向β细胞的转化。尽管如此，GABA诱导α细胞向β细胞转化的cells俩有两种不同的观点。一方面，发现GABA在体内可诱导α细胞转化为β细胞，在体外诱导胰岛素分泌的β样细胞。另一方面，GABA处理表明它没有从α细胞到β细胞的转化反应。这里，我们将总结GABA对胰岛β细胞的生理作用，并着重介绍其对胰岛α细胞向β细胞转分化的再生作用。我们还将批判性地讨论有关GABA介导的α细胞向β细胞转分化的争议性结果。