The pancreatic and duodenal homeobox factor-1 (PDX-1), also known as IDX-1/STF-1/IPF1, a homeodomaincontaining transcription factor, plays a central role in regulating pancreatic development and insulin gene transcription. Furthermore, even in adults, PDX-1 is associated with islet neogenesis and differentiation of insulin-producing cells from progenitor cells. Here, we report for the first time that PDX-1 protein can permeate cells due to an Antennapedia-like protein transduction domain

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... e in its structure and that transduced PDX-1 functions similarly to endogenous PDX-1; it binds to the insulin promoter and activates its expression. PDX-1 protein can also permeate into isolated pancreatic islets, which leads to stimulation of insulin gene expression. Moreover, PDX-1 protein transduced into cultures of pancreatic ducts, thought to be islet progenitor cells, induces insulin gene expression. These data suggest that PDX-1 protein transduction could be a safe and valuable strategy for enhancing insulin gene transcription and for facilitating differentiation of ductal progenitor cells into insulinproducing cells without requiring gene transfer technology. . FITC, fluorescein isothiocyanate; GK, glucokinase; HRP, horseradish peroxidase; IAPP, islet amyloid polypeptide; PDX-1, pancreatic and duodenal homeobox factor-1; PTD, protein transduction domain; TBST, Tris-buffered saline with Tween.