Present and potential future use of gene therapy for the treatment of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (Review).

This review describes the latest approaches towards using gene therapy as a treatment for non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM; Type 2 diabetes). We examine attempts to directly deliver the insulin gene to non-beta-cells, to improve insulin secretion from existing beta-cells and to develop ex vivo approaches to implanting genetically modified cells. Future research into the pathology of non-insulin dependent diabetes, combined with the latest developments in gene delivery systems, may potentially make gene therapy an attractive alternative NIDDM treatment in the future.