Loss of β-cell identity and diabetic phenotype in mice caused by disruption of CNOT3-dependent mRNA deadenylation (original) (raw)

RNA-Seq Analysis of Islets to Characterise the Dedifferentiation in Type 2 Diabetes Model Mice db/db

Endocrine Pathology, 2018

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a global health issue and dedifferentiation plays underlying causes in the pathophysiology of T2D; however, there is a lack of understanding in the mechanism. Dedifferentiation results from the loss of function of pancreatic βcells alongside a reduction in essential transcription factors under various physiological stressors. Our study aimed to establish db/db as an animal model for dedifferentiation by using RNA sequencing to compare the gene expression profile in islets isolated from wild-type, db/+ and db/db mice, and qPCR was performed to validate those significant genes. A reduction in both insulin secretion and the expression of Ins1, Ins2, Glut2, Pdx1 and MafA was indicative of dedifferentiation in db/db islets. A comparison of the db/+ and the wild-type islets indicated a reduction in insulin secretion perhaps related to the decreased Mt1. A significant reduction in both Rn45s and Mir6236 was identified in db/+ compared to wild-type islets, which may be indicative of pre-diabetic state. A further significant reduction in RasGRF1, Igf1R and Htt was also identified in dedifferentiated db/db islets. Molecular characterisation of the db/db islets was performed via Ingenuity analysis which identified highly significant genes that may represent new molecular markers of dedifferentiation.

Suppression of islet homeostasis protein thwarts diabetes mellitus progression

Laboratory Investigation, 2017

During progression to type 1 diabetes, insulin-producing β-cells are lost through an autoimmune attack resulting in unrestrained glucagon expression and secretion, activation of glycogenolysis, and escalating hyperglycemia. We recently identified a protein, designated islet homeostasis protein (IHoP), which specifically co-localizes within glucagon-positive α-cells and is overexpressed in the islets of both post-onset non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice and type 1 diabetes patients. Here we report that in the αTC1.9 mouse α-cell line, IHoP was released in response to high-glucose challenge and was found to regulate secretion of glucagon. We also show that in NOD mice with diabetes, major histocompatibility complex class II was upregulated in islets. In addition hyperglycemia was modulated in NOD mice via suppression of IHoP utilizing small interfering RNA (IHoP-siRNA) constructs/approaches. Suppression of IHoP in the pre-diabetes setting maintained normoglycemia, glyconeolysis, and fostered β-cell restoration in NOD mice 35 weeks post treatment. Furthermore, we performed adoptive transfer experiments using splenocytes from IHoP-siRNA-treated NOD/ShiLtJ mice, which thwarted the development of hyperglycemia and the extent of insulitis seen in recipient mice. Last, IHoP can be detected in the serum of human type 1 diabetes patients and could potentially serve as an early novel biomarker for type 1 diabetes in patients.

The CCR4-NOT Complex Maintains ß-Cell Identity through the Repression of ß-Cell Disallowed Genes

Diabetes, 2018

Loss of β-cell identity, dedifferentiation and reprogramming are recognized as mechanisms of β-cell dysfunction in diabetes. Molecular β-cell identity is not only defined by the expression of signature functional β-cell specific genes but also the repression of several genes recently identified in β-cell research as β-cell disallowed genes. The molecular mechanisms involved in the repression of β-cell disallowed genes are largely unknown. Here, we show that the CCR4-NOT complex, a major deadenylase conserved in eukaryotes, is involved in post-transcriptional regulation of β-cell disallowed genes. β-cell specific depletion of CNOT3 (CNOT3βKO), a CCR4-NOT complex subunit, in mice promotes deceased insulin secretion, early impaired glucose tolerance and the development of overt diabetes at 12 weeks of age. CNOT3βKO islets display decreased insulin content and decreased glucose responsiveness. Furthermore, CNOT3 depleted ß cells exhibit ultrastructural abnormalities including: degranula...

Cluster analysis of rat pancreatic islet gene mRNA levels after culture in low-, intermediate-and high-glucose concentrations

2009

Aims/hypothesis Survival and function of insulin-secreting pancreatic beta cells are markedly altered by changes in nutrient availability. In vitro, culture in 10 rather than 2 mmol/l glucose improves rodent beta cell survival and function, whereas glucose concentrations above 10 mmol/l are deleterious. Methods To identify the mechanisms of such beta cell plasticity, we tested the effects of 18 h culture at 2, 5, 10 and 30 mmol/l glucose on the transcriptome of rat islets precultured for 1 week at 10 mmol/l glucose using Affymetrix Rat 230 2.0 arrays. Results Culture in either 2-5 or 30 mmol/l instead of 10 mmol/l glucose markedly impaired beta cell function, while little affecting cell survival. Of about 16,000 probesets reliably detected in islets, some 5,000 were significantly up-or downregulated at least 1.4-fold by glucose. Analysis of these probe-sets with GeneCluster software identified ten mRNA profiles with unidirectional up-or downregulation between 2 and 10, 2 and 30, 5 and 10, 5 and 30 or 10 and 30 mmol/l glucose. It also identified eight complex V-shaped or inverse V-shaped profiles with a nadir or peak level of expression in 5 or 10 mmol/l glucose. Analysis of genes belonging to these various clusters using Onto-express and GenMAPP software revealed several signalling and metabolic pathways that may contribute to induction of beta cell dysfunction and apoptosis after culture in low-or high-vs intermediate-glucose concentration. Conclusions/interpretation We have identified 18 distinct mRNA profiles of glucose-induced changes in islet gene mRNA levels that should help understand the mechanisms by which glucose affects beta cell survival and function under states of chronic hypo-or hyperglycaemia. Keywords Apoptosis. Beta cell. Cluster analysis. Endoplasmic reticulum stress response. Phenotypic plasticity Abbreviations [Ca 2+ ] i Intracellular Ca 2+ concentration ER Endoplasmic reticulum G10 10 mmol/l glucose (G2, G5, G20 and G30 for 2, 5, 20 and 30 mmol/l glucose, respectively) GSIS Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion ISR Integrated stress response UPR Unfolded protein response

Chronic Hyperglycemia Triggers Loss of Pancreatic β Cell Differentiation in an Animal Model of Diabetes

Journal of Biological Chemistry, 1999

Differentiated pancreatic ␤ cells are unique in their ability to secrete insulin in response to a rise in plasma glucose. We have proposed that the unique constellation of genes they express may be lost in diabetes due to the deleterious effect of chronic hyperglycemia. To test this hypothesis, Sprague-Dawley rats were submitted to a 85-95% pancreatectomy or sham pancreatectomy. One week later, the animals developed mild to severe chronic hyperglycemia that was stable for the next 3 weeks, without significant alteration of plasma nonesterified fatty acid levels. Expression of many genes important for glucose-induced insulin release decreased progressively with increasing hyperglycemia, in parallel with a reduction of several islet transcription factors involved in ␤ cell development and differentiation. In contrast, genes barely expressed in sham islets (lactate dehydrogenase A and hexokinase I) were markedly increased, in parallel with an increase in the transcription factor c-Myc, a potent stimulator of cell growth. These abnormalities were accompanied by ␤ cell hypertrophy. Changes in gene expression were fully developed 2 weeks after pancreatectomy. Correction of blood glucose by phlorizin for the next 2 weeks normalized islet gene expression and ␤ cell volume without affecting plasma nonesterified fatty acid levels, strongly suggesting that hyperglycemia triggers these abnormalities. In conclusion, chronic hyperglycemia leads to ␤ cell hypertrophy and loss of ␤ cell differentiation that is correlated with changes in c-Myc and other key transcription factors. A similar change in ␤ cell differentiation could contribute to the profound derangement of insulin secretion in human diabetes.

Pancreatic β cell identity requires continual repression of non-β cell programs

The Journal of clinical investigation, 2017

Loss of β cell identity, the presence of polyhormonal cells, and reprogramming are emerging as important features of β cell dysfunction in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. In this study, we have demonstrated that the transcription factor NKX2.2 is essential for the active maintenance of adult β cell identity as well as function. Deletion of Nkx2.2 in β cells caused rapid onset of a diabetic phenotype in mice that was attributed to loss of insulin and downregulation of many β cell functional genes. Concomitantly, NKX2.2-deficient murine β cells acquired non-β cell endocrine features, resulting in populations of completely reprogrammed cells and bihormonal cells that displayed hybrid endocrine cell morphological characteristics. Molecular analysis in mouse and human islets revealed that NKX2.2 is a conserved master regulatory protein that controls the acquisition and maintenance of a functional, monohormonal β cell identity by directly activating critical β cell genes and act...

Islet-1 Is essential for pancreatic β-cell function

Diabetes, 2014

Islet-1 (Isl-1) is essential for the survival and ensuing differentiation of pancreatic endocrine progenitors. Isl-1 remains expressed in all adult pancreatic endocrine lineages; however, its specific function in the postnatal pancreas is unclear. Here we determine whether Isl-1 plays a distinct role in the postnatal β-cell by performing physiological and morphometric analyses of a tamoxifen-inducible, β-cell-specific Isl-1 loss-of-function mouse: Isl-1(L/L); Pdx1-CreER(Tm). Ablating Isl-1 in postnatal β-cells reduced glucose tolerance without significantly reducing β-cell mass or increasing β-cell apoptosis. Rather, islets from Isl-1(L/L); Pdx1-CreER(Tm) mice showed impaired insulin secretion. To identify direct targets of Isl-1, we integrated high-throughput gene expression and Isl-1 chromatin occupancy using islets from Isl-1(L/L); Pdx1-CreER(Tm) mice and βTC3 insulinoma cells, respectively. Ablating Isl-1 significantly affected the β-cell transcriptome, including known targets I...

Mechanisms of β-cell dedifferentiation in diabetes: recent findings and future research directions

Journal of Endocrinology

Like all the cells of an organism, pancreatic β-cells originate from embryonic stem cells through a complex cellular process termed differentiation. Differentiation involves the coordinated and tightly controlled activation/repression of specific effectors and gene clusters in a time-dependent fashion thereby giving rise to particular morphological and functional cellular features. Interestingly, cellular differentiation is not a unidirectional process. Indeed, growing evidence suggests that under certain conditions, mature β-cells can lose, to various degrees, their differentiated phenotype and cellular identity and regress to a less differentiated or a precursor-like state. This concept is termed dedifferentiation and has been proposed, besides cell death, as a contributing factor to the loss of functional β-cell mass in diabetes. β-cell dedifferentiation involves: (1) the downregulation of β-cell-enriched genes, including key transcription factors, insulin, glucose metabolism gen...

Chronic Hyperglycemia Triggers Loss of Pancreatic beta Cell Differentiation in an Animal Model of Diabetes

Journal of Biological Chemistry, 1999

Differentiated pancreatic ␤ cells are unique in their ability to secrete insulin in response to a rise in plasma glucose. We have proposed that the unique constellation of genes they express may be lost in diabetes due to the deleterious effect of chronic hyperglycemia. To test this hypothesis, Sprague-Dawley rats were submitted to a 85-95% pancreatectomy or sham pancreatectomy. One week later, the animals developed mild to severe chronic hyperglycemia that was stable for the next 3 weeks, without significant alteration of plasma nonesterified fatty acid levels. Expression of many genes important for glucose-induced insulin release decreased progressively with increasing hyperglycemia, in parallel with a reduction of several islet transcription factors involved in ␤ cell development and differentiation. In contrast, genes barely expressed in sham islets (lactate dehydrogenase A and hexokinase I) were markedly increased, in parallel with an increase in the transcription factor c-Myc, a potent stimulator of cell growth. These abnormalities were accompanied by ␤ cell hypertrophy. Changes in gene expression were fully developed 2 weeks after pancreatectomy. Correction of blood glucose by phlorizin for the next 2 weeks normalized islet gene expression and ␤ cell volume without affecting plasma nonesterified fatty acid levels, strongly suggesting that hyperglycemia triggers these abnormalities. In conclusion, chronic hyperglycemia leads to ␤ cell hypertrophy and loss of ␤ cell differentiation that is correlated with changes in c-Myc and other key transcription factors. A similar change in ␤ cell differentiation could contribute to the profound derangement of insulin secretion in human diabetes.

A feat of metabolic proportions: Pdx1 orchestrates islet development and function in the maintenance of glucose homeostasis

Molecular Genetics and Metabolism, 2007

Emerging evidence over the past decade indicates a central role for transcription factors in the embryonic development of pancreatic islets and the consequent maintenance of normal glucose homeostasis. Pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1 (Pdx1) is the best studied and perhaps most important of these factors. Whereas deletion or inactivating mutations of the Pdx1 gene causes whole pancreas agenesis in both mice and humans, even haploinsufficiency of the gene or alterations in its expression in mature islet cells causes substantial impairments in glucose tolerance and the development of a late-onset form of diabetes known as maturity onset diabetes of the young. The study of Pdx1 has revealed crucial phenotypic interrelationships of the varied cell types within the pancreas, particularly as these impinge upon cellular differentiation in the embryo and neogenesis and regeneration in the adult. In this review, we describe the actions of Pdx1 in the developing and mature pancreas and attempt to unify these actions with its known roles in modulating transcriptional complex formation and chromatin structure at the molecular genetic level.