scholarly journals The Cells of the Islets of Langerhans

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriela Da Silva Xavier
Keyword(s):  
Islets Of Langerhans ◽  
Islet Cell ◽  
Islet Cells ◽  
Cell Mass ◽  
Current Data ◽  
Treatment Modalities ◽  
Human Pancreas ◽  
Β Cells ◽  
Β Cell ◽  
Islet Mass

Islets of Langerhans are islands of endocrine cells scattered throughout the pancreas. A number of new studies have pointed to the potential for conversion of non-β islet cells in to insulin-producing β-cells to replenish β-cell mass as a means to treat diabetes. Understanding normal islet cell mass and function is important to help advance such treatment modalities: what should be the target islet/β-cell mass, does islet architecture matter to energy homeostasis, and what may happen if we lose a particular population of islet cells in favour of β-cells? These are all questions to which we will need answers for islet replacement therapy by transdifferentiation of non-β islet cells to be a reality in humans. We know a fair amount about the biology of β-cells but not quite as much about the other islet cell types. Until recently, we have not had a good grasp of islet mass and distribution in the human pancreas. In this review, we will look at current data on islet cells, focussing more on non-β cells, and on human pancreatic islet mass and distribution.

scholarly journals Regulation of Insulin Secretion and β-Cell Mass by Activating Signal Cointegrator 2

2006 ◽  
Vol 26 (12) ◽  
pp. 4553-4563 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seon-Yong Yeom ◽  
Geun Hyang Kim ◽  
Chan Hee Kim ◽  
Heun Don Jung ◽  
So-Yeon Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Insulin Secretion ◽  
Endocrine Cells ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Cell Mass ◽  
Dominant Negative ◽  
Transcriptional Coactivator ◽  
Β Cells ◽  
Β Cell ◽  
Islet Mass

ABSTRACT Activating signal cointegrator 2 (ASC-2) is a transcriptional coactivator of many nuclear receptors (NRs) and other transcription factors and contains two NR-interacting LXXLL motifs (NR boxes). In the pancreas, ASC-2 is expressed only in the endocrine cells of the islets of Langerhans, but not in the exocrine cells. Thus, we examined the potential role of ASC-2 in insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells. Overexpressed ASC-2 increased glucose-elicited insulin secretion, whereas insulin secretion was decreased in islets from ASC-2+/− mice. DN1 and DN2 are two dominant-negative fragments of ASC-2 that contain NR boxes 1 and 2, respectively, and block the interactions of cognate NRs with the endogenous ASC-2. Primary rat islets ectopically expressing DN1 or DN2 exhibited decreased insulin secretion. Furthermore, relative to the wild type, ASC-2+/− mice showed reduced islet mass and number, which correlated with increased apoptosis and decreased proliferation of ASC-2+/− islets. These results suggest that ASC-2 regulates insulin secretion and β-cell survival and that the regulatory role of ASC-2 in insulin secretion appears to involve, at least in part, its interaction with NRs via its two NR boxes.

Harnessing immune cells to enhance β-cell mass in type 1 diabetes

2016 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ercument Dirice ◽  
Rohit N Kulkarni
Keyword(s):  
Type 1 Diabetes ◽  
Mononuclear Cells ◽  
Islet Cells ◽  
Cell Mass ◽  
Cell Loss ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Β Cells ◽  
Β Cell ◽  
Autoimmune Attack

Type 1 diabetes is characterized by early β-cell loss leading to insulin dependence in virtually all patients with the disease in order to maintain glucose homeostasis. Most studies over the past few decades have focused on limiting the autoimmune attack on the β cells. However, emerging data from patients with long-standing diabetes who continue to harbor functional insulin-producing cells in their diseased pancreas have prompted scientists to examine whether proliferation of existing β cells can be enhanced to promote better glycemic control. In support of this concept, several studies indicate that mononuclear cells that infiltrate the islets have the capacity to trigger proliferation of islet cells including β cells. These observations indicate the exciting possibility of identifying those mononuclear cell types and their soluble factors and harnessing their ability to promote β-cell growth concomitant with autoimmune therapy to prevent the onset and/or halt the progression of the disease.

scholarly journals Biphasic Response of Pancreatic β-Cell Mass to Ablation of Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 2 in Mice

2008 ◽  
Vol 28 (9) ◽  
pp. 2971-2979 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yutaka Shigeyama ◽  
Toshiyuki Kobayashi ◽  
Yoshiaki Kido ◽  
Naoko Hashimoto ◽  
Shun-ichiro Asahara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tuberous Sclerosis ◽  
Tuberous Sclerosis Complex ◽  
Cell Function ◽  
Cell Mass ◽  
Mammalian Target Of Rapamycin ◽  
Pancreatic Β Cell ◽  
Β Cells ◽  
Β Cell ◽  
Islet Mass ◽  
Β Cell Function

ABSTRACT Recent studies have demonstrated the importance of insulin or insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) for regulation of pancreatic β-cell mass. Given the role of tuberous sclerosis complex 2 (TSC2) as an upstream molecule of mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin), we examined the effect of TSC2 deficiency on β-cell function. Here, we show that mice deficient in TSC2, specifically in pancreatic β cells (βTSC2−/− mice), manifest increased IGF-1-dependent phosphorylation of p70 S6 kinase and 4E-BP1 in islets as well as an initial increased islet mass attributable in large part to increases in the sizes of individual β cells. These mice also exhibit hypoglycemia and hyperinsulinemia at young ages (4 to 28 weeks). After 40 weeks of age, however, the βTSC2−/− mice develop progressive hyperglycemia and hypoinsulinemia accompanied by a reduction in islet mass due predominantly to a decrease in the number of β cells. These results thus indicate that TSC2 regulates pancreatic β-cell mass in a biphasic manner.

scholarly journals Selective Deletion of Pten in Pancreatic β Cells Leads to Increased Islet Mass and Resistance to STZ-Induced Diabetes

2006 ◽  
Vol 26 (7) ◽  
pp. 2772-2781 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bangyan L. Stiles ◽  
Christine Kuralwalla-Martinez ◽  
Wei Guo ◽  
Caroline Gregorian ◽  
Ying Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Proliferation ◽  
Cell Mass ◽  
Cell Protection ◽  
Β Cells ◽  
Β Cell ◽  
Islet Mass ◽  
Pten Loss ◽  
Lipid Phosphatase ◽  
Streptozotocin Induced Diabetes ◽  
Phosphatase And Tensin Homologue

ABSTRACT Phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) is a lipid phosphatase. PTEN inhibits the action of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase and reduces the levels of phosphatidylinositol triphosphate, a crucial second messenger for cell proliferation and survival, as well as insulin signaling. In this study, we deleted Pten specifically in the insulin producing β cells during murine pancreatic development. Pten deletion leads to increased cell proliferation and decreased cell death, without significant alteration of β-cell differentiation. Consequently, the mutant pancreas generates more and larger islets, with a significant increase in total β-cell mass. PTEN loss also protects animals from developing streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Our data demonstrate that PTEN loss in β cells is not tumorigenic but beneficial. This suggests that modulating the PTEN-controlled signaling pathway is a potential approach for β-cell protection and regeneration therapies.

scholarly journals Unraveling the role of the ghrelin gene peptides in the endocrine pancreas

2010 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 107-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Riccarda Granata ◽  
Alessandra Baragli ◽  
Fabio Settanni ◽  
Francesca Scarlatti ◽  
Ezio Ghigo
Keyword(s):  
Pancreatic Islets ◽  
Cell Biology ◽  
Islet Cell ◽  
Endocrine Pancreas ◽  
Islet Cells ◽  
Β Cells ◽  
Β Cell ◽  
Pancreatic Islet Cell ◽  
Ghrelin Gene

The ghrelin gene peptides include acylated ghrelin (AG), unacylated ghrelin (UAG), and obestatin (Ob). AG, mainly produced by the stomach, exerts its central and peripheral effects through the GH secretagogue receptor type 1a (GHS-R1a). UAG, although devoid of GHS-R1a-binding affinity, is an active peptide, sharing with AG many effects through an unknown receptor. Ob was discovered as the G-protein-coupled receptor 39 (GPR39) ligand; however, its physiological actions remain unclear. The endocrine pancreas is necessary for glucose homeostasis maintenance. AG, UAG, and Ob are expressed in both human and rodent pancreatic islets from fetal to adult life, and the pancreas is the major source of ghrelin in the perinatal period. GHS-R1a and GPR39 expression has been shown in β-cells and islets, as well as specific binding sites for AG, UAG, and Ob. Ghrelin colocalizes with glucagon in α-islet cells, but is also uniquely expressed in ε-islet cells, suggesting a role in islet function and development. Indeed, AG, UAG, and Ob regulate insulin secretion in β-cells and isolated islets, promote β-cell proliferation and survival, inhibit β-cell and human islet cell apoptosis, and modulate the expression of genes that are essential in pancreatic islet cell biology. They even induce β-cell regeneration and prevent diabetes in streptozotocin-treated neonatal rats. The receptor(s) mediating their effects are not fully characterized, and a signaling crosstalk has been suggested. The present review summarizes the newest findings on AG, UAG, and Ob expression in pancreatic islets and the role of these peptides on β-cell development, survival, and function.

scholarly journals The Plasticity of Pancreatic β-Cells

Metabolites ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 218
Author(s):  
Norikiyo Honzawa ◽  
Kei Fujimoto
Keyword(s):  
Insulin Secretion ◽  
Progenitor Cells ◽  
Islet Cells ◽  
Cell Mass ◽  
Pancreatic Β Cell ◽  
Cell Plasticity ◽  
Β Cells ◽  
Β Cell ◽  
Pancreatic Β Cells ◽  
Impaired Insulin

Type 2 diabetes is caused by impaired insulin secretion and/or insulin resistance. Loss of pancreatic β-cell mass detected in human diabetic patients has been considered to be a major cause of impaired insulin secretion. Additionally, apoptosis is found in pancreatic β-cells; β-cell mass loss is induced when cell death exceeds proliferation. Recently, however, β-cell dedifferentiation to pancreatic endocrine progenitor cells and β-cell transdifferentiation to α-cell was reported in human islets, which led to a new underlying molecular mechanism. Hyperglycemia inhibits nuclear translocation and expression of forkhead box-O1 (FoxO1) and induces the expression of neurogenin-3(Ngn3), which is required for the development and maintenance of pancreatic endocrine progenitor cells. This new hypothesis (Foxology) is attracting attention because it explains molecular mechanism(s) underlying β-cell plasticity. The lineage tracing technique revealed that the contribution of dedifferentiation is higher than that of β-cell apoptosis retaining to β-cell mass loss. In addition, islet cells transdifferentiate each other, such as transdifferentiation of pancreatic β-cell to α-cell and vice versa. Islet cells can exhibit plasticity, and they may have the ability to redifferentiate into any cell type. This review describes recent findings in the dedifferentiation and transdifferentiation of β-cells. We outline novel treatment(s) for diabetes targeting islet cell plasticity.

scholarly journals Effect of prolonged in vitro exposure to high glucose on neonatal porcine pancreatic islets

2006 ◽  
Vol 191 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Harb ◽  
Gregory S Korbutt
Keyword(s):  
High Glucose ◽  
Prolonged Exposure ◽  
Islet Cells ◽  
Cell Mass ◽  
Β Cells ◽  
Β Cell ◽  
Porcine Islets ◽  
Clinical Islet Transplantation ◽  
Neonatal Porcine Islets

Prolonged exposure to high glucose can influence the function, growth, and survival of pancreatic β-cells. In this study, we examine the effects of prolonged in vitro exposure to high glucose on neonatal porcine β-cells, a potentially useful source of insulin-producing cells for clinical islet transplantation. Neonatal porcine islets were prepared by culturing collagenase-digested pancreases for 1 week in 5.6 mM glucose, followed by an additional week in either 5.6, 10.0, or 28.0 mM glucose. An additional 2 days of culture in 5.6 mM glucose followed for recovery from high glucose. The 7-day culture period in 28.0 mM glucose failed to irreversibly impair glucose responsiveness and also caused a modest increase in β-cell mass. Immunostaining revealed that precursor cell differentiation was responsible for the increase in β-cell mass rather than β-cell proliferation. Islet cell survival was also assessed by a DNA fragmentation assay (TUNEL stain) to determine β-cell susceptibility to apoptosis after exposure to high glucose. Interestingly, although the total number of apoptotic islet cells did not drastically change after a week of culture in either 5.6, 10.0, or 28.0 mM glucose (25% TUNEL-positive), neither did the percentage of apoptotic β-cells. These encouraging results further support the use of neonatal porcine islets for clinical transplantation because of their ability to resist the cytotoxic effects of high glucose on islet function and survival.

scholarly journals Decrease in Ins+Glut2LO β-cells with advancing age in mouse and human pancreas

2017 ◽  
Vol 233 (3) ◽  
pp. 229-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine A Beamish ◽  
Sofia Mehta ◽  
Brenda J Strutt ◽  
Subrata Chakrabarti ◽  
Manami Hara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Glucose Transporter ◽  
Cell Mass ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Human Islets ◽  
Human Pancreas ◽  
Fetal Life ◽  
Β Cells ◽  
Β Cell ◽  
Cell Clusters ◽  
Glucose Transporter 2

The presence and location of resident pancreatic β-cell progenitors is controversial. A subpopulation of insulin-expressing but glucose transporter-2-low (Ins+Glut2LO) cells may represent multipotent pancreatic progenitors in adult mouse and in human islets, and they are enriched in small, extra-islet β-cell clusters (<5 β cells) in mice. Here, we sought to identify and compare the ontogeny of these cells in mouse and human pancreata throughout life. Mouse pancreata were collected at postnatal days 7, 14, 21, 28, and at 3, 6, 12, and 18 months of age, and in the first 28 days after β-cell mass depletion following streptozotocin (STZ) administration. Samples of human pancreas were examined during fetal life (22–30 weeks gestation), infancy (0–1 year), childhood (2–9), adolescence (10–17), and adulthood (18–80). Tissues were analyzed by immunohistochemistry for the expression and location of insulin, GLUT2 and Ki67. The proportion of β cells within clusters relative to that in islets was higher in pancreas of human than of mouse at all ages examined, and decreased significantly at adolescence. In mice, the total number of Ins+Glut2LO cells decreased after 7 days concurrent with the proportion of clusters. These cells were more abundant in clusters than in islets in both species. A positive association existed between the appearance of new β cells after the STZ treatment of young mice, particularly in clusters and smaller islets, and an increased proportional presence of Ins+Glut2LO cells during early β-cell regeneration. These data suggest that Ins+Glut2LO cells are preferentially located within β-cell clusters throughout life in pancreas of mouse and human, and may represent a source of β-cell plasticity.

scholarly journals Activation of the Reg family genes by pancreatic-specific IGF-I gene deficiency and after streptozotocin-induced diabetes in mouse pancreas

2006 ◽  
Vol 291 (1) ◽  
pp. E50-E58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yarong Lu ◽  
André Ponton ◽  
Hiroshi Okamoto ◽  
Shin Takasawa ◽  
Pedro L. Herrera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Growth ◽  
Islet Cell ◽  
Islet Cells ◽  
Cell Damage ◽  
Cell Mass ◽  
Direct Consequence ◽  
Β Cell ◽  
Igf I ◽  
Streptozotocin Induced Diabetes ◽  
I Gene

We have recently reported that Pdx1-Cre-mediated whole pancreas inactivation of IGF-I gene [in pancreatic-specific IGF-I gene-deficient (PID) mice] results in increased β-cell mass and significant protection against both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Because the phenotype is unlikely a direct consequence of IGF-I deficiency, the present study was designed to explore possible activation of proislet factors in PID mice by using a whole genome DNA microarray. As a result, multiple members of the Reg family genes (Reg2, -3α, and -3β, previously not known to promote islet cell growth) were significantly upregulated in the pancreas. This finding was subsequently confirmed by Northern blot and/or real-time PCR, which exhibited 2- to 8-fold increases in the levels of these mRNAs. Interestingly, these Reg family genes were also activated after streptozotocin-induced β-cell damage and diabetes (wild-type T1D mice) when islet cells were undergoing regeneration. Immunohistochemistry revealed increased Reg proteins in exocrine as well as endocrine pancreas and suggested their potential role in β-cell neogenesis in PID or T1D mice. Previously, other Reg proteins (Reg1 and islet neogenesis-associated protein) have been shown to promote islet cell replication and neogenesis. These uncharacterized Reg proteins may play a similar but more potent role, not only in normal islet cell growth in PID mice, but also in islet cell regeneration after T1D.

scholarly journals Ontology of the apelinergic system in mouse pancreas during pregnancy and relationship with β-cell mass

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brenda Strutt ◽  
Sandra Szlapinski ◽  
Thineesha Gnaneswaran ◽  
Sarah Donegan ◽  
Jessica Hill ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Proliferation ◽  
Insulin Secretion ◽  
Glucose Transporter ◽  
Cell Mass ◽  
Elevated Serum ◽  
Pancreatic Β Cell ◽  
Β Cells ◽  
Β Cell ◽  
Glucose Transporter 2 ◽  
Glucose Stimulated Insulin Secretion

AbstractThe apelin receptor (Aplnr) and its ligands, Apelin and Apela, contribute to metabolic control. The insulin resistance associated with pregnancy is accommodated by an expansion of pancreatic β-cell mass (BCM) and increased insulin secretion, involving the proliferation of insulin-expressing, glucose transporter 2-low (Ins+Glut2LO) progenitor cells. We examined changes in the apelinergic system during normal mouse pregnancy and in pregnancies complicated by glucose intolerance with reduced BCM. Expression of Aplnr, Apelin and Apela was quantified in Ins+Glut2LO cells isolated from mouse pancreata and found to be significantly higher than in mature β-cells by DNA microarray and qPCR. Apelin was localized to most β-cells by immunohistochemistry although Aplnr was predominantly associated with Ins+Glut2LO cells. Aplnr-staining cells increased three- to four-fold during pregnancy being maximal at gestational days (GD) 9–12 but were significantly reduced in glucose intolerant mice. Apelin-13 increased β-cell proliferation in isolated mouse islets and INS1E cells, but not glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Glucose intolerant pregnant mice had significantly elevated serum Apelin levels at GD 9 associated with an increased presence of placental IL-6. Placental expression of the apelinergic axis remained unaltered, however. Results show that the apelinergic system is highly expressed in pancreatic β-cell progenitors and may contribute to β-cell proliferation in pregnancy.

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