Endocrine Abstracts

Background: A normal islet includes both mature and immature β-cells, with the former possessing higher insulin content and the latter displaying better proliferative capacity. However, it remains unknown whether immature β-cells also contribute to the regulation of insulin release, especially by commanding the activity of their mature counterparts.Materials and methods: Pdx1, Mafa, and Ngn3 were overexpressed in &#94...

Aim: Vitamin D-binding protein (DBP), also known as GC-globulin, transports vitamin D metabolites and is also a major actin scavenger. While DBP serum levels, gene polymorphisms and autoantigens have been associated with diabetes risk, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. DBP is produced by the liver, but has recently been shown to be highly expressed in pancreatic α-cells. We therefore sought to investigate the role of DBP in α-cell identity and function using ...