Endocrine Abstracts

Aim: One of the hallmarks of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is impaired beta cell function, which develops in part as a result of widespread cellular de-differentiation. The current state-of-the-art defines beta cells as a heterogeneous islet population, with the existence of individual subpopulations including specialised ‘pacemakers’. We sought here to understand how overexpression-induced beta cell maturity affects such heterogeneity, befo...

Aim: One of the hallmarks of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is impaired beta cell function, which develops in part as a result of widespread cellular de-differentiation. The current state-of-the-art defines beta cells as a heterogeneous islet population, with the existence of individual subpopulations including specialised ‘pacemakers’. We sought here to understand how overexpression-induced beta cell maturity affects such heterogeneity, befo...

Aims: Prolyl-4 hydroxylase domain protein 3 (PHD3) is an alpha ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase involved in the oxygen-dependent regulation of cell phenotype. While PHD3 has been reported to suppress insulin sensitivity in the liver, little is known about effects of the enzyme in insulin-secreting β-cells.Methods: βPHD3−/− mice were generated by crossing the Ins1Cre driver line with animals bearing a floxed Egln3</...

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 ...

Background and Aim: Supplementation with precursors of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), was shown to be beneficial in preventing metabolic dysfunction in mice, which is induced by feeding a high fat diet. We compared the effect of nicotinamide riboside (NR) supplementationon whole-body energy metabolism and mitochondrial function in two widely used diet-induced obesity mouse models.Methods: Mice were fed a high fat diet (HFD, 60% fat) or standard...