title: Hepatocyte growth factor overexpression in the islet of transgenic mice increases beta cell proliferation, enhances islet mass, and induces mild hypoglycemia.
abstract: Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is produced in pancreatic mesenchyme-derived cells and in islet cells. In vitro, HGF increases the insulin content and proliferation of islets. To study the role of HGF in the islet in vivo, we have developed three lines of transgenic mice overexpressing mHGF using the rat insulin II promoter (RIP). Each RIP-HGF transgenic line displays clear expression of HGF mRNA and protein in the islet. RIP-mHGF mice are relatively hypoglycemic in post-prandial and fasting states compared with their normal littermates. They display inappropriate insulin production, striking overexpression of insulin mRNA in the islet, and a 2-fold increase in the insulin content in islet extracts. Importantly, beta cell replication rates in vivo are two to three times higher in RIP-HGF mice. This increase in proliferation results in a 2-3-fold increase in islet mass. Moreover, the islet number per pancreatic area was also increased by approximately 50%. Finally, RIP-mHGF mice show a dramatically attenuated response to the diabetogenic effects of streptozotocin. We conclude that the overexpression of HGF in the islet increases beta cell proliferation, islet number, beta cell mass, and total insulin production in vivo. These combined effects result in mild hypoglycemia and resistance to the diabetogenic effects of streptozotocin.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA. ocana@msx.dept-med.pitt.edu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garcia-Ocaña
authors.forename: K K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Takane
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Syed
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Philbrick
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Vasavada
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Stewart
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002455:Cell Division; D005215:Fasting; D005934:Glucagon / Q000032:analysis; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007328:Insulin / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009929:Organ Size; D010191:Pancreatic Polypeptide / Q000032:analysis; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D051381:Rats; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D013004:Somatostatin; D010191:Pancreatic Polypeptide; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D005934:Glucagon