Isolation of ethanol-induced genes in pancreatic beta-cells by representational difference analysis (RDA).
Recent epidemiological studies suggest that alcohol consumption is one of the risk factors leading to type 2 diabetes, but the direct effect of ethanol on beta-cell gene expression is not known. Here, using cDNA RDA method, we isolated 43 ethanol-induced genes in pancreatic beta-cells, and confirmed their differential expression by Northern blot or semi-quantitative RT-PCR. These genes were further categorized by the functional criteria based on the published data; Translation, Transcription, Metabolism, Signal transduction, Transport, Structure, Cytoskeleton, Regulation, or Putative/Unknown genes. The effects of each gene on beta-cell function need to be further investigated, however, the present data strongly suggest that these genes might be related to the metabolic alterations caused by ethanol as indicated in earlier study. In particular, RPS3 gene expression was increased by ethanol, glucosamine, and cytokines, implying that ethanol might decrease the metabolic activity by oxidative stress in beta-cells. Therefore, cloning of these genes in full-length and the detailed studies of each gene on beta-cell functions might provide clues on the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes caused by alcohol.
Shin
Jun-Seop
JS
Graduate School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 136-701, Korea.
Kwon
Young-Sam
YS
Lee
Jae-Jeong
JJ
Kim
Chan-Wha
CW
D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000494:pharmacology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005944:Glucosamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis / Q000379:methods; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods
D016207:Cytokines; D000431:Ethanol; D005944:Glucosamine