title: Research resource: nuclear hormone receptor expression in the endocrine pancreas.
abstract: The endocrine pancreas comprises the islets of Langerhans, tiny clusters of cells that contribute only about 2% to the total pancreas mass. However, this little endocrine organ plays a critical role in maintaining glucose homeostasis by the regulated secretion of insulin (by beta-cells) and glucagon (by alpha-cells). The rapid increase in the incidence of diabetes worldwide has spurred renewed interest in islet cell biology. Some of the most widely prescribed oral drugs for treating type 2 diabetes include agents that bind and activate the nuclear hormone receptor, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma. As a first step in addressing potential roles of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma and other nuclear hormone receptors (NHRs) in the biology of the endocrine pancreas, we have used quantitative real-time PCR to profile the expression of all 49 members of the mouse NHR superfamily in primary islets, and cell lines that represent alpha-cells (alphaTC1) and beta-cells (betaTC6 and MIN6). In summary, 19 NHR members were highly expressed in both alpha- and beta-cell lines, 13 receptors showed predominant expression (at least an 8-fold difference) in alpha- vs. beta-cell lines, and 10 NHRs were not expressed in the endocrine pancreas. In addition we evaluated the relative expression of these transcription factors during hyperglycemia and found that 16 NHRs showed significantly altered mRNA levels in mouse islets. A similar survey was conducted in primary human islets to reveal several significant differences in NHR expression between mouse and man. These data identify potential therapeutic targets in the endocrine pancreas for the treatment of diabetes mellitus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 75390-9077, USA.
authors.forename: Jen-Chieh
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: Ji-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.forename: James C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Garmey
authors.forename: Raghavendra G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Mirmira
authors.forename: Joyce J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Repa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D005947:Glucose