title: Connexin implication in the control of the murine beta-cell mass.
abstract: Diabetes develops when the insulin needs of peripheral cells exceed the availability or action of the hormone. This situation results from the death of most beta-cells in type 1 diabetes, and from an inability of the beta-cell mass to adapt to increasing insulin needs in type 2 and gestational diabetes. We analyzed several lines of transgenic mice and showed that connexins (Cxs), the transmembrane proteins that form gap junctions, are implicated in the modulation of the beta-cell mass. Specifically, we found that the native Cx36 does not alter islet size or insulin content, whereas the Cx43 isoform increases both parameters, and Cx32 has a similar effect only when combined with GH. These findings open interesting perspectives for the in vitro and in vivo regulation of the beta-cell mass.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Geneva, Geneva 1211, Switzerland. philippe.klee@hcuge.ch
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Klee
authors.forename: Smaragda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lamprianou
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Charollais
authors.forename: Dorothée
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Caille
authors.forename: Rossella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sarro
authors.forename: Manon
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cederroth
authors.forename: Jacques-Antoine
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Haefliger
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Meda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D048429:Cell Size; D018031:Connexin 43 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017630:Connexins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000378:metabolism*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D000097002:Gap Junction beta-1 Protein; D000097004:Gap Junction delta-2 Protein
chemical_list: D018031:Connexin 43; D017630:Connexins; D013006:Growth Hormone; D007328:Insulin; D000097002:Gap Junction beta-1 Protein; D000097004:Gap Junction delta-2 Protein