title: Novel function of transthyretin in pancreatic alpha cells.
abstract: Although transthyretin (TTR) is expressed in pancreatic alpha (glucagon) cells in the islets of Langerhans, the function of TTR in pancreatic alpha cells remains unknown. In this study, by using TTR knockout (TTR KO) mice, we determined the novel role of TTR in glucose homeostasis. We demonstrated that TTR KO mice evidenced impaired recovery of blood glucose and glucagon levels. Lack of TTR induced significantly lower levels of glucagon in the islets of Langerhans. These results suggest that TTR expressed in pancreatic alpha cells may play important roles in glucose homeostasis via regulating the expression of glucagon.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University Hospital, Kumamoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jono
authors.forename: Yohei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Misumi
authors.forename: Takafumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Senokuchi
authors.forename: Jianying
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Mitsuharu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shinriki
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tasaki
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shono
authors.forename: Konen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Obayashi
authors.forename: Kazuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamagata
authors.forename: Eiichi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Araki
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ando
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood; D005934:Glucagon / Q000097:blood; D050416:Glucagon-Secreting Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D011228:Prealbumin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D011228:Prealbumin; D005934:Glucagon