Islet regeneration protein Reg3g promotes macrophage clearance of β cell-derived dysfunctional mitochondria-rich vesicles to mitigate T2DM.

ABSTRACT: Under metabolic stress in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), β cells accumulate damaged mitochondria, and proinflammatory macrophages infiltrate pancreatic islets. In several tissues, mitochondrial transfer between macrophages and parenchymal cells has been shown to alleviate inflammation and sustain cellular function reponse to stress. However, whether a similar process occurs between pancreatic β cells and macrophages remains unclear. Here, we identified a form of intercellular communication mediated by damaged mitochondrial-rich extracellular vesicles (mEVs) from β cells to macrophages within the inflammatory islets, promoted by Reg3g. Using time-lapse confocal microscopy, flow cytometry and split-GFP mitochondrial fusion assays, we demonstrated that stressed β cells release damaged mitoc

SUBMITTER: Li S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12808524 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature