Prolactin receptors and placental lactogen drive male mouse pancreatic islets to pregnancy-related mRNA changes.

ABSTRACT: Pregnancy requires a higher functional beta cell mass and this is associated with profound changes in the gene expression profile of pancreatic islets. Taking Tph1 as a sensitive marker for pregnancy-related islet mRNA expression in female mice, we previously identified prolactin receptors and placental lactogen as key signalling molecules. Since beta cells from male mice also express prolactin receptors, the question arose whether male and female islets have the same phenotypic resilience at the mRNA level during pregnancy. We addressed this question in vitro, by stimulating cultured islets with placental lactogen and in vivo, by transplanting male or female islets into female acceptor mice. Additionally, the islet mRNA expression pattern of pregnant prolactin receptor deficient mice was

SUBMITTER: Goyvaerts L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4376745 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature