αE-Catenin Is a Positive Regulator of Pancreatic Islet Cell Lineage Differentiation.

ABSTRACT: The development and function of epithelia depend on the establishment and maintenance of cell-cell adhesion and intercellular junctions, which operate as mechanosensor hubs for the transduction of biochemical signals regulating cell proliferation, differentiation, survival, and regeneration. Here, we show that αE-catenin, a key component of adherens junctions, functions as a positive regulator of pancreatic islet cell lineage differentiation by repressing the sonic hedgehog pathway (SHH). Thus, deletion of αE-catenin in multipotent pancreatic progenitors resulted in (1) loss of adherens junctions, (2) constitutive activation of SHH, (3) decrease in islet cell lineage differentiation, and (4) accumulation of immature Sox9⁺ progenitors. Pharmacological blockade of SHH signaling in

SUBMITTER: Jimenez-Caliani AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5611824 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature