Project description:Blood glucose levels are tightly controlled by the coordinated action of at least five cell types constituting pancreatic islets. Changes in the proportion and/or function of these cells are associated with genetic and molecular pathophysiology of monogenic, type 1, and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Cellular heterogeneity impedes precise understanding of the molecular components of each islet cell type that govern islet dysfunction, particularly the less abundant delta and gamma/pancreatic polypeptide (PP) cells. Here, we report single cell transcriptomes for 617 islet cells after profiling ~1000 cells from non-diabetic (ND) and T2D human organ donors. Analyses of non-diabetic single cell transcriptomes identified distinct alpha, beta, delta, and PP/gamma cell-type signatures. Genes linked to rare and common forms of islet dysfunction and diabetes were expressed in the delta and PP/gamma cell types. Moreover, this study revealed that delta cells specifically express receptors that receive and coordinate systemic cues from the leptin, ghrelin, and dopamine signaling pathways implicating them as integrators of central and peripheral metabolic signals into the pancreatic islet. Finally, single cell transcriptome profiling revealed genes differentially regulated between T2D and ND alpha, beta, and delta cells that were undetectable in paired whole islet analyses. This study thus identifies fundamental cell type-specific features of pancreatic islet (dys)function and provides a critical resource for comprehensive understanding of islet biology and diabetes pathogenesis. Grant ID: Award No. W81XWH-16-1-0130 Grant title: Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program Funding Source: Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Affiliation: Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT Name: Michael Stitzel
Project description:Blood glucose levels are tightly controlled by the coordinated action of at least five cell types constituting pancreatic islets. Changes in the proportion and/or function of these cells are associated with genetic and molecular pathophysiology of monogenic, type 1, and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Cellular heterogeneity impedes precise understanding of the molecular components of each islet cell type that govern islet dysfunction, particularly the less abundant delta and gamma/pancreatic polypeptide (PP) cells. Here, we report single cell transcriptomes for 617 islet cells after profiling ~1000 cells from non-diabetic (ND) and T2D human organ donors. Analyses of non-diabetic single cell transcriptomes identified distinct alpha, beta, delta, and PP/gamma cell-type signatures. Genes linked to rare and common forms of islet dysfunction and diabetes were expressed in the delta and PP/gamma cell types. Moreover, this study revealed that delta cells specifically express receptors that receive and coordinate systemic cues from the leptin, ghrelin, and dopamine signaling pathways implicating them as integrators of central and peripheral metabolic signals into the pancreatic islet. Finally, single cell transcriptome profiling revealed genes differentially regulated between T2D and ND alpha, beta, and delta cells that were undetectable in paired whole islet analyses. This study thus identifies fundamental cell type-specific features of pancreatic islet (dys)function and provides a critical resource for comprehensive understanding of islet biology and diabetes pathogenesis. Grant ID: Award No. W81XWH-16-1-0130 Grant title: Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program Funding Source: Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Affiliation: Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT Name: Michael Stitzel
Project description:Rodent models are widely used to study diabetes. Yet, significant gaps remain in our understanding of mouse islet physiology. We generated comprehensive transcriptomes of mouse delta, beta and alpha cells using two separate triple transgenic mouse models generated for this purpose. This enables systematic comparison across thousands of genes between the three major endocrine cell types of the islets of Langerhans whose principal hormones control nutrient homeostasis. FACS purified delta or alpha cells and beta cells from the same islets. Islets were isolated from triple transgenic offspring of a cross between mIns1-H2b-mCherry (Jax # 028589) and either Sst-Cre (delta) or Gcg-cre (alpha) cells and a floxed YFP allele to label delta or alpha cells, respectively. Islets from replicate groups of 10 to 12 triple transgenic animals for each group were pooled by sex to obtain sufficient material. Pooled islets were dissociated, sorted and collect in Trizol for RNA isolation and library construction.
Project description:Pancreatic islet cells are critical for maintaining normal blood glucose levels and their malfunction underlies diabetes development and progression. We used single-cell RNA sequencing to determine the transcriptomes of 1,492 human pancreatic α-, β-, δ- and PP cells from non-diabetic and type 2 diabetes organ donors. We identified cell type specific genes and pathways as well as 245 genes with disturbed expression in type 2 diabetes. Importantly, 92% of the genes have not previously been associated with islet cell function or growth. Comparison of gene profiles in mouse and human α- and β-cells revealed species-specific expression. All data are available for online browsing and download and will hopefully serve as a resource for the islet research community.
Project description:Rodent models are widely used to study diabetes. Yet, significant gaps remain in our understanding of mouse islet physiology. We generated comprehensive transcriptomes of mouse delta, beta and alpha cells using two separate triple transgenic mouse models generated for this purpose. This enables systematic comparison across thousands of genes between the three major endocrine cell types of the islets of Langerhans whose principal hormones control nutrient homeostasis.
Project description:Direct lineage conversion of adult cells is a promising approach for regenerative medicine. A major challenge of lineage conversion is to generate specific subtypes of cells, closely related cells with distinct properties. The pancreatic islets contain three major hormone-secreting endocrine subtypes: insulin+ β-cells, glucagon+ α-cells, and somatostatin+ δ-cells. We previously reported that a combination of three transcription factors, Ngn3, Mafa, and Pdx1, directly reprogram pancreatic acinar cells to β-cells. We now show that acinar cells can be converted to δ-like and α-like cells by Ngn3 and Ngn3+Mafa respectively. Thus, three major islet endocrine subtypes can be derived by acinar reprogramming. Ngn3 promotes establishment of a generic endocrine state in acinar cells at the onset of reprogramming in addition to promoting δ-specification. Mafa and Pdx1 suppress δ-specification in α- and β-cell formation. These studies identify a set of defined factors whose combinatorial actions reprogram acinar cells to distinct islet endocrine subtypes in vivo. induced beta cells samples at day 10 collected for the microarray