Activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in pancreatic beta cells during the compensatory islet hyperplasia in prediabetic mice
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP (Brazil)
- Department of Biosciences, Federal University of São Paulo, Santos, SP (Brazil)
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP (Brazil)
The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, also known as the canonical Wnt pathway, plays a role in cell proliferation and differentiation in several tissues/organs. It has been recently described in humans a relationship between type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and mutation in the gene encoding the transcription factor TCF7L2 associated to the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. In the present study, we demonstrated that hyperplastic pancreatic islets from prediabetic mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 60 d displayed nuclear translocation of active β-catenin associated with significant increases in protein content and gene expression of β-catenin as well as of cyclins D1, D2 and c-Myc (target genes of the Wnt pathway) but not of Tcf7l2 (the transcription factor). Meanwhile, these alterations were not observed in pancreatic islets from 30 d HFD-fed mice, that do not display significant beta cell hyperplasia. These data suggest that the Wnt/β-catenin pathway is activated in pancreatic islets during prediabetes and may play a role in the induction of the compensatory beta cell hyperplasia observed at early phase of T2DM. - Highlights: • Exposure to high-fat diet for 60 days induced prediabetes and beta cell mass expansion. • Hyperplastic pancreatic islets displayed nuclear translocation of active β-catenin. • Hyperplastic islets showed increased expression of target genes of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. • Wnt/β-catenin pathway is activated during compensatory beta cell hyperplasia in mice.
- OSTI ID:
- 22696620
- Journal Information:
- Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, Journal Name: Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 478; ISSN BBRCA9; ISSN 0006-291X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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