The pancreatic β-cell transcriptome and integrated-omics

Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes. 2014 Apr;21(2):83-8. doi: 10.1097/MED.0000000000000051.

Abstract

Purpose of review: β Cells represent one of many cell types in heterogeneous pancreatic islets and play the central role in maintaining glucose homeostasis, such that disrupting β-cell function leads to diabetes. This review summarizes the methods for isolating and characterizing β cells, and describes integrated 'omics' approaches used to define the β cell by its transcriptome and proteome.

Recent findings: RNA sequencing and mass spectrometry-based protein identification have now identified RNA and protein profiles for mouse and human pancreatic islets and β cells, and for β-cell lines. Recent publications have outlined these profiles and, more importantly, have begun to assign the presence or absence of specific genes and regulatory molecules to β-cell function and dysfunction. Overall, researchers have focused on understanding the pathophysiology of diabetes by connecting genome, transcriptome, proteome, and regulatory RNA profiles with findings from genome-wide association studies.

Summary: Studies employing these relatively new techniques promise to identify specific genes or regulatory RNAs with altered expression as β-cell function begins to deteriorate in the spiral toward the development of diabetes. The ultimate goal is to identify the potential therapeutic targets to prevent β-cell dysfunction and thereby better treat the individual with diabetes.

Video abstract: http://links.lww.com/COE/A5.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Diabetes Mellitus / genetics
  • Diabetes Mellitus / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Gene Regulatory Networks
  • Genome-Wide Association Study
  • Glucose / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Insulin / metabolism*
  • Insulin Secretion
  • Insulin-Secreting Cells / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Organ Specificity
  • Sequence Analysis, RNA
  • Transcriptome / genetics*

Substances

  • Insulin
  • Glucose