Single-nucleus RNA-Seq reveals singular gene signatures of human ductal cells during adaptation to insulin resistance

Bibliographic Details
Title: Single-nucleus RNA-Seq reveals singular gene signatures of human ductal cells during adaptation to insulin resistance
Authors: Ercument Dirice, Giorgio Basile, Sevim Kahraman, Danielle Diegisser, Jiang Hu, Rohit N. Kulkarni
Source: JCI Insight, Vol 7, Iss 16 (2022)
Publisher Information: American Society for Clinical investigation, 2022.
Publication Year: 2022
Collection: LCC:Medicine
Subject Terms: Development, Endocrinology, Medicine
More Details: Adaptation to increased insulin demand is mediated by β cell proliferation and neogenesis, among other mechanisms. Although it is known that pancreatic β cells can arise from ductal progenitors, these observations have been limited mostly to the neonatal period. We have recently reported that the duct is a source of insulin-secreting cells in adult insulin-resistant states. To further explore the signaling pathways underlying the dynamic β cell reserve during insulin resistance, we undertook human islet and duct transplantations under the kidney capsule of immunodeficient NOD/SCID-γ (NSG) mouse models that were pregnant, were insulin-resistant, or had insulin resistance superimposed upon pregnancy (insulin resistance + pregnancy), followed by single-nucleus RNA-Seq (snRNA-Seq) on snap-frozen graft samples. We observed an upregulation of proliferation markers (e.g., NEAT1) and expression of islet endocrine cell markers (e.g., GCG and PPY), as well as mature β cell markers (e.g., INS), in transplanted human duct grafts in response to high insulin demand. We also noted downregulation of ductal cell identity genes (e.g., KRT19 and ONECUT2) coupled with upregulation of β cell development and insulin signaling pathways. These results indicate that subsets of ductal cells are able to gain β cell identity and reflect a form of compensation during the adaptation to insulin resistance in both physiological and pathological states.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 2379-3708
Relation: https://doaj.org/toc/2379-3708
DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.153877
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/b5b54765f6be496aa5205bd9295767c8
Accession Number: edsdoj.b5b54765f6be496aa5205bd9295767c8
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:23793708
DOI:10.1172/jci.insight.153877
Published in:JCI Insight
Language:English