Islet remodeling in female mice with spontaneous autoimmune and streptozotocin-induced diabetes

PLoS One. 2014 Aug 7;9(8):e102843. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0102843. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Islet alpha- and delta-cells are spared autoimmune destruction directed at beta-cells in type 1 diabetes resulting in an apparent increase of non-beta endocrine cells in the islet core. We determined how islet remodeling in autoimmune diabetes compares to streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes. Islet cell mass, proliferation, and immune cell infiltration in pancreas sections from diabetic NOD mice and mice with STZ-induced diabetes was assessed using quantitative image analysis. Serial sections were stained for various beta-cell markers and Ngn3, typically restricted to embryonic tissue, was only upregulated in diabetic NOD mouse islets. Serum levels of insulin, glucagon and GLP-1 were measured to compare hormone levels with respect to disease state. Total pancreatic alpha-cell mass did not change as autoimmune diabetes developed in NOD mice despite the proportion of islet area comprised of alpha- and delta-cells increased. By contrast, alpha- and delta-cell mass was increased in mice with STZ-induced diabetes. Serum levels of glucagon reflected these changes in alpha-cell mass: glucagon levels remained constant in NOD mice over time but increased significantly in STZ-induced diabetes. Increased serum GLP-1 levels were found in both models of diabetes, likely due to alpha-cell expression of prohormone convertase 1/3. Alpha- or delta-cell mass in STZ-diabetic mice did not normalize by replacement of insulin via osmotic mini-pumps or islet transplantation. Hence, the inflammatory milieu in NOD mouse islets may restrict alpha-cell expansion highlighting important differences between these two diabetes models and raising the possibility that increased alpha-cell mass might contribute to the hyperglycemia observed in the STZ model.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blood Glucose
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / blood
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / immunology
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / pathology*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / blood
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / immunology
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / pathology*
  • Female
  • Glucagon / blood
  • Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 / blood
  • Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 / metabolism
  • Glucagon-Secreting Cells / pathology
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Insulin / blood
  • Insulin / metabolism
  • Insulin / pharmacology
  • Insulin-Secreting Cells / pathology
  • Islets of Langerhans / pathology*
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred NOD
  • Somatostatin / metabolism

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Insulin
  • Somatostatin
  • Glucagon-Like Peptide 1
  • Glucagon