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TRPM7 kinase is required for insulin production and compensatory islet responses during obesity
Noushafarin Khajavi, … , Susanna Zierler, Thomas Gudermann
Noushafarin Khajavi, … , Susanna Zierler, Thomas Gudermann
Published December 27, 2022
Citation Information: JCI Insight. 2023;8(3):e163397. https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.163397.
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Research Article Cell biology

TRPM7 kinase is required for insulin production and compensatory islet responses during obesity

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Abstract

Most overweight individuals do not develop diabetes due to compensatory islet responses to restore glucose homeostasis. Therefore, regulatory pathways that promote β cell compensation are potential targets for treatment of diabetes. The transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily M member 7 protein (TRPM7), harboring a cation channel and a serine/threonine kinase, has been implicated in controlling cell growth and proliferation. Here, we report that selective deletion of Trpm7 in β cells disrupted insulin secretion and led to progressive glucose intolerance. We indicate that the diminished insulinotropic response in β cell–specific Trpm7-knockout mice was caused by decreased insulin production because of impaired enzymatic activity of this protein. Accordingly, high-fat–fed mice with a genetic loss of TRPM7 kinase activity displayed a marked glucose intolerance accompanied by hyperglycemia. These detrimental glucoregulatory effects were engendered by reduced compensatory β cell responses because of mitigated protein kinase B (AKT)/ERK signaling. Collectively, our data identify TRPM7 kinase as a potentially novel regulator of insulin synthesis, β cell dynamics, and glucose homeostasis under obesogenic diet.

Authors

Noushafarin Khajavi, Andreas Beck, Klea Riçku, Philipp Beyerle, Katharina Jacob, Sabrina F. Syamsul, Anouar Belkacemi, Peter S. Reinach, Pascale C.F. Schreier, Houssein Salah, Tanja Popp, Aaron Novikoff, Andreas Breit, Vladimir Chubanov, Timo D. Müller, Susanna Zierler, Thomas Gudermann

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Figure 5

Morphology of WT and Trpm7R/R pancreatic islets.

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Morphology of WT and Trpm7R/R pancreatic islets.
(A) Immunofluorescent i...
(A) Immunofluorescent insulin (INS, red) and glucagon (GCG, green) staining of pancreatic cryosections of WT and Trpm7R/R mice. Nuclei were stained with DAPI (blue) and scale bars represent 100 μm. (B) Number of islets per pancreatic cryosection (n = 140 slides, 3 mice per genotype) and (C) relative frequency plot of islet diameter comparing WT with Trpm7R/R islets (n = 140 slides, 3 mice per genotype). (D) Confocal images of WT and Trpm7R/R islets stained for insulin (β cells, red) and glucagon (α cells, green). Nuclei were stained with DAPI (blue) and scale bars represent 100 μm. (E) Quantification of the ratio of the number of β and α cells per pancreatic islet in WT and Trpm7R/R mice (n = 13, 3 mice per genotype). Data are given as means ± SEM (circles in bar graphs represent single values), and statistical differences were assessed by Mann-Whitney test (B) and unpaired 2-tailed Student’s t test (C and E).

Copyright © 2023 American Society for Clinical Investigation
ISSN 2379-3708

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