MafA regulates expression of genes important to islet β-cell function

T Matsuoka, H Kaneto, R Stein… - Molecular …, 2007 - academic.oup.com
T Matsuoka, H Kaneto, R Stein, T Miyatsuka, D Kawamori, E Henderson, I Kojima…
Molecular endocrinology, 2007academic.oup.com
Insulin transcription factor MafA is unique in being exclusively expressed at the secondary
and principal phase of insulin-expressing cell production during pancreas organogenesis
and is the only transcriptional activator present exclusively in islet β-cells. Here we show that
ectopic expression of MafA is sufficient to induce a small amount of endogenous insulin
expression in a variety of non-β-cell lines. Insulin mRNA and protein expression was
induced to a much higher level when MafA was provided with two other key insulin …
Abstract
Insulin transcription factor MafA is unique in being exclusively expressed at the secondary and principal phase of insulin-expressing cell production during pancreas organogenesis and is the only transcriptional activator present exclusively in islet β-cells. Here we show that ectopic expression of MafA is sufficient to induce a small amount of endogenous insulin expression in a variety of non-β-cell lines. Insulin mRNA and protein expression was induced to a much higher level when MafA was provided with two other key insulin activators, pancreatic and duodenal homeobox (PDX-1) and BETA2. Potentiation by PDX-1 and BETA2 was entirely dependent upon MafA, and MafA binding to the insulin enhancer region was increased by PDX-1 and BETA2. Treatment with activin A and hepatocyte growth factor induced even larger amounts of insulin in AR42J pancreatic acinar cells, compared with other non-β endodermal cells. The combination of PDX-1, BETA2, and MafA also induced the expression of other important regulators of islet β-cell activity. These results support a critical role of MafA in islet β-cell function.
Oxford University Press