Novel Molecular Mechanisms in the Early Development of Diabetes

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To address the aforementioned knowledge gap, researchers at the University of Tsukuba performed single-cell gene expression analysis on islets from db/db mice, a diabetes model. Their objective was to elucidate the changes in the constituent cells of islets--the insulin-producing tissues in the pancreas—throughout the progression of type 2 diabetes from a healthy to prediabetic state and eventually to a diabetic state. The analysis identified 20 cell clusters, encompassing β cells, α cells, δ cells, PP cells, macrophages, endothelial cells, stellate cells, ductal cells, and acinar cells. Additionally, pancreatic β-cells in diabetic model mice were categorized into six clusters as the disease progressed. Pseudotemporal analysis revealed a novel pathway wherein pancreatic β-cells undergo dedifferentiation and subsequently differentiate into acinar-like cells. Additionally, the researchers identified Anxa10 as a gene specifically upregulated in pancreatic β-cells during the initial stages of diabetes.

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