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Combinatorial transcription factor profiles predict mature and functional human islet α and β cells

ABSTRACT: Islet-enriched transcription factors (TFs) exert broad control over cellular processes in pancreatic α and β cells and changes in their expression are associated with developmental state and diabetes. However, the implications of heterogeneity in TF expression across islet cell populations are not well understood. To define this TF heterogeneity and its consequences for cellular function, we profiled >40,000 cells from normal human islets by scRNA-seq and stratified α and β cells based on combinatorial TF expression. Subpopulations of islet cells co-expressing ARX/MAFB (α cells) and MAFA/MAFB (β cells) exhibited greater expression of key genes related to glucose sensing and hormone secretion relative to subpopulations expressing only one or neither TF. Moreover, all subpopulations were identified in native pancreatic tissue from multiple donors. By Patch-seq, MAFA/MAFB co-expressing β cells showed enhanced electrophysiological activity. Thus, these results indicate combinatorial TF expression in islet α and β cells predicts highly functional, mature subpopulations.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE183568 | GEO | 2021/09/09

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Pancreatic Beta-cells are essential for regulating blood glucose levels. Much of our knowledge relating to human Beta-cell development and function has depended on rodent models, which have provided a blueprint to confirm important cellular features in humans. The advent of next generation sequencing studies, however, has highlighted discrepancies in Beta-cells which exist between mice and men. The precise contribution of such differences has not yet been fully appreciated. Numerous studies have identified MAFB to be present in human Beta-cells postnatally, while its expression is restricted to embryonic and neo-natal Beta-cells in mice. Conversely, the related transcription factor MAFA is only active in mature murine Beta-cells and notably, knockout of MAFB has minimal effect on murine Beta-cell development and function, in contrast to MAFA. Using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing, coupled with endocrine cell differentiation strategies, we dissect the contribution of MAFB to Beta-cell development and function specifically in humans. MAFB knockout hPSCs have normal pancreatic differentiation capacity up to the progenitor stage, but favor somatostatin- and pancreatic polypeptide–positive cells at the expense of insulin- and glucagon-producing cells during endocrine cell specification. Our results uncover a requirement for MAFB late in the human pancreatic developmental program and identify it as a distinguishing transcription factor within islet cell subtype specification. Taken together, the current study demonstrates that MAFB has synonymous functions in mice and human Alfa and Beta-cell specification and uncovers previously unappreciated roles in other pancreatic endocrine cell types, in particular Gamma-cells. We propose that under-appreciated differences in rodent versus human pancreatic islet biology may be alleviated by expanding genetic observations in animal models by utilizing hPSCs to better model human Beta-cell development and associated disease pathophysiology such as diabetes.

Project description:Objective: Transcriptional complex activity drives the development and function of pancreatic islet cells to allow for proper glucose regulation. Our prior work highlighted that the LIM-homeodomain transcription factor (TF), Islet-1 (Isl1), and its interacting co-regulator, Ldb1, are vital effectors of developing and adult β-cells. We further found that a member of the Single Stranded DNA-Binding Protein (SSBP) co-regulator family, SSBP3, interacts with Isl1 and Ldb1 in β-cells and primary islets (mouse and human) to impact β-cell target genes MafA and Glp1R. Members of the SSBP family stabilize TF complexes by binding directly to Ldb1 and protecting the complex from ubiquitin-mediated turnover. In this study, we hypothesized that SSBP3 would have critical roles in pancreatic islet cell development and function in vivo, similar to the Isl1::Ldb1 complex. Methods: We first generated a novel SSBP3 LoxP allele mouse line, where Cre-mediated recombination imparts a predicted early protein termination. We bred this mouse to constitutive Cre lines (Pdx1- and Pax6-driven) to recombine of SSBP3 in the developing pancreas and islet (SSBP3DeltaPanc and SSBP3DeltaIslet), respectively. We assessed glucose tolerance and used immunofluorescence to detect changes in islet cell abundance and markers of β-cell identity and function. Using an inducible Cre system we also deleted SSBP3 in the adult β-cell, a model termed SSBP3Deltaβ-cell. We measured glucose tolerance as well as glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS), both in vivo and in isolated islets in vitro. Using islets from control and SSBP3Deltaβ-cell we conducted RNA-Seq and compared our results to published datasets for similar β-cell specific Ldb1 and Isl1 knockouts to identify commonly regulated target genes. Results: SSBP3DeltaPanc and SSBP3DeltaIslet neonates present with hyperglycemia. SSBP3DeltaIslet mice are glucose intolerant by P21 and exhibit a reduction of β-cell maturity markers MafA, Pdx1, and UCN3. We observe disruptions in islet cell architecture with an increase in glucagon+ α-cells and ghrelin+ ε-cells at P10. Inducible loss of β-cell SSBP3 in SSBP3Deltaβ-cell causes hyperglycemia, glucose intolerance, and reduced GSIS. Transcriptomic analysis of 14-week SSBP3Deltaβ-cell islets revealed a decrease in β-cell function gene expression (Ins, MafA, Ucn3), increased stress and dedifferentiation markers (Neurogenin-3, Aldh1a3, Gastrin), and shared differentially expressed genes between SSBP3, Ldb1, and Isl1 in adult β-cells. Conclusions: SSBP3 drives proper islet development and identity, where its loss causes altered islet-cell abundance and glucose regulatory function. β-cell SSBP3 is required for GSIS and glucose homeostasis, at least partially through shared regulation of Ldb1 and Isl1 target genes.

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Combinatorial transcription factor profiles predict mature and functional human islet α and β cells

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