Alpha cells, the main source of IL-1β in human pancreas. (July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Anquetil, Florence; Sabouri, Somayeh; Thivolet, Charles; Rodriguez-Calvo, Teresa; Zapardiel-Gonzalo, Jose; Amirian, Natalie; Schneider, Darius; Castillo, Ericka; Lajevardi, Yasaman; von Herrath, Matthias G.
• Is Part Of: Journal of autoimmunity. Volume 81(2017)
• Page Start: 68
• Page End: 73
• Publication Date: 2017-07
• Subjects: Alpha cells -- Interleukin-1β -- Type 1 diabetes -- Pancreas; Autoimmunity -- Periodicals; Autoimmune diseases -- Periodicals; Autoantibodies -- Periodicals; Autoimmune Diseases -- Periodicals; Auto-immunité -- Périodiques; Maladies auto-immunes -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 616.978005
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2017.03.006
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0896-8411

Abstract

Abstract: Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) is known to trigger beta cell dysfunction in vitro and could potentially play a role during the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. However, several clinical trials attempting to block IL-1β function have had minimal success. We therefore re-investigated local expression of IL-1β in human diabetic and non-diabetic pancreata. We obtained pancreatic tissue sections from the Network for Pancreatic Organ Donors with Diabetes (nPOD) including non-diabetic (n = 9), non-diabetic auto-antibody positive (AAb+, n = 5), type 1 diabetes (n = 6), and type 2 diabetes (n = 6) donors. Islets were systematically investigated for the presence of IL-1β mRNA by in situ hybridization and IL-1β protein by indirect immunofluorescence. We found that intra-islet IL-1β was produced at comparable level in both non-diabetic and diabetic donors. Interestingly, the main source for IL-1β was alpha cells but not beta cells. Our findings call into question the role of IL-1β in the diabetic pancreas as it has been proposed in previous literature. Additionally, our results regarding the localization of IL-1β should lead to further investigation into the role of IL-1β in the physiology of pancreatic alpha cells. Highlights: Alpha cells, but not beta cells, are the main source for IL-1β in human pancreatic islets. Non-diabetic and diabetic donors produce intra-islet IL-1β at comparable levels independently from BMI or disease status. The presence of IL-1β in islets may be associated with glucose homeostasis rather than inflammation.