iScience (Nov 2021)

IL-1beta promotes the age-associated decline of beta cell function

  • Marianne Böni-Schnetzler,
  • Hélène Méreau,
  • Leila Rachid,
  • Sophia J. Wiedemann,
  • Friederike Schulze,
  • Kelly Trimigliozzi,
  • Daniel T. Meier,
  • Marc Y. Donath

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 24, no. 11
p. 103250

Abstract

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Summary: Aging is the prime risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes. We investigated the role of the interleukin-1 (IL-1) system on insulin secretion in aged mice. During aging, expression of the protective IL-1 receptor antagonist decreased in islets, whereas IL-1beta gene expression increased specifically in the CD45 + islet immune cell fraction. One-year-old mice with a whole-body knockout of IL-1beta had higher insulin secretion in vivo and in isolated islets, along with enhanced proliferation marker Ki67 and elevated size and number of islets. Myeloid cell-specific IL-1beta knockout preserved glucose-stimulated insulin secretion during aging, whereas it declined in control mice. Isolated islets from aged myeloIL-1beta ko mice secreted more insulin along with increased expression of Ins2, Kir6.2, and of the cell-cycle gene E2f1. IL-1beta treatment of isolated islets reduced E2f1, Ins2, and Kir6.2 expression in beta cells. We conclude that IL-1beta contributes the age-associated decline of beta cell function.

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