Shugo Sasaki

ForumVolume 37, Issue 1p7-11 1Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada 2Imaging Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA 3Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada 4Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada 5Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada 6Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia,...

Abstract Mediator, a co-regulator complex required for RNA Polymerase II activity, interacts with tissue-specific transcription factors to regulate development and maintain homeostasis. We observe reduced Mediator subunit MED15 expression in endocrine hormone-producing pancreatic islets isolated from people living with type 2 diabetes and sought to understand how MED15 and Mediator control gene expression programs important for the function of insulin-producing β-cells.

Keywords human islets type 2 diabetes stem cell-derived islets insulin secretion proteomics macronutrients RNA-seq Introduction Insulin is released by pancreatic islet beta cells in response to nutrient stimuli to maintain energy homeostasis. The major driver of insulin secretion is glucose. However, proteins and fats may also modulate insulin release, and the effects of non-carbohydrate nutrients on insulin secretion remain underexplored.