Delineating mouse β-cell identity during lifetime and in diabetes with a single cell atlas

Nat Metab. 2023 Sep;5(9):1615-1637. doi: 10.1038/s42255-023-00876-x. Epub 2023 Sep 11.

Abstract

Although multiple pancreatic islet single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) datasets have been generated, a consensus on pancreatic cell states in development, homeostasis and diabetes as well as the value of preclinical animal models is missing. Here, we present an scRNA-seq cross-condition mouse islet atlas (MIA), a curated resource for interactive exploration and computational querying. We integrate over 300,000 cells from nine scRNA-seq datasets consisting of 56 samples, varying in age, sex and diabetes models, including an autoimmune type 1 diabetes model (NOD), a glucotoxicity/lipotoxicity type 2 diabetes model (db/db) and a chemical streptozotocin β-cell ablation model. The β-cell landscape of MIA reveals new cell states during disease progression and cross-publication differences between previously suggested marker genes. We show that β-cells in the streptozotocin model transcriptionally correlate with those in human type 2 diabetes and mouse db/db models, but are less similar to human type 1 diabetes and mouse NOD β-cells. We also report pathways that are shared between β-cells in immature, aged and diabetes models. MIA enables a comprehensive analysis of β-cell responses to different stressors, providing a roadmap for the understanding of β-cell plasticity, compensation and demise.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Animals
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1* / genetics
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* / genetics
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred NOD
  • Streptozocin

Substances

  • Streptozocin