Human β Cell Transcriptome Analysis Uncovers lncRNAs That Are Tissue-Specific, Dynamically Regulated, and Abnormally Expressed in Type 2 Diabetes

SummaryA significant portion of the genome is transcribed as long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), several of which are known to control gene expression. The repertoire and regulation of lncRNAs in disease-relevant tissues, however, has not been systematically explored. We report a comprehensive strand-specific transcriptome map of human pancreatic islets and β cells, and uncover >1100 intergenic and antisense islet-cell lncRNA genes. We find islet lncRNAs that are dynamically regulated and show that they are an integral component of the β cell differentiation and maturation program. We sequenced the mouse islet transcriptome and identify lncRNA orthologs that are regulated like their human counterparts. Depletion of HI-LNC25, a β cell-specific lncRNA, downregulated GLIS3 mRNA, thus exemplifying a gene regulatory function of islet lncRNAs. Finally, selected islet lncRNAs were dysregulated in type 2 diabetes or mapped to genetic loci underlying diabetes susceptibility. These findings reveal a new class of islet-cell genes relevant to β cell programming and diabetes pathophysiology.

► RNA and chromatin profiling uncovers >1100 active lncRNA genes in human islet cells
► Islet lncRNAs are often cell specific and activated during endocrine differentiation
► Several islet lncRNAs exhibit conserved regulation in mouse islets
► Some lncRNAs are dysregulated in type 2 diabetes or map to susceptibility loci