Pancreatic β Cells Require NeuroD to Achieve and Maintain Functional Maturity

SummaryNeuroD, a transactivator of the insulin gene, is critical for development of the endocrine pancreas, and NeuroD mutations cause MODY6 in humans. To investigate the role of NeuroD in differentiated β cells, we generated mice in which neuroD is deleted in insulin-expressing cells. These mice exhibit severe glucose intolerance. Islets lacking NeuroD respond poorly to glucose and display a glucose metabolic profile similar to immature β cells, featuring increased expression of glycolytic genes and LDHA, elevated basal insulin secretion and O2 consumption, and overexpression of NPY. Moreover, the mutant islets appear to have defective KATP channel-mediated insulin secretion. Unexpectedly, virtually all insulin in the mutant mice is derived from ins2, whereas ins1 expression is almost extinguished. Overall, these results indicate that NeuroD is required for β cell maturation and demonstrate the importance of NeuroD in the acquisition and maintenance of fully functional glucose-responsive β cells.

► NeuroD plays an important role in achieving and maintaining maturity of β cells
► NeuroD is required for several aspects of β cell physiology and metabolic function
► NeuroD is dispensable for ins2 gene expression in mice