Reduced Insulin Production Relieves Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Induces β Cell Proliferation

•Acute reduction of insulin production reverses baseline ER stress•Loss of insulin production reduces Trib3 and hyper-activates Akt•Reduced insulin production increases β cell proliferation cell autonomously•Insulin knockout induces glucagon mis-expression via hyperglycemia

SummaryPancreatic β cells are mostly post-mitotic, but it is unclear what locks them in this state. Perturbations including uncontrolled hyperglycemia can drive β cells into more pliable states with reduced cellular insulin levels, increased β cell proliferation, and hormone mis-expression, but it is unknown whether reduced insulin production itself plays a role. Here, we define the effects of ∼50% reduced insulin production in Ins1−/−:Ins2f/f:Pdx1CreERT:mTmG mice prior to robust hyperglycemia. Transcriptome, proteome, and network analysis revealed alleviation of chronic endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, indicated by reduced Ddit3, Trib3, and Atf4 expression; reduced Xbp1 splicing; and reduced phospho-eIF2α. This state was associated with hyper-phosphorylation of Akt, which is negatively regulated by Trib3, and with cyclinD1 upregulation. Remarkably, β cell proliferation was increased 2-fold after reduced insulin production independently of hyperglycemia. Eventually, recombined cells mis-expressed glucagon in the hyperglycemic state. We conclude that the normally high rate of insulin production suppresses β cell proliferation in a cell-autonomous manner.

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