STAT3 modulates β-cell cycling in injured mouse pancreas and protects against DNA damage

Publication type: 
Article
Author(s): 
S De Groef, D Renmans, Y Cai, G Leuckx, S Roels, W Staels, G Gradwohl, L Baeyens, Y Heremans, GA Martens, N De Leu, M Sojoodi, M Van de Casteele and H Heimberg
Citation: 

De Groef S. et al. (2016) STAT3 modulates β-cell cycling in injured mouse pancreas and protects against DNA damage. Cell Death and Disease 7, e2272.

Description: 

Partial pancreatic duct ligation (PDL) of mouse pancreas induces a doubling of the β-cell mass mainly through proliferation of preexisting and newly formed β-cells. The molecular mechanism governing this process is still largely unknown. Given the inflammatory nature of PDL and inflammation-induced signaling via the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), the activation and the role of STAT3 in PDL-induced β-cell proliferation were investigated. Duct ligation stimulates the expression of several cytokines that can act as ligands inducing STAT3 signaling and phosphorylation in β-cells. β-Cell cycling increased by conditional β-cell-specific Stat3 knockout and decreased by STAT3 activation through administration of interleukin-6. In addition, the level of DNA damage in β-cells of PDL pancreas increased after deletion of Stat3. These data indicate a role for STAT3 in maintaining a steady state in the β-cell, by modulating its cell cycle and protection from DNA damage.

Year of publication : 
2016
Downloads: 
Magazine published in: 
Cell Death and Disease