1. NDRG2 is highly expressed in pancreatic β cells and involved in protection against lipotoxicity.
- Author
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Lan Shen, Xuewu Liu, Wugang Hou, Guodong Yang, Yousheng Wu, Rui Zhang, Xia Li, Honglei Che, Zifan Lu, Yuanqiang Zhang, Xinping Liu, and Libo Yao
- Subjects
PANCREAS ,CELL differentiation ,APOPTOSIS ,CYTOPLASM ,GENES - Abstract
The N-myc downstream-regulated gene 2 (NDRG2) is involved in cell differentiation and apoptosis, but its function in the pancreas remains to be established. Herein we examine the expression and function of NDRG2 in the endocrine pancreas. NDRG2 immunoreactivity was localized mainly in the cytoplasm of pancreatic β cells. When β-TC3 cells were exposed chronically to high levels of free fatty acid (FFA), cell viability was impaired, and Akt and NDRG2 phosphorylation were reduced. NDRG2 is a potential substrate of protein kinase Akt. Overexpression of constitutively active Akt enhanced NDRG2 phosphorylation and abolished the apoptosis induced by FFA in β-TC3 cells, whereas NDRG2 knock-down attenuated Akt-mediated protection of β cells against fatty acid-triggered apoptosis. Collectively, these data indicate that NDRG2 acts as a key molecule in pancreatic β cells and is involved in the Akt-mediated protection of β cells against lipotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2010
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