Cx36 and the function of endocrine pancreas

The secretory, duct, connective and vascular cells of pancreas are connected by gap junctions, made of different connexins. The insulin-producing beta-cells, which form the bulk of endocrine pancreatic islets, express predominantly Cx36. To assess the function of this connexin, we have first studied its expression in rats, during sequential changes of pancreatic function which were induced by the implantation of a secreting insulinoma. We observed that changes in beta-cell function were paralleled by changes in Cx36 expression. We have also begun to investigate mutant mice lacking Cx36. The absence of this protein did not affect the development and differentiation of beta-cells but appeared to alter their secretion. We have studied this effect in MIN6 cells which spontaneously express Cx36. After stable transfection of a construct that markedly reduced the expression of this connexin, we observed that MIN6 cells were no more able to secrete insulin, in contrast to wild type controls, and differentially displayed a series of still unknown genes. The data provide evidence that Cx36-dependent signaling contributes to regulate the function of native and tumoral insulin-producing cells.