Translational control of glucose-induced islet amyloid polypeptide production in pancreatic islets

Dysfunctional islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) biosynthesis and/or processing are thought contribute to formation of islet amyloid in type 2 diabetes. However, it is unclear how normal pro-IAPP biosynthesis and processing are regulated to be able to define such dysfunction. Here, it was found that acute exposure to high glucose concentrations coordinately regulated the biosynthesis of pro-IAPP, proinsulin, and its proprotein convertase PC1/3 in normal isolated rat islets, without affecting their respective mRNA levels. Pro-7B2 biosynthesis, like that of pro-PC2, did not appreciably change, but this was likely due to a much higher expression in pancreatic α-cells masking glucose regulation of their biosynthesis in β-cells. Biosynthesis of pro-SAAS, the putative PC1/3 chaperone, was unaffected by glucose, consistent with its scarce expression in β-cells. We conclude that translational control of pro-IAPP biosynthesis, in parallel to the pro-PC1/3, pro-PC2, and pro-7B2 proprotein-processing endopeptidases/chaperones, is the predominate mechanism to produce IAPP in islet β-cells.