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Updated: Jan 24, 2026

Observing Islet Function and Islet-Immune Cell Interactions in Live Pancreatic Tissue Slices
Published on: April 12, 2021
Wingless-Type MMTV Integration Site Family Member 5a Is a Key Secreted Islet Stellate Cell-Derived Product that
Wei Xu1,2,3, Jun Liang1, H F Geng1
1Department of Endocrinology of Xuzhou Central Hospital, Xuzhou Institute of Medical Sciences, Affiliated Hospital of Southeast University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
Background:
Emerging evidence suggests that T2DM is attributable to the dysfunction of β-cells and the activation of islet stellate cells (ISCs). The wingless-type MMTV integration site family member 5a (Wnt5a)/frizzled 5 (Fzd5) signalling pathway might take part in this process. Our study is aimed at defining the status of ISCs during β-cell insulin secretion homeostasis by determining the role of the Wnt5a protein in the regulation of insulin production. We examined the effects of the status of ISCs on β-cell insulin secretion in normoglycemic db/m and hyperglycaemic db/db mice.
Methods:
iTRAQ protein screening and RNA interference were used to determine novel ISC-derived secretory products that may use other mechanisms to influence the function of islets.
Results:
We showed a significant reduction in insulin secretion by β-cells in vitro when they were cocultured with db/db ISCs compared to when they were cocultured with ISCs isolated from normoglycemic db/m mice; in addition, both Wnt5a and its receptor Fzd5 were more highly expressed by quiescent ISCs than by activated db/db ISCs. Treatment with exogenous Wnt5a increased the secretion of insulin in association with the deactivation of ISCs.
Conclusion:
Our observations revealed that the Wnt5a protein is a key effector of ISC-mediated improvement in islet function.
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