Trimethylguanosine synthase 1 is a novel regulator of pancreatic beta-cell mass and function

Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder associated with abnormal glucose homeostasis and is characterized by intrinsic defects in β-cell function and mass. Trimethylguanosine synthase 1 (TGS1) is an evolutionarily conserved enzyme that methylates small nuclear and nucleolar RNAs and that is involved in pre-mRNA splicing, transcription, and ribosome production. However, the role of TGS1 in β-cells and glucose homeostasis had not been explored. Here, we show that TGS1 is upregulated by insulin and upregulated in islets of Langerhans from mice exposed to a high-fat diet and in human β-cells from type 2 diabetes donors. Using mice with conditional (βTGS1KO) and inducible (MIP-Cre^ERT-TGS1KO) TGS1 deletion, we determined that TGS1 regulates β-cell mass and function. Using unbiased approaches, we identified a link between TGS1 and endoplasmic reticulum stress and cell cycle arrest, as well as and how TGS1 regulates β-cell apoptosis. We also found that deletion of TGS1 results in an increase in the unfolded protein response by increasing XBP-1, ATF-4, and the phosphorylation of eIF2α, in addition to promoting several changes in cell cycle inhibitors and activators such as p27 and Cyclin D2. This study establishes TGS1 as a key player regulating β-cell mass and function. We propose that these observations can be used as a stepping-stone for the design of novel strategies focused on TGS1 as a therapeutic target for the treatment of diabetes.