Integrated transcriptomics contrasts fatty acid metabolism with hypoxia response in β-cell subpopulations associated...

Understanding how heterogeneous β-cell function impacts diabetes is imperative for therapy development. Standard single-cell RNA sequencing analysis illuminates some factors driving heterogeneity, but new strategies are required to enhance information capture.

We integrate pancreatic islet single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing data to identify β-cell subpopulations based on gene expression and characterize genetic networks associated with β-cell function in obese SM/J mice. We identify β-cell subpopulations associated with basal insulin secretion, hypoxia response, cell polarity, and stress response. Network analysis associates fatty acid metabolism and basal insulin secretion with hyperglycemic-obesity, while expression of Pdyn and hypoxia response is associated with normoglycemic-obesity.

By integrating single-cell and bulk islet transcriptomes, our study explores β-cell heterogeneity and identifies novel subpopulations and genetic pathways associated with β-cell function in obesity.