High Glucose Aggravates the Detrimental Effects of Pancreatic Stellate Cells on Beta-Cell Function

Abstract

Background and Aims. We here assess the effects of PSCs onβ-cell function and apoptosisin vivoandin vitro.Materials and Methods.PSCs were transplanted into Wistar and Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats. Sixteen weeks after transplantation,β-cell function, apoptosis, and islet fibrosis were assessed.In vitrothe effects of PSCs conditioned medium (PSCs-CM) and/or high concentration of glucose on INS-1 cell function was assessed by measuring insulin secretion, INS-1 cell survival, apoptosis, and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER stress) associated CHOP expression.Results. PSCs transplantation exacerbated the impairedβ-cell function in GK rats, but had no significant effects in Wistar rats.In vitro, PSCs-CM caused impaired INS-1 cell viability and insulin secretion and increased apoptosis, which were more pronounced in the presence of high glucose.Conclusion.Our study demonstrates that PSCs induceβ-cell failurein vitroandin vivo.