ORIGINAL ARTICLE

JOP. J Pancreas (Online) 2001; 2(3):105-111.

Neurotrophins and Neurotrophin Receptors mRNAs Expression in Pancreatic Islets and Insulinoma Cell Lines

Paolo Bonini1, Daniela Pierucci1, Simona Cicconi1, Ottavia Porzio1, Renato Lauro1, Lionel NJL Marlier1,2, Patrizia Borboni1

1Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata". Rome, Italy. 2National Research Council (CNR), Institute of Neurobiology and Molecular Medicine (INeMM). Rome, Italy

Context It is worth noting that islets and betaTC6-F7 cells share a common pattern of expression of neurotrophins and neurotrophin receptors. Recently, several studies have hypothesized a role for nerve growth factor in pancreatic development and maturation, suggesting that nerve growth factor may be a survival factor for pancreatic beta-cells.

Objective The aim of the present study was to investigate the pattern of expression of neurotrophins and their relative receptors both in rat pancreatic islets and in a wide panel of insulinoma cell lines.

Main outcome measures A semi-quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis was performed on ribonucleic acids extracted from these cells.

Results Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis demonstrates that brain-derived neurotrophic factor, as well as neurotrophins 3 and 4, are expressed both in islets and in all insulinoma cells, while nerve growth factor is expressed only in islets, betaTC6-F7 cells and, at a low level, in RIN 1046-38 cells. Receptors protein tyrosine kinase A and C are ubiquitously expressed both in islets and insulinoma cells. Tyrosine kinase B is absent in HIT-T15 cells.

Conclusions These data indicate that betaTC6-F7 cells are a suitable model for studying the role of neurotrophins in the survival of beta-cells.

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Key words Insulinoma; Islets of Langerhans; Nerve Growth Factor; Polymerase Chain Reaction

Correspondence Patrizia Borboni: borboni@uniroma2.it