The role of O-linked N-Acetylglucosamine Homeostasis in Pancreatic Beta-cell Development and Function

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Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is the most common chronic disease affecting human health. Recent longitudinal and genome-wide association studies provide strong evidence that the ability of pancreatic β-cells to fulfill insulin demand through development, growth, survival, and function is a key determinant of whether an individual will develop T2D ! under various nutrient conditions. However, there are no effective clinical treatments that target β-cell growth and maintenance of their differentiated identity as insulin producing-cells. We propose that OGT (O-GlcNAc Transferase), a nutrient-sensor expressed at a very high level in β-cells, has key developmental regulatory properties and the ability to integrate signaling networks to regulate β-cell plasticity in response to insulin demand and nutrient stress. OGT is the sole enzyme adding a single O-GlcNAc post-translational modification (O-GlcNAcylation) onto proteins to orchestrate and fine-tune glucose metabolism, and β-cell growth and maintenance of identity under stress responses to nutrient changes and hormonal cues. We hypothesize that OGT tightly controls the O-GlcNAcylation state of downstream targets, including Pdx1, to promote β-cell development and function. Thus, our long-term goal is to define the mechanisms of how OGT integrates signaling networks impinging on β-cell plasticity (development and identity) to promote functional β-cells. We will test our hypothesis with the following Aims: 1. To establish the molecular mechanisms of how OGT regulates β-cell development and mass. 2. To delineate the mechanisms of how OGT regulates β-cell mass and identity under metabolic stress. The impact of this grant will show the central role of OGT in β-cell development and mass maintenance, and illustrate the translational relevance of OGT during time windows critical to metabolic health . Finally, these results will advance the field of β-cell biology and will open new horizons for therapies for patients with diabetes.