Divalent metal transporter 1 regulates iron-mediated ROS and pancreatic ß cell fate in response to cytokines

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

  • Jakob Bondo Hansen
  • Morten Fog Tonnesen
  • Andreas Nygaard Madsen
  • Peter Hagedorn
  • Josefine Friberg
  • Lars Groth Grunnet
  • R Scott Heller
  • Anja Østergren Nielsen
  • Joachim Størling
  • Luc Baeyens
  • Leeat Anker-Kitai
  • Luc Bouwens
  • Shimon Efrat
  • Mogens Aalund
  • Nancy C Andrews
  • Allan E Karlsen
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) contribute to target-cell damage in inflammatory and iron-overload diseases. Little is known about iron transport regulation during inflammatory attack. Through a combination of in vitro and in vivo studies, we show that the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1ß induces divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) expression correlating with increased ß cell iron content and ROS production. Iron chelation and siRNA and genetic knockdown of DMT1 expression reduce cytokine-induced ROS formation and cell death. Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in the absence of cytokines in Dmt1 knockout islets is defective, highlighting a physiological role of iron and ROS in the regulation of insulin secretion. Dmt1 knockout mice are protected against multiple low-dose streptozotocin and high-fat diet-induced glucose intolerance, models of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, respectively. Thus, ß cells become prone to ROS-mediated inflammatory damage via aberrant cellular iron metabolism, a finding with potential general cellular implications.
Original languageEnglish
JournalCell Metabolism
Volume16
Issue number4
Pages (from-to)449-61
Number of pages13
ISSN1550-4131
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2012

ID: 43223237