TGF-βi Promotes Islet β-Cell Function and Regeneration
Bibliographic record
Abstract
TGF-βi is a secreted protein and is capable of binding to both extracellular matrix (ECM) and cells. It thus acts as a bifunctional molecule enhancing ECM and cell interactions, a lack of which results in dysfunction of many cell types. In this study, we investigated the role of TGF-βi in the function and survival of islets. Based on DNA microarray followed by quantitative PCR confirmation, TGFβi gene showed drastic increase in expression in islets after culture. We demonstrated that recombinant TGF-βi could preserve the integrity and enhance the function of cultured islets. Such a beneficial effect was mediated via signaling through FAK. Exogenous TGF-βi was capable of sustaining high-level FAK phosphorylation in isolated islets, and FAK knockdown by small interfering RNA in islets resulted in compromised islet function. TGF-βi transgenic (Tg) islets showed better integrity and insulin release after in vitro culture. In vivo, β-cell proliferation was detectable in Tg but not wild-type pancreata. At age above 12 mo, Tg pancreata contained giant islets. Tg mice displayed better glucose tolerance than that of the controls. Tg islets were more potent in lowering blood glucose when transplanted into syngeneic mice with streptozotocin-induced diabetes, and these transplanted islets also underwent regeneration. Our results indicate that TGF-βi is a vital trophic factor promoting islet survival, function, and regeneration. At least some of its beneficial effect was mediated by signaling through FAK.
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How this classification was reachedexpand
Full frame machine prediction
Teacher imitationNot calibrated prevalence, not ground truth. Human validation pending. The Gemma side is a direct model label for every work in the frame, read from the title-only record. The Codex side is a classifier learned from the 10,348 direct Codex labels and calibrated to design-weighted sample rates; fields without enough sample support carry no Codex call. Candidate is the union of the two sides; consensus is their intersection. These outputs are machine_predicted_unvalidated and are not human labels.
Distilled classifier scores by category (both heads)
| Category | Codex | Gemma |
|---|---|---|
| Metaresearch | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Meta-epidemiology (narrow) | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Meta-epidemiology (broad) | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Bibliometrics | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Science and technology studies | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Scholarly communication | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Open science | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Research integrity | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Insufficient payload (model declined to judge) | 0.001 | 0.000 |
Machine scores (provisional)
The two teacher heads of the student model, read on this work. A score orders the frame for review; it never asserts a category, and the validation status ships verbatim with every row.
Baseline scores from an immature model (maturity gate not passed, 7 training rounds). Scores rank; they never assert a category.
score_only:v0-immature-baseline · verbatim from the scoring run: score_only means the number may rank works, and no category label ships from itClassification
machine, unvalidatedMachine predicted; a candidate call from one source (direct Gemma or distilled Codex), not a consensus.
How this classification was reached, model by model and score by score, is at the end of the page under "How this classification was reached".