Distinct Cell Clusters Touching Islet Cells Induce Islet Cell Replication In Association With Over-Expression Of Regenerating Gene (Reg) Protein In Fulminant Type 1 Diabetes

Background: Pancreatic islet endocrine cell-supporting architectures, including islet encapsulating basement membranes (BMs), extracellular matrix (ECM), and possible cell clusters, are unclear.Procedures: The architectures around islet cell clusters, including BMs, ECM, and pancreatic acinar-like cell clusters, were studied in the non-diabetic state and in the inflamed milieu of fulminant type 1 diabetes in humans.Result: Immunohistochemical and electron microscopy analyses demonstrated that human islet cell clusters and acinar-like cell clusters adhere directly to each other with desmosomal structures and coated-pit-like structures between the two cell clusters. The two cell-clusters are encapsulated by a continuous capsule composed of common BMs/ECM. The acinar-like cell clusters have vesicles containing regenerating (REG) I alpha protein. The vesicles containing REG I alpha protein are directly secreted to islet cells. In the inflamed milieu of fulminant type 1 diabetes, the acinar-like cell clusters over-expressed REG I alpha protein. Islet endocrine cells, including beta-cells and non-beta cells, which were packed with the acinar-like cell clusters, show self-replication with a markedly increased number of Ki67-positive cells.Conclusion: The acinar-like cell clusters touching islet endocrine cells are distinct, because the cell clusters are packed with pancreatic islet clusters and surrounded by common BMs/ECM. Furthermore, the acinar-like cell clusters express REG I alpha protein and secrete directly to neighboring islet endocrine cells in the non-diabetic state, and the cell clusters over-express REG Ia in the inflamed milieu of fulminant type 1 diabetes with marked self-replication of islet cells.