Abstract
Background/aims: Stimulation of insulin release by D-glucose is accompanied by Cl<sup>-</sup> and HCO<sub>3</sub><sup>-</sup> efflux from pancreatic islet cells. The efflux of these anions may involve volume-regulated anion channels, including possibly TMEM16A, and the Na<sup>+</sup>-HCO<sub>3</sub><sup>-</sup>-cotransporter SLC4A4. The present study was designed to explore the expression of both TMEM16A and SLC4A4 in human pancreatic islets. Methods: Pancreases were obtained from human cadaveric donors. Immunodetection of TMEM16A and SLC4A4 was performed by immunohistochemistry on sections of fixed pancreas, while real-time PCR for the study of corresponding gene expression was performed on RNA extracted from both total pancreatic pieces and isolated pancreatic islets. Results: RT-PCR yielded lower levels of SLC4A4 in isolated islets than in the total pancreas, whilst a mirror image prevailed for TMEM16A mRNA. Immunohistochemistry of human pancreas, however, indicated comparable immunostaining of SLC4A4 in insulin-producing cells and exocrine pancreatic cells, whilst that of TMEM16A appeared less pronounced in insulin-producing cells than in exocrine cells. Conclusion: The present findings support the view that, in humans like in rodent, the regulation of anion fluxes in insulin-producing cells may involve both SLC4A4 and TMEM16A.
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