Neurotrophins and neurotrophin receptors mRNAs expression in pancreatic islets and insulinoma cell lines.

CONTEXT It is worth noting that islets and betaTC6-F7 cells share a common pattern of expression of neurotrophins and neurotrophin receptors. Recently, several studies have hypothesized a role for nerve growth factor in pancreatic development and maturation, suggesting that nerve growth factor may be a survival factor for pancreatic beta-cells. OBJECTIVE The aim of the present study was to investigate the pattern of expression of neurotrophins and their relative receptors both in rat pancreatic islets and in a wide panel of insulinoma cell lines. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES A semi-quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis was performed on ribonucleic acids extracted from these cells. RESULTS Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis demonstrates that brain-derived neurotrophic factor, as well as neurotrophins 3 and 4, are expressed both in islets and in all insulinoma cells, while nerve growth factor is expressed only in islets, betaTC6-F7 cells and, at a low level, in RIN 1046-38 cells. Receptors protein tyrosine kinase A and C are ubiquitously expressed both in islets and insulinoma cells. Tyrosine kinase B is absent in HIT-T15 cells. CONCLUSIONS These data indicate that betaTC6-F7 cells are a suitable model for studying the role of neurotrophins in the survival of beta-cells.