Exp Mol Med.  2004 Feb;36(1):36-42.

Isolation of ethanol-induced genes in pancreatic beta-cells by representational difference analysis (RDA)

• Shin JS
• Kwon YS
• Lee JJ
• Kim CW

Abstract

Recent epidemiological studies suggest that alcohol consumption is one of the risk factors leading to type 2 diabetes, but the direct effect of ethanol on beta-cell gene expression is not known. Here, using cDNA RDA method, we isolated 43 ethanol-induced genes in pancreatic beta-cells, and confirmed their differential expression by Northern blot or semi-quantitative RT-PCR. These genes were further categorized by the functional criteria based on the published data; Translation, Transcription, Metabolism, Signal transduction, Transport, Structure, Cytoskeleton, Regulation, or Putative/Unknown genes. The effects of each gene on beta-cell function need to be further investigated, however, the present data strongly suggest that these genes might be related to the metabolic alterations caused by ethanol as indicated in earlier study. In particular, RPS3 gene expression was increased by ethanol, glucosamine, and cytokines, implying that ethanol might decrease the metabolic activity by oxidative stress in beta-cells. Therefore, cloning of these genes in full-length and the detailed studies of each gene on beta-cell functions might provide clues on the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes caused by alcohol.

Keyword

differential expression; ethanol; pancreatic beta-cell; RDA; type 2 diabetes

MeSH Terms

Alcohol Drinking
Animals
Cytokines/pharmacology
Ethanol/*pharmacology
*Gene Expression Regulation
Glucosamine/pharmacology
Humans
Islets of Langerhans/*drug effects/*physiology
Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis/methods
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods