Reduced Retinoic Acid Receptor Beta (Rarß) Affects Pancreatic ß-Cell Physiology.

Various studies have suggested a link between vitamin A (VA), all-trans-retinol, and type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, the functional role/expression of vitamin A receptors (Rarα, ß, and γ) in pancreatic ß-cells is not clear yet. Accordingly, we performed a series of bioinformatics, molecular and functional experiments in human islet and INS-1 cells to evaluate the role of Rarß on insulin secretion and pancreatic ß-cell function. Microarray and RNA-sequencing (RAN-seq) expression analysis showed that RARα, ß, and γ are expressed in human pancreatic islets. RNA-seq expression of RARß in diabetic/hyperglycemic human islets (HbA1c ≥ 6.3%) revealed a significant reduction (p = 0.004) compared to nondiabetic/normoglycemic cells (HbA1c < 6%). The expression of RARß with INS and PDX1 showed inverse association, while positive correlations were observed with INSR and HbA1c levels. Exploration of the T2D knowledge portal (T2DKP) revealed that several genetic variants in RARß are associated with BMI. The most associated variant is rs6804842 (p = 1.2 × 10−25). Silencing of Rarß in INS-1 cells impaired insulin secretion without affecting cell viability or apoptosis. Interestingly, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production levels were elevated and glucose uptake was reduced in Rarß-silenced cells. mRNA expression of Ins1, Pdx1, NeuroD1, Mafa, Snap25, Vamp2, and Gck were significantly (p < 0.05) downregulated in Rarß-silenced cells. For protein levels, Pro/Insulin, PDX1, GLUT2, GCK, pAKT/AKT, and INSR expression were downregulated considerably (p < 0.05). The expression of NEUROD and VAMP2 were not affected. In conclusion, our results indicate that Rarß is an important molecule for ß-cell function. Hence, our data further support the potential role of VA receptors in the development of T2D.