Genetic background determines the extent of islet amyloid formation in human islet amyloid polypeptide transgenic mice

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Abstract
Genetic background is important in determining susceptibility to metabolic abnormalities such as insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction. Islet amyloid is associated with reduced β-cell mass and function and develops in the majority of our C57BL/6J × DBA/2J (F1) male human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) transgenic mice after 1 yr of increased fat feeding. To determine the relative contribution of each parental strain, C57BL/6J (BL6) and DBA/2J (DBA2), to islet amyloid formation, we studied male hIAPP mice on each background strain (BL6, n = 13; and DBA2 n = 11) and C57BL/6J × DBA/2J F1mice ( n = 17) on a 9% (wt/wt) fat diet for 1 yr. At the end of 12 mo, islet amyloid deposition was quantified from thioflavin S-stained pancreas sections. The majority of mice in all groups developed islet amyloid (BL6: 91%, F1: 76%, DBA2: 100%). However, the prevalence (%amyloid-positive islets; BL6: 14 ± 3%, F1: 44 ± 8%, DBA2: 49 ± 9%, P < 0.05) and severity (%islet area occupied by amyloid; BL6: 0.03 ± 0.01%, F1: 9.2 ± 2.9%, DBA2: 5.7 ± 2.3%, p ≤ 0.01) were significantly lower in BL6 than F1and DBA2 mice. Increased islet amyloid severity was negatively correlated with insulin-positive area per islet, in F1( r2= 0.75, P < 0.001) and DBA2 ( r2= 0.87, P < 0.001) mice but not BL6 mice ( r2= 0.07). In summary, the extent of islet amyloid formation in hIAPP transgenic mice is determined by background strain, with mice expressing DBA/2J genes (F1and DBA2 mice) being more susceptible to amyloid deposition that replaces β-cell mass. These findings underscore the importance of genetic and environmental factors in studying metabolic disease.