Increased expression and possible roles of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase in pancreatic islets of STZ-induced diabetic monkeys

AIM: To verify and localize the expression of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) in pancreas of streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetic monkeys and understand its important role in β-cell destruction in the pathogenesis of diabetes. METHODS: Through an olig-microarray gene chip, NNMT was identified as the most obviously up-regulated genes in pancreas of STZ-induced diabetic monkeys versus controls. Semiquantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting were performed to verify the differential expression at mRNA and protein level respectively. Then the cellular localization of NNMT expression within pancreas was identified by immunohistochemical(IHC) staining.RESULTS: An obvious high expression of NNMT at both mRNA and protein levels was shown in pancreas of STZ-induced diabetic monkeys compared to that of controls. Further localization of the protein by IHC staining in pancreas specimens showed that its altered expression was restricted to central islets, most of which were β cells.CONCLUSION: Expression of NNMT is increased in islets of STZ- induced diabetic monkeys, which infers that NNMT might participate in the process of β cell damage in diabetes probably through the mechanism of energy metabolism disturbance.