Exp Mol Med.  2001 Sep;33(3):164-168.

Immunohistochemical localization of eight phospholipase C isozymes in pancreatic islets of the mouse

• Kim SS
• Jun KS
• Jeong MJ
• Ryu SH
• Suh PG
• Shin HS

Abstract

The possible involvement of phospholipase C (PLC) in the regulation of insulin secretion is not clearly understood and neither its isozymes expressed nor cellular localization in the pancreatic islets is known. By using specific monoclonal antibodies, we have investigated the expression and localization of eight different PLC isozymes, beta1, beta2, beta3, beta4, gamma1, gamma2, delta1, and delta2, in the pancreatic islets of adult mice. Immunohistochemical analysis carried out on paraffin embedded sections showed a distinct pattern of expression for each of the PLC isozymes. In the central part of the islets containing beta cells, a high level of beta4 and moderate levels of beta3 and gamma1 were expressed, whereas PLC-beta1 and -gamma1 were abundantly expressed in the exocrine pancreas. These results demonstrated the heterogeneity in expression of the phospholipase C isozymes in pancreatic islets. It is conceivable that these isozymes are coupled to different receptors and perform selective tasks in the regulation of insulin secretion for glucose homeostasis.

Keyword

pancreatic islet; beta cell; insulin; isozymes; phospholipase C

MeSH Terms

Animal
Antibodies, Monoclonal
Glucagon/analysis
Insulin/analysis
Islets of Langerhans/cytology/*enzymology
Isoenzymes/analysis/immunology
Mice
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Mice, Knockout
Phospholipase C/*analysis/immunology