Abstract
Disclosure: Carlos Viesi, Ph.D.[1], Ian Tamburini, BS[1], Hosung Bae, Ph.D[1]., Erwin Ilegems, Ph.D.[2], Leandro Velez, Ph.D. [1], Mingqi Zhou, BS[1], Christy Nguyen, Ph.D.[1], Casey Johnson, Ph.D.[1], Cholsoon Jang, Ph.D[1]., Erika Nishimura[2] and Marcus Seldin, Ph.D.[1]. [1]Department of Biological Chemistry, Center for Epigenetics and Metabolism, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA, [2]Departments of Diabetes Protein Engineering, Diabetes Biology & Pharmacology, Medicinal Chemistry, Protein Engineering, Novo Nordisk A/S, Novo Nordisk Park, DK-2760 Måløv, Denmark. Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) affects over 530 million people around the globe. Insulin resistance, encompassing tissues such as muscle, adipose, and liver, is the initial step hallmarked by hyperinsulinemia. Coupled with β-cell failure, these coordinated responses progress to T2D, becoming irreversible and medically challenging. Despite the well-established requirement for communication between pancreas and peripheral tissues in T2D progression, this area remains almost entirely unexplored. Here, we performed a human population genetic screening across 310 individuals to search for new endocrine regulators of pancreas function. Specifically, global gene expression from 18 peripheral tissues was analyzed to identify potential endocrine regulators of insulin secretion. This analysis prioritized liver-specific Haptoglobin-related protein (HPR) as genetically-enriched with islet insulin responses. Mouse models using AAV technology and acute protein administration of HPR showed that this newly secreted protein is sufficient to prevent diet-induced insulin resistance through enhanced beta-cell respiration. When mice were administered soluble HPR, then pancreatic tissue subjected to global RNA-sequencing, enhanced respiration pathways were observed. Next, we generated hepatocyte-specific overexpression models using AAV, which were sufficient to rescue whole-body glucose disposal profiles and weight gain in diet-induced insulin-resistant mice. Altogether, these findings highlight HPR as a novel soluble protein which signals from liver to pancreatic islets. Presentation: 6/3/2024