Reduced Expression of the Co-regulator TLE1 in Type 2 Diabetes Is Associated with Increased Islet α-Cell Number

beta-Cell dysfunction in type 2 diabetes (T2D) is associated with loss of cellular identity and mis-expression of alternative islet hormones, including glucagon. The molecular basis for these cellular changes has been attributed to dysregulation of core beta-cell transcription factors, which regulate beta-cell identity through activating and repressive mechanisms. The TLE1 gene lies near a T2D susceptibility locus and, recently, the glucagon repressive actions of this transcriptional coregulator have been demonstrated in vitro. We investigated whether TLE1 expression is disrupted in human T2D, and whether this is associated with increased islet glucagon-expressing cells. Automated image analysis following immunofluorescence in donors with (n = 7) and without (n = 7) T2D revealed that T2D was associated with higher islet cdp cell ratio (Control: 0.7 +/- 0.1 vs T2D: 1.6 +/- 0.4; P < .05) and an increased frequency of bihormonal (insulin(+)/glucagon(+)) cells (Control: 0.8 +/- 0.2% vs T2D: 2.0 +/- 0.4%, P < .05). In nondiabetic donors, the majority of TLE1-positive cells were mono-hormonal beta-cells ( insulin(+)/glucagon(-): 98.2 +/- 0.5%; insulin(+)/glucagon(+): 0.7 +/- 0.2%; insulin(-)/glucagon(+): 1.1 +/- 0.4%; P < .001). TLE1 expression was reduced in T2D (Control: 36 +/- 2.9% vs T2D: 24 +/- 2.6%; P < .05). Reduced islet TLE1 expression was inversely correlated with alpha/beta cell ratio (r = - 0.55; P < .05). TLE1 knockdown in EndoC-beta H1 cells was associated with a 2.5-fold increase in glucagon gene mRNA and mis-expression of glucagon in insulin-positive cells. These data support TLE1 as a putative regulator of human beta-cell identity, with dysregulated expression in T2D associated with increased glucagon expression potentially reflecting beta-to alpha-cell conversion.