IMPDH Cytoophidia in the Pancreas: Morphological Dynamics and Metabolic Implications

Abstract

Cytoophidia are filamentous structures formed by metabolic enzymes, playing critical roles in cellular metabolism and regulation. Inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH), the rate-limiting enzyme in de novo nucleotide synthesis, is known to form cytoophidia and is implicated in cell proliferation, nutrient sensing, and metabolic stress responses. Despite their significance, the behavior of IMPDH cytoophidia under different metabolic conditions, particularly in diabetes, remains poorly understood. This study investigates the distribution, morphology, and assembly patterns of IMPDH cytoophidia in the pancreas of normal and diabetic models. Using immunofluorescence staining, pharmacological interventions (e.g., mycophenolic acid), and glucose tolerance tests, we demonstrate that IMPDH cytoophidia exhibit distinct morphological changes in pancreatic islets under diabetic conditions. Notably, cytoophidia elongation is associated with impaired glucose tolerance, suggesting a potential link between cytoophidia dynamics and metabolic dysfunction. Our findings provide novel insights into the role of IMPDH cytoophidia in metabolic regulation and highlight their potential as therapeutic targets for diabetes and related metabolic disorders.