Species-specific roles for the MAFA and MAFB transcription factors in regulatingislet β cell identity

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is associated with compromised identity of insulin-producing pancreatic islet beta ({beta}) cells, characterized by inappropriate production of other islet cell-enriched hormones. Here we examined how hormone misexpression was influenced by the MAFA and MAFB transcription factors, closely related proteins that maintain islet cell function. Mice specifically lacking MafA in {beta} cells demonstrated broad, population-wide changes in hormone gene expression with an overall gene signature closely resembling islet gastrin (Gast)-positive cells generated under conditions of chronic hyperglycemia and obesity. A human {beta} cell line deficient in MAFB, but not one lacking MAFA, also produced a gastrin (GAST)-positive gene expression pattern. In addition, GAST was detected in human T2D {beta} cells with low levels of MAFB. Moreover, evidence is provided that human MAFB can directly repress GAST gene transcription. These results support a novel, species-specific role for MafA and MAFB in maintaining adult mouse and human {beta} cell identity, respectively, by repressing expression of Gast/GAST and other non-{beta} cell hormones.