Role of the Androgen Receptor in Insulin Secretion in the Male

The role of testosterone deficiency as a cause of pancreatic beta–cell dysfunction predisposing to type 2 diabetes (T2D) in men is poorly studied. While it is established that testosterone action is mediated via the AR, a ligand-activated transcription factor, the role of the AR in beta-cell function is still poorly understood. Our published far-reaching preliminary data demonstrated that testosterone action on the androgen receptor (AR) in male insulin-producing pancreatic beta-cells enhances insulin secretion by amplifying glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) actions. The goal of this project is to further elucidate the molecular bases by which DHT-activated AR stimulates cAMP production and enhances GLP-1 signaling at the plasma membrane and endosomes to increase insulin secretion in males. This study will fill key gaps in our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of beta-cell function and will have a lasting scientific impact and open clinically relevant avenues for androgen-deficient male with diabetes.

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Principal Investigator

Franck Mauvais-Jarvis

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Postdoc

Fahd Qadir

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Postdoc

Nazmul Haque

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Research Scientist

Weiwei Xu

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Research Scientist

Joubert Kharlyngdoh

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Associate Professor

Dragana Lovre

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Assistant Professor

Yilin Yoshida

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Cell reports · 2018-06-01

Estrogens Promote Misfolded Proinsulin Degradation to Protect Insulin Production and Delay Diabetes.

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Diabetes · 2018-10-10

Loss of Nuclear and Membrane Estrogen Receptor-α Differentially Impairs Insulin Secretion and Action in Male and Female Mice.

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Diabetes · 2020-08-27

Intracrine Testosterone Activation in Human Pancreatic β-Cells Stimulates Insulin Secretion.

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Cell reports. Medicine · 2022-04-07

Efficacy of glucagon-like peptide-1 and estrogen dual agonist in pancreatic islets protection and pre-clinical models of insulin-deficient diabetes.

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Nature reviews. Nephrology · 2023-11-03

Sex differences in energy metabolism: natural selection, mechanisms and consequences.

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Cell reports · 2023-05-17

Architecture of androgen receptor pathways amplifying glucagon-like peptide-1 insulinotropic action in male pancreatic β cells.

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bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2024-04-22

Single cell regulatory architecture of human pancreatic islets suggests sex differences in β cell function and the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes.

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JCI insight · 2021-08-23

SARS-CoV-2 infection of the pancreas promotes thrombofibrosis and is associated with new-onset diabetes.

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Molecular metabolism · 2019-02-14

Activation of hepatic estrogen receptor-α increases energy expenditure by stimulating the production of fibroblast growth factor 21 in female mice.

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Cell metabolism · 2016-05-10

Extranuclear Actions of the Androgen Receptor Enhance Glucose-Stimulated Insulin Secretion in the Male.

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JCI insight · 2018-06-21

Androgen excess in pancreatic β cells and neurons predisposes female mice to type 2 diabetes.

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NIGMS · $11,398,101

COBRE in Sex-based Precision Medicine

NIDDK · $1,469,036

Repurposing estrogens to improve pancreatic islet transplantation

VA · $2,662,000

Role of the androgen receptor in insulin secretion