RNA-Seq of mouse pancreatic islets treated with cytokines and NAMPT inhibitor (FK866)

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is characterised by destruction of pancreatic beta cells by islet-infiltrating cytotoxic lymphocytes, and elevated intra-islet secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. We hypothesise that abnormal elevation of islet NAD, via activation of NAMPT, plays a key role in driving islet autoimmune processes in T1D. In vitro, the NAMPT inhibitor FK866 protected mouse and human islets against cytokine-mediated beta cell dysfunction and death. We used RNA-Seq to dissect the transcriptional response of mouse islets subjected in vitro to cytokines in the presence and absence of FK866.