Effects of Sorcin (SRI) overexpression on mouse pancreatic beta cells transcriptome

Pancreatic beta cells use electrical signals to couple changes in blood glucose concentration to insulin release via extracellular calcium (Ca2+) influx. Sorcin (SRI) is a Ca2+-binding protein whose overexpression in cardiomyocytes rescues the abnormal contractile function of the diabetic heart. In order to investigate the role of sorcin in regulating mouse pancreatic beta cell transcriptome, transgenic mice were generated on a C56BL/6 background permitting inducible overexpression of SRI cDNA with the TetOn-system specifically in beta cells. Animals bearing ten copies of the SRI transgene (SRI-tg10), and littermate controls, were fed a high fat diet (60% fat, HFD) and exposed to doxycycline in the drinking water (500mg/L) from 4 weeks onwards. Microarray analysis were performed using total RNA from isolated pancreatic islets of 8-week-old mice.