The anti-inflammatory protein NUPR1 (p8) is a novel intracellular mediator of pancreatic β-cell protection during diabetogenic stress in vitro and in vivo

Introduction: The intracellular protein NUPR1 (alias p8) reduces tissue damage during acute pancreatitis, and its expression is enriched in pancreatic islets. Therefore, we hypothesized that NUPR1 may exert protective mechanisms in the endocrine pancreas under inflammatory diabetogenic stress. This was investigated in transgenic mice with β-cell-specific NUPR1 overexpression (Tg). Methods: Mice were fed a high fat diet (HFD) and/or treated with multiple low-doses of streptozotocin (STZ). Glucose homeostasis was assessed by non-fasting blood glucose, ipGTT, ipITT, and serum insulin levels. β-cell mass was determi…