Moyamoya disease (MMD) and moyamoya syndrome are vasculopathies characterized by progressive stenosis in the circle of Willis and its branches. The RNF213 gene, which encodes a novel class of proteins, characterized by both E3 ligase and AAA+ATPase activities, has been identified as the susceptibility gene for MMD. However, its physiological functions remain unknown. MMD and moyamoya syndrome are often accompanied by diabetes mellitus. In this study, we generated Rnf213 knockout (KO) C57BL/6 mice (Rnf213(-/-); Ins2(+/+)), which were mated with Akita (C57BL/6 Rnf213(+/+); Ins2(+/C96Y)) mice, a strain that develops diabetes spontaneously by 5 weeks of age, to obtain mice lacking Rnf213 and carrying the Akita mutation (KO/Akita, Rnf213(-/-); Ins2(+/C96Y)). Body weight and blood glucose concentration were measured from 6 to 20 weeks. Glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, plasma insulin and leptin concentrations, food consumption, pancreatic insulin content and histopathology were evaluated at 18 weeks of age. We found that glucose tolerance, as indicated by AUC, was 20% lower (p<0.05) and insulin contents in pancreas were 150% higher (p<0.05), in KO/Akita than in Akita mice. The number of CHOP positive β-cells assayed by histopathological examination was 30% lower and food consumption was 34% lower in KO/Akita than in Akita mice (p<0.05 each). These findings indicated that the disruption of Rnf213 improved glucose tolerance by protecting islet β cells.
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