RNA Sequencing of Single Human Islet Cells Reveals Type 2 Diabetes Genes

Pancreatic islet cells are critical for maintaining normal blood glucose levels, and their malfunction underlies diabetes development and progression. We used single-cell RNA sequencing to determine the transcriptomes of 1,492 human pancreatic alpha, beta, delta, and PP cells from non-diabetic and type 2 diabetes organ donors. We identified cell-type-specific genes and pathways as well as 245 genes with disturbed expression in type 2 diabetes. Importantly, 92% of the genes have not previously been associated with islet cell function or growth. Comparison of gene profiles in mouse and human a and b cells revealed species-specific expression. All data are available for online browsing and download and will hopefully serve as a resource for the islet research community.