Vascular Destabilization and Pericyte Detachment are Mediated by hIAPP Aggregation in Transgenic Mice.

Koepke, J.; Mateus Goncalves, L.; Andrade Barboza, C.; Aplin, A. C.; Hackney, D. J.; Gharib, S. A.; Mohn, O.; Teng, M.; Castillo, J. J.; Almaca, J.; Hull-Meichle, R. L.

doi:10.64898/2026.02.21.707196

bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.02.21.707196

Vascular Destabilization and Pericyte Detachment are Mediated by hIAPP Aggregation in Transgenic Mice.

Koepke, J.·Mateus Goncalves, L.·Andrade Barboza, C.·Aplin, A. C.·Hackney, D. J.·Gharib, S. A.·Mohn, O.·Teng, M.·Castillo, J. J.·Almaca, J.·Hull-Meichle, R. L.

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Abstract

Aims/hypothesisHuman islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) deposition is a common feature of type-2 diabetes (T2D). Previous studies have demonstrated hIAPP-mediated endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction and inflammation, but little is known about islet microvascular stability or pericyte function in hIAPP-containing islets. This study investigates how islet endothelial cells and pericytes are influenced by hIAPP aggregation. MethodsBulk RNAseq and qPCR were conducted on hIAPP or vehicle treated MS-1 cells and bead-purified human islet CD31+ cells from donors with or without T2D to determine how islet ECs respond to hIAPP exposure. Confocal imaging of living pancreatic slices obtained from hIAPP transgenic mice was conducted to evaluate the effect of hIAPP deposition on islet pericyte function and vasomotor responses. ResultshIAPP-treated MS-1 cells and ECs purified from T2D islets demonstrate downregulation of leading-edge genes associated with extracellular matrix and cell adhesion pathways. Pericytes from hIAPP-expressing mouse islets appear detached from underlying endothelial cells, which was associated with impaired vasomotor responses to constrictive or dilatory stimuli. Conclusions/interpretationhIAPP induces vascular destabilization by downregulating mRNA of key extracellular matrix and cell adhesion molecules in ECs, likely promoting the breakdown of EC-EC and EC-pericyte coupling. hIAPP disrupts EC-pericyte connections, and pericyte detachment ultimately impairs pericytes ability to modulate capillary diameter without impairing intracellular Ca2+ dynamics. Our data suggest that amyloid deposition compromises EC health and survival by altering islet microvascular morphology, stability, and function. This, in turn, may disrupt islet microvascular stability and exacerbate endocrine cell dysfunction in T2D. Research in contextO_ST_ABSWhat is already known about this subject?C_ST_ABS- hIAPP is cytotoxic to islet endothelial cells and beta cells, and contributes to islet failure in type-2 diabetes (T2D) - hIAPP transgenic mice demonstrate islet capillary dilation, loss of vascular structures, and increased pericyte density - Impaired pericyte anchorage and vascular fragmentation drive diabetes-related vasculopathies in other tissues, like the retina, kidney, and brain What is the key question?- How does the surviving microvasculature in islets respond to hIAPP deposition? What are the new findings?- Endothelial cells demonstrate transcriptional downregulation of key genes involved in cytoskeleton, ECM, and cell-adhesion maintenance, including Thbs1, Tln1, and Plec. - Amyloid deposits disrupt homeostatic interactions between endothelial cells and pericytes. - Amyloid-adjacent islet pericytes are detached from endothelial cells and display impaired ability to modulate capillary diameter. How might this impact on clinical practice in the foreseeable future?- Therapies targeting endothelial cell-pericyte interactions may restore islet microvascular stability and improve islet function, especially in the context of early T2D.

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Koepke, J., Mateus Goncalves, L., Andrade Barboza, C., Aplin, A. C., Hackney, D. J., Gharib, S. A., Mohn, O., Teng, M., Castillo, J. J., Almaca, J., Hull-Meichle, R. L.. 2026-02-22. Vascular Destabilization and Pericyte Detachment are Mediated by hIAPP Aggregation in Transgenic Mice.. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.02.21.707196

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