Clinical Islet Cell Laboratory, Center for Cellular Transplantation, Cardiovascular Innovation Institute, Department of Surgery, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, United States.
Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism & Diabetes, Louisville, KY 40202, United States.
Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2018 Sep;143:120-133. doi: 10.1016/j.diabres.2018.06.018. Epub 2018 Jun 25.
The intra-islet endothelial cells (ECs), the building blocks of islet microvasculature, govern a number of cellular and pathophysiological processes associated with the pancreatic tissue. These cells are key to the angiogenic process and essential for islet revascularization after transplantation. Understanding fundamental mechanisms by which ECs regulate the angiogenic process is important as these cells maintain and regulate the intra-islet environment facilitated by a complex signaling crosstalk with the surrounding endocrine cells. In recent years, many studies have demonstrated the impact of epigenetic regulation on islet cell development and function. This review will present an overview of the reports involving endothelial epigenetic mechanisms particularly focusing on histone modifications which have been identified to play a critical role in governing EC functions by modifying the chromatin structure. A better understanding of epigenetic mechanisms by which these cells regulate gene expression and function to orchestrate cellular physiology and pathology is likely to offer improved insights on the functioning and regulation of an intra-islet endothelial microvascular environment.
胰岛内皮细胞（ECs）是胰岛微血管的组成部分，它们调控着与胰腺组织相关的许多细胞和病理生理过程。这些细胞是血管生成过程的关键，对于移植后胰岛再血管化至关重要。了解 ECs 调控血管生成过程的基本机制非常重要，因为这些细胞通过与周围内分泌细胞的复杂信号串扰来维持和调节胰岛内环境。近年来，许多研究表明，表观遗传调控对胰岛细胞的发育和功能有影响。本综述将概述涉及内皮细胞表观遗传机制的报告，特别关注组蛋白修饰，这些修饰通过改变染色质结构，被确定在调控 EC 功能方面发挥着关键作用。更好地了解这些细胞通过调控基因表达和功能来协调细胞生理学和病理学的表观遗传机制，可能会提供对胰岛内皮微血管环境功能和调控的深入认识。
