Expression of protein tyrosine kinases in islet cells: possible role of the Flk-1 receptor for beta-cell maturation from duct cells.

To elucidate the expression of genes of importance for beta-cell replication and the production of insulin, single-stranded cDNAs from different preparations of insulin producing cells were used as template for the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers specific for protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs). In RINm5F cells, as well as in fetal rat islets, the receptor PTK fetal liver kinase-1 (Flk-1) was expressed among other receptor and cytoplasmic tyrosine kinases. To elucidate the putative effects of stimulation of the Flk-1 receptor, fetal rat islet-like structures were cultured in the presence of the ligand for this receptor, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). VEGF was found to stimulate both the insulin content/islet DNA ratio and the accumulation of insulin in the culture medium without affecting the rates of beta-cell replication. To investigate the localization of expression of the Flk-1 receptor in the pancreas, serial sections of fetal pancreata were immunostained for Flk-1 and insulin. Expression of Flk-1 was detected in endothelial-like cells and cells lining pancreatic ducts. The latter are considered to contain precursor cells for the endocrine pancreas. In conclusion, specific protein tyrosine kinases are expressed in islet cells, and are presumably participating in the regulation of islet function. Specifically, the receptor PTK Flk-1 may play a role of beta-cell maturation from pancreatic duct cells.