Overexpression of glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase preserves mouse pancreatic beta cells function until late in life

NAD(P)H donates electrons for reductive biosynthesis and antioxidant defense across all forms of life. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) is a critical enzyme to provide NADPH. G6PD deficiency is present in more than 400 million people worldwide. This enzymopathy provides protection against malaria but sensitizes cells to oxidative stressors. Oxidative stress has been involved in the pathogenesis of the diabetic complications and several studies have provided evidences of a link between G6PD deficiency and type 2 diabetes (T2D). We hypothesized that a moderate overexpression of G6PD (G6PD-Tg) could protect β-cells from age-associated oxidative stress thus reducing the risk of developing T2D. Here we report, that G6PD-Tg mice show an improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity when compared to old age-matched Wild Type (WT) ones. This is accompanied by a decrease in oxidative damage and stress markers in the pancreas of the old Tg animals (20-24month-old). Pancreatic β-cells progress physiologically towards a state of reduced responsiveness to glucose. In pancreatic islets isolated from G6PD-Tg and WT animals at different ages, and using electrophysiological techniques, we demonstrate a wider range of response to glucose in the G6PD-Tg cells that may explain the improvements in glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. Together, our results show that overexpression of G6PD maintains pancreatic β-cells from old mice in a "juvenile-like" state and points to the G6PD dependent generation of NADPH as an important factor to improve the natural history of diabetes.