Intracrine Testosterone Activation in Human Pancreatic Beta-Cells Stimulates Insulin Secretion

    August 2020 in “ Diabetes ”
    Weiwei Xu, Lina Schiffer, M.M. Fahd Qadir, Yan-Qing Zhang, James P. Hawley, Paula Mota de Sa, Brian G. Keevil, Hongju Wu, Wiebke Arlt, Franck Mauvais-Jarvis
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    TLDR Testosterone helps human pancreatic cells increase insulin release.
    The study found that human pancreatic β-cells express enzymes that convert testosterone (T) to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and estradiol (E2), which are necessary for the enhancement of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). The conversion of T to DHT and E2 was shown to be inhibited by 5α-reductase and aromatase inhibitors, respectively. The research suggests that these inhibitors could affect GSIS and potentially predispose older men to type 2 diabetes, while in women with androgen excess, intracrine androgen activation may contribute to β-cell dysfunction. The study concludes that β-cells in human pancreatic islets can locally activate sex steroids from circulating testosterone, which is crucial for their role in insulin secretion.
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