Figure 2.

Argonaute2 Is Increased during Insulin Resistance and Promotes β-Cell Proliferation

(A) Western blot analysis of Ago1 and Ago2 from islets of 8-week-old ob/ob mice and wild-type (WT) littermates.

(B) Quantitative real-time PCR analysis of Ago2 in islets after 16 weeks HFD and from 12-week-old db/db mice (n = 3–6).

(C) Quantitative real-time PCR analysis of Argonaute genes in FACS-sorted β cells from 12-week-old MIP-GFP mice (n = 3).

(D) Western blot analysis of Ago2 from islets of 10-week-old dox-Ago2 mice (line 30) and WT littermates.

(E) β cell mass analysis of 10-week-old dox-Ago2 mice (line 30) and WT (n = 3).

(F) Morphometric analysis of insulin+ and glucagon+ cells in dox-Ago2 and WT at age 10 weeks (n = 5–6).

(G and H) Ratio of BrdU (red) and insulin+ cells (green) in 10-week-old dox-Ago2 mice and WT littermates (n = 4) after immunostaining. Scale bars = 30 μm.

(I) Quantitative real-time PCR analysis of Argonaute family members in islets of 10-week-old βAgo2KO mice and littermates (n = 4).

(J) Western blot analysis of Ago2 and Ago1 from islets of 10-week-old βAgo2KO mice and WT.

(K) β cell mass analysis of 10-week-old βAgo2KO and WT mice (n = 3).

(L) Morphometric analysis of insulin+ and glucagon+ cells in βAgo2KO and littermates at 10 weeks of age (n = 5–6).

(M) Ratio of BrdU+ and insulin+ cells in βAgo2KO and littermates at 10 weeks of age (n = 5–6).

(N) Pancreatic mass to total body mass ratio of βAgo2KO and littermates at 10 weeks of age (n = 5).

(O) Ratio of TUNEL+ and insulin+ cells in βAgo2KO and littermates (n = 3). Results presented as mean ± SEM. ^∗p < 0.05; ^∗∗p < 0.01.

See also Figure S2.