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Hyperproinsulinaemia in obese fat/fat mice associated with a carboxypeptidase E mutation which reduces enzyme activity

Nature Genetics volume 10, pages 135–142 (1995)Cite this article

Abstract

Mice homozygous for the fat mutation develop obesity and hyperglycaemia that can be suppressed by treatment with exogenous insulin. The fat mutation maps to mouse chromosome 8, very close to the gene for carboxypeptidase E (Cpe), which encodes an enzyme (CPE) that processes prohormone intermediates such as proinsulfn. We now demonstrate a defect in proinsulin processing associated with the virtual absence of CPE activity in extracts of fat/fat pancreatic islets and pituitaries. A single Ser202Pro mutation distinguishes the mutant Cpe allele, and abolishes enzymatic activity in vitro. Thus, the fat mutation represents the first demonstration of an obesity–diabetes syndrome elicited by a genetic defect in a prohormone processing pathway.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, 04609, USA

    Jürgen K. Naggert, Patsy M. Nishina, Beverly J. Paigen & Edward H. Leiter

  2. Deptartment of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, 10461, USA

    Lloyd D. Fricker & Oleg Varlamov

  3. Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 60637, USA

    Yves Rouille, Donald F. Steiner & Raymond J. Carroll

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  1. Jürgen K. Naggert
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Naggert, J., Fricker, L., Varlamov, O. et al. Hyperproinsulinaemia in obese fat/fat mice associated with a carboxypeptidase E mutation which reduces enzyme activity. Nat Genet 10, 135–142 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1038/ng0695-135

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