ROLE OF SYNTAXIN IN MOUSE PANCREATIC BETA-CELLS

The role of syntaxin 1, a protein involved in the docking of synaptic vesicles at presynaptic active zones, has been investigated in pancrea tic islet cells, Using two different monoclonal antibodies we have sho wn that syntaxin 1 is present in the pancreatic islet cell microsomal fraction. Furthermore, functional experiments demonstrate that anti-sy ntaxin antibodies inhibit Ca2+-dependent insulin secretion in permeabi lized islet cells, These data indicate that syntaxin 1 is present in t he pancreatic beta cell and it is likely to play a functional role in the exocytosis of secretory granules.