Abstract
The most characteristic morphologic features of the pancreatic islets of human non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM, or type 2 diabetes mellitus) and of similar forms of diabetes in cats and macaques are the deposition of amyloid (islet amyloid) and the loss of beta cells. Islet amyloid is derived from islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP), which is a normal secretory product of the beta cells. Therefore, knowledge of the IAPP gene is of potential importance in defining the pathogenesis of NIDDM. To identify the feline chromosome(s) on which the IAPP gene is located, we screened genomic DNA obtained from 38 feline-rodent hybrid cell lines that have a known feline chromosome content. Feline IAPP DNA was amplified and detected using the polymerase chain reaction technique. Discordancy analysis for each feline chromosome showed that chromosome B4 had the lowest discordancy (P < 0.0001). Feline chromosome B4 shows an extensive conserved syntenic relationship with human chromosome 12, on which the human IAPP gene is located. This study therefore extends and confirms the homology between human chromosome 12 and feline chromosome B4 and provides an additional genetic marker for feline chromosome B4.