Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Intercellular junctions play a role in regulating islet cytoarchitecture, insulin biosynthesis and secretion. In this study, we investigated the animal metabolic state as well as islet histology and cellular distribution/expression of CAMs and F-actin in the endocrine pancreas of C57BL/6/JUnib mice fed a high-fat diet (HFd) for a prolonged time period (8 months). Mice fed a HFd became obese and type 2 diabetic, displaying significant peripheral insulin resistance, hyperglycemia and moderate hyperinsulinemia. Isolated islets of HFd-fed mice displayed a significant impairment of glucose-induced insulin secretion associated with a diminished frequency of intracellular calcium oscillations compared with control islets. No marked change in islet morphology and cytoarchitecture was observed; however, HFd-fed mice showed higher beta cell relative area in comparison with controls. As shown by immunohistochemistry, ZO-1, E-, N-cadherins, alpha- and beta-catenins were expressed at the intercellular contact site of endocrine cells, while VE-cadherin, as well as ZO-1, was found at islet vascular compartment. Redistribution of N-, E-cadherins and alpha-catenin (from the contact region to the cytoplasm in endocrine cells) associated with increased submembranous F-actin cell level as well as increased VE-cadherin islet immunolabeling was observed in diabetic mice. Increased gene expression of VE-cadherin and ZO-1, but no change for the other proteins, was observed in islets of diabetic mice. Only in the case of VE-cadherin, a significant increase in islet content of this CAM was detected by immunoblotting in diabetic mice. In conclusion, CAMs are expressed by endocrine and endothelial cells of pancreatic islets. The distribution/expression of N-, E- and VE-cadherins as well as alpha-catenin and F-actin is significantly altered in islet cells of obese and diabetic mice.14611331FAPESP [2010/50789-1]CNPqFAEPEX/UNICAMPCAPES/PROEX (Brazil)PhD CAPES-DINTER fellowship (Brazil)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq, Brazil [307163/2012-1, 304991/2015-5][2000/05137-4][2009/54129-9]Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)