Our recent studies indicate that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress causes INS-1 cell apoptosis by a Ca2؉ -independent phospholipase A 2 (iPLA 2 )-mediated mechanism that promotes ceramide generation via sphingomyelin hydrolysis and subsequent activation of the intrinsic pathway. To elucidate the association between iPLA 2  and ER stress, we compared -cell lines generated from wild type (WT) and Akita mice. The Akita mouse is a spontaneous model of ER stress that develops hyperglycemia/ diabetes due to ER stress-induced -cell apoptosis. Consistent with a predisposition to developing ER stress, basal phosphorylated PERK and activated caspase-3 are higher in the Akita cells than WT cells. Interestingly, basal iPLA 2 , mature SREBP-1 (mSREBP-1), phosphorylated Akt, and neutral sphingomyelinase (NSMase) are higher, relative abundances of sphingomyelins are lower, and mitochondrial membrane potential (⌬⌿) is compromised in Akita cells, in comparison with WT cells. Exposure to thapsigargin accelerates ⌬⌿ loss and apoptosis of Akita cells and is associated with increases in iPLA 2 , mSREBP-1, and NSMase in both WT and Akita cells. Transfection of Akita cells with iPLA 2  small interfering RNA, however, suppresses NSMase message, ⌬⌿ loss, and apoptosis. The iPLA 2  gene contains a sterol-regulatory element, and transfection with a dominant negative SREBP-1 reduces basal mSREBP-1 and iPLA 2  in the Akita cells and suppresses increases in mSREBP-1 and iPLA 2  due to thapsigargin. These findings suggest that ER stress leads to generation of mSREBP-1, which can bind to the sterol-regulatory element in the iPLA 2  gene to promote its transcription. Consistent with this, SREBP-1, iPLA 2 , and NSMase messages in Akita mouse islets are higher than in WT islets.-Cell loss due to apoptosis contributes to the progression and development of Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T1DM 2 or T2DM, respectively). This is supported by autopsy studies that reveal reduced -cell mass in obese T2DM subjects in comparison with obese non-diabetic subjects (1, 2) and reveal that the loss in -cell function in non-obese T2DM is associated with decreases in -cell mass (3, 4). Other evidence suggests that cytokines cause -cell apoptosis during the development of autoimmune T1DM (5-8). It is therefore important to understand the mechanisms underlying -cell apoptosis if this process is to be prevented or delayed.-Cell mass is regulated by a balance between -cell replication/neogenesis and -cell death resulting from apoptosis (9, 10). Findings in rodent models of T2DM (10, 11) and in human T2DM (3, 4) indicate that the decrease in -cell mass in T2DM is not attributable to reduced -cell proliferation or neogenesis but to increased -cell apoptosis (12). In addition to the intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways, apoptosis due to prolonged endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress (12, 13) has been reported in various diseases, including Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases (14).Evidence from the Akita (15, 16) and NOD.k iHEL (17) mouse model...