The CB1 Antagonist Rimonabant Decreases Insulin Hypersecretion in Rat Pancreatic Islets

Type 2 diabetes and obesity are characterized by elevated nocturnal circulating free fatty acids, elevated basal insulin secretion, and blunted glucose‐stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). The CB1 receptor antagonist, Rimonabant, has been shown to improve glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in vivo but its direct effect on islets has been unclear. Islets from lean littermates and obese Zucker (ZF) and Zucker Diabetic Fatty (ZDF) rats were incubated for 24 h in vitro and exposed to 11 mmol/l glucose and 0.3 mmol/l palmitate (GL) with or without Rimonabant. Insulin secretion was determined at basal (3 mmol/l) or stimulatory (15 mmol/l) glucose concentrations. As expected, basal secretion was significantly elevated in islets from obese or GL‐treated lean rats whereas the fold increase in GSIS was diminished. Rimonabant decreased basal hypersecretion in islets from obese rats and GL‐treated lean rats without decreasing the fold increase in GSIS. However, it decreased GSIS in islets from lean rats without affecting basal secretion. These findings indicate that Rimonabant has direct effects on islets to reduce insulin secretion when secretion is elevated above normal levels by diet or in obesity. In contrast, it appears to decrease stimulated secretion in islets from lean animals but not in obese or GL‐exposed islets.     

Analysis of secretory dynamics and development of media for the controlled secretion of insulin-related peptides from betaTC-3 insulinoma cells

Controlled secretion of proteins from endocrine-derived cell lines has been proposed as a means to produce some classes of post-translationally modified proteins in bioreactors. Under the right biological and environmental conditions it may be possible to improve the product purity or quality relative to that obtained through steady (constitutive) secretion. The pancreatic-islet-derived cell line, betaTC-3, was selected as a model system to explore the secretory dynamics of insulin under various combinations of stimulatory or inhibitory environmental conditions. The betaTC-3 cells exhibited a glucose-mediated stimulus-response pattern which was saturated above 1 mM glucose and with an apparent "Kg" of 0.1 mM glucose. However, the kinetics of insulin synthesis were closely coupled to those of secretion such that betaTC-3 cells cycled between saturating and basal levels of glucose were never perturbed far from an intracellular synthesis-secretion equilibrium. When more powerful and selective agents were used to control secretion, the system performance improved markedly. A combination of 1 mM isobytylmethylxanthine (IBMX) and 1 muM carbachol (with saturating levels of glucose) could discharge 75% of stored insulin in 2 h. When this treatment was followed by incubation in media adjusted to attenuate the influx of calcium into the cells, intracellular pools were efficiently replenished within 24 h. Calcium attenuating treatments included hyperpolarization with reduced potassium (1 mM), calcium channel blockade with the dihydropyridine verapamil (1 muM), and the direct mass-action effect of reduced environmental calcium (0.5 mM versus 1.8 mM). Other inhibitory treatments were explored, but these tended to reduce both insulin synthesis and secretion. The best recharging treatment found was a combination of verapamil (1 muM) with reduced calcium level (0.5 mM).To demonstrate the feasibility of a controlled secretion process, betaTC-3 T-flask cultures were grown to confluence, then cycled through two periods of discharging (2 h) and recharging (20 h) with the best combinations of secretagogues and calcium attenuators. The overall process was quite efficient: Only 15% of the overall insulin secretion took place during the recharging episodes, and this residual secretion represented only 10% of the net insulin synthesis during these episodes. Discharging was very effective in the first episode (80% recovery of stored insulin), but slightly less efficient in subsequent discharging episodes, possibly due to a desensitization effect of the calcium attenuating media. Nevertheless, the regulated secretory pathway of betaTC-3 cells could be successfully harnessed to a controlled secretion process for the selective recovery of stored insulin. (c) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 53: 274-282, 1997.     

Reactive oxygen species stimulate insulin secretion in rat pancreatic islets: studies using mono-oleoyl-glycerol

Chronic exposure (24–72 hrs) of pancreatic islets to elevated glucose and fatty acid leads to glucolipoxicity characterized by basal insulin hypersecretion and impaired glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). Our aim was to determine the mechanism for basal hypersecretion of insulin. We used mono-oleoyl-glycerol (MOG) as a tool to rapidly increase lipids in isolated rat pancreatic ß-cells and in the clonal pancreatic ß-cell line INS-1 832/13. MOG (25–400 µM) stimulated basal insulin secretion from ß-cells in a concentration dependent manner without increasing intracellular Ca²⁺ or O₂ consumption. Like GSIS, MOG increased NAD(P)H and reactive oxygen species (ROS). The mitochondrial reductant ß-hydroxybutyrate (ß-OHB) also increased the redox state and ROS production, while ROS scavengers abrogated secretion. Diazoxide (0.4 mM) did not prevent the stimulatory effect of MOG, confirming that the effect was independent of the K_ATP-dependent pathway of secretion. MOG was metabolized to glycerol and long-chain acyl-CoA (LC-CoA), whereas, acute oleate did not similarly increase LC-CoA. Inhibition of diacylglycerol kinase (DGK) did not mimic the effect of MOG on insulin secretion, indicating that MOG did not act primarily by inhibiting DGK. Inhibition of acyl-CoA synthetase (ACS) reduced the stimulatory effect of MOG on basal insulin secretion by 30% indicating a role for LC-CoA. These data suggest that basal insulin secretion is stimulated by increased ROS production, due to an increase in the mitochondrial redox state independent of the established components of GSIS.     

Effect of tetracaine and lidocaine on insulin release in isolated mouse pancreatic islets

The effect of tetracaine and lidocaine on insulin secretion and glucose oxidation by islets of ob/ob-mice was measured. Tetracaine, at a concentration of 1 microM to 0.1 mM, did not markedly influence the basal (3 mM glucose) insulin secretion, whereas 0.5-3.5 mM induced a marked increase. At 7 mM glucose, there was a dose-dependent increase with 0.1-2.5 mM tetracaine. Insulin release induced by 20 mM glucose was potentiated by 0.1 mM and 0.5 mM tetracaine, but this effect disappeared at 1 mM tetracaine. The stimulatory effect of 0.5-1 mM tetracaine on basal insulin release was blocked by the secretory inhibitors, adrenaline (1 microM), clonidine (1 microM) and by Ca2+-deficiency, but the stimulation by 3.5 mM tetracaine was not reduced by 1 microM clonidine or Ca2+ deficiency. Atropine (10 microM) did not affect the stimulation by 0.5 mM tetracaine at 3 mM glucose or by 0.25 mM tetracaine at 20 mM glucose. Tetracaine, at 0.1 mM, potentiated the secretory stimulation of 20 mM L-leucine, 20 mM D-mannose, or 1 microM glibenclamide. Mannoheptulose, 10 mM, abolished the combined effects of 0.1 mM tetracaine and 10 mM glucose. Lidocaine, 1-5 mM, stimulated basal insulin release, but 1 microM-1 mM of the drug did not affect glucose-induced (20 mM glucose) insulin release and 5 mM lidocaine inhibited glucose stimulation. The oxidation of 10 mM D-[U-14C]glucose was slightly enhanced by 0.1 and 1 mM tetracaine. The results indicate that tetracaine and lidocaine, at certain concentrations, can induce insulin release and that tetracaine potentiates secretion induced by other secretagogues. It is concluded that these effects may be associated with beta-cell functions related to the adrenergic receptors but probably not to cholinergic receptors.     

Increased lipolysis and energy expenditure in a mouse model with severely impaired glucagon secretion

Background

Secretion of insulin and glucagon is triggered by elevated intracellular calcium levels. Although the precise mechanism by which the calcium signal is coupled to insulin and glucagon granule exocytosis is unclear, synaptotagmin-7 has been shown to be a positive regulator of calcium-dependent insulin and glucagon secretion, and may function as a calcium sensor for insulin and glucagon granule exocytosis. Deletion of synaptotagmin-7 leads to impaired glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and nearly abolished Ca²⁺-dependent glucagon secretion in mice. Under non-stressed resting state, however, synaptotagmin-7 KO mice exhibit normal insulin level but severely reduced glucagon level.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We studied energy expenditure and metabolism in synaptotagmin-7 KO and control mice using indirect calorimetry and biochemical techniques. Synaptotagmin-7 KO mice had lower body weight and body fat content, and exhibited higher oxygen consumption and basal metabolic rate. Respiratory exchange ratio (RER) was lower in synaptotagmin-7 KO mice, suggesting an increased use of lipid in their energy production. Consistent with lower RER, gene expression profiles suggest enhanced lipolysis and increased capacity for fatty acid transport and oxidation in synaptotagmin-7 KO mice. Furthermore, expression of uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3) in skeletal muscle was approximately doubled in the KO mice compared with control mice.

Conclusions

These results show that the lean phenotype in synaptotagmin-7 KO mice was mostly attributed to increased lipolysis and energy expenditure, and suggest that reduced glucagon level may have broad influence on the overall metabolism in the mouse model.     

Effects of ionophore A23187 and lanthanum on pepsinogen secretion from frog esophageal mucosa in vitro

The role of Ca2+ in the mediation of pepsinogen secretion from frog esophagus was investigated by means of ionophore A23187 and LaCl3. The esophageal mucosa from Asian bullfrog Rana tigerina was mounted in a double-chamber system to preserve its polarity and was incubated in a medium containing 1.5 mM CaCl2. Pepsinogen secreted was measured and expressed as % of total. The basal secretion averaged 3.5%/h. Bethanechol (25 microM), dibutyryl-cAMP (10 mM), ionophore A23187 (30 microM) and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (0.1 mM) increased the secretion to 8.7, 7.4, 7.1 and 6.8%, respectively. The stimulatory effect of bethanechol and of dibutyryl-cAMP were not affected by removing the exogenous Ca2+ with EGTA. The basal secretion was, however, reduced by 50% when Ca2+ in the incubation medium was lowered to 20 microM. At this low Ca2+ concentration, ionophore A23187 not only lost its stimulatory effect but also diminished the stimulation caused by bethanechol and dibutyryl-cAMP. While LaCl3 at 1 mM had no effect on basal and bethanechol-stimulated secretion, at 10 mM it abolished the stimulation evoked by bethanechol or dibutyryl-cAMP. The conclusions are: (1) both Ca2+ and cAMP are involved in the mediation of pepsinogen secretion from frog esophagus, (2) basal secretion is dependent on extracellular Ca2+, whereas bethanechol-stimulated secretion is not, (3) in the plasma membranes of peptic cells may exist a distinct Ca2+ pool (La3+-and ionophore A23187-sensitive) which is involved in the stimulated pepsinogen secretion.     

Stress-induced dissociations between intracellular calcium signaling and insulin secretion in pancreatic islets

In healthy pancreatic islets, glucose-stimulated changes in intracellular calcium ([Ca²⁺]_i) provide a reasonable reflection of the patterns and relative amounts of insulin secretion. We report that [Ca²⁺]_i in islets under stress, however, dissociates with insulin release in different ways for different stressors. Islets were exposed for 48 h to a variety of stressors: cytokines (low-grade inflammation), 28 mM glucose (28G, glucotoxicity), free fatty acids (FFAs, lipotoxicity), thapsigargin (ER stress), or rotenone (mitochondrial stress). We then measured [Ca²⁺]_i and insulin release in parallel studies. Islets exposed to all stressors except rotenone displayed significantly elevated [Ca²⁺]_i in low glucose, however, increased insulin secretion was only observed for 28G due to increased nifedipine-sensitive calcium-channel flux. Following 3–11 mM glucose stimulation, all stressors substantially reduced the peak glucose-stimulated [Ca²⁺]_i response (first phase). Thapsigargin and cytokines also substantially impacted aspects of calcium influx and ER calcium handling. Stressors did not significantly impact insulin secretion in 11 mM glucose for any stressor, although FFAs showed a borderline reduction, which contributed to a significant decrease in the stimulation index (11:3 mM glucose) observed for FFAs and also for 28G. We also clamped [Ca²⁺]_i using 30 mM KCl + 250 μM diazoxide to test the amplifying pathway. Only rotenone-treated islets showed a robust increase in 3–11 mM glucose-stimulated insulin secretion under clamped conditions, suggesting that low-level mitochondrial stress might activate the metabolic amplifying pathway. We conclude that different stressors dissociate [Ca²⁺]_i from insulin secretion differently: ER stressors (thapsigargin, cytokines) primarily affect [Ca²⁺]_i but not conventional insulin secretion and ‘metabolic’ stressors (FFAs, 28G, rotenone) impacted insulin secretion.     

Prolactin, progesterone, and dexamethasone coordinately and adversely regulate glucokinase and cAMP/PDE cascades in MIN6 beta-cells

Islet cells undergo major changes in structure and function to meet the demand for increased insulin secretion during pregnancy, but the nature of the hormonal interactions and signaling events is incompletely understood. Here, we used the glucose-responsive MIN6 beta-cell line treated with prolactin (PRL), progesterone (PRG), and dexamethasone (DEX, a synthetic glucocorticoid), all elevated during late pregnancy, to study their effects on mechanisms of insulin secretion. DEX alone or combined with PRL and PRG inhibited insulin secretion in response to 16 mM glucose-stimulating concentrations. However, in the basal state (3 mM glucose), the insulin levels in response to DEX treatment were unchanged, and the three hormones together maintained higher insulin release. There were no changes of protein levels of GLUT2 or glucokinase (GK), but PRL or PRG treatment increased GK activity, whereas DEX had an inhibitory effect on GK activity. alpha-Ketoisocaproate (alpha-KIC)-stimulated insulin secretion was also reduced by DEX alone or combined with PRL and PRG, suggesting that DEX may inhibit distal steps in the insulin-exocytotic process. PRL treatment increased the concentration of intracellular cAMP in response to 16 mM glucose, suggesting a role for cAMP in potentiation of insulin secretion, whereas DEX alone or combined with PRL and PRG reduced cAMP levels by increasing phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity. These data provide evidence that PRL and to a lesser extent PRG, which increase in early pregnancy, enhance basal and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in part by increasing GK activity and amplifying cAMP levels. Glucocorticoid, which increases throughout gestation, counteracts only glucose-stimulated insulin secretion under high glucose concentrations by dominantly inhibiting GK activity and increasing PDE activity to reduce cAMP levels. These adaptations in the beta-cell may play an important role in maintaining the basal hyperinsulinemia of pregnancy while limiting the capacity of PRL and PRG to promote glucose-stimulated insulin secretion during late gestation.     

Glucagon like Peptide-1-induced glucose metabolism in differentiated human muscle satellite cells is attenuated by hyperglycemia

Background

Glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1) stimulates insulin secretion from the pancreas but also has extra-pancreatic effects. GLP-1 may stimulate glucose uptake in cultured muscle cells but the mechanism is not clearly defined. Furthermore, while the pancreatic effects of GLP-1 are glucose-dependent, the glucose-dependency of its extra-pancreatic effects has not been examined.

Methods

Skeletal muscle satellite cells isolated from young (22.5±0.97 yr), lean (BMI 22.5±0.6 kg/m²), healthy males were differentiated in media containing either 22.5 mM (high) or 5 mM (normal) glucose for 7 days in the absence or presence of insulin and/or various GLP-1 concentrations. Myocellular effects of GLP-1, insulin and glucose were assessed by western-blot, glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis.

Results

We firstly show that the GLP-1 receptor protein is expressed in differentiated human muscle satellite cells (myocytes). Secondly, we show that in 5 mM glucose media, exposure of myocytes to GLP-1 results in a dose dependent increase in glucose uptake, GLUT4 amount and subsequently glycogen synthesis in a PI3K dependent manner, independent of the insulin signaling cascade. Importantly, we provide evidence that differentiation of human satellite cells in hyperglycemic (22.5 mM glucose) conditions increases GLUT1 expression, and renders the cells insulin resistant and interestingly GLP-1 resistant in terms of glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis. Hyperglycemic conditions did not affect the ability of insulin to phosphorylate downstream targets, PKB or GSK3. Interestingly we show that at 5 mM glucose, GLP-1 increases GLUT4 protein levels and that this effect is abolished by hyperglycemia.

Conclusions

GLP-1 increases glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis into fully-differentiated human satellite cells in a PI3-K dependent mechanism potentially through increased GLUT4 protein levels. The latter occurs independently of the insulin signaling pathway. Attenuation of both GLP-1 and insulin-induced glucose metabolism by hyperglycemia is likely to occur downstream of PI3K.     

Long-term treatment with atrial natriuretic peptide inhibits ATP production and insulin secretion in rat pancreatic islets

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) levels correlate with hyperglycemia in diabetes mellitus, but ANP effects on pancreatic islet β-cell insulin secretion are controversial. ANP was investigated for short- and long-term effects on insulin secretion and mechanisms regulating secretion in isolated rat pancreatic islets. A 3-h incubation with ANP did not affect basal or glucose-stimulated islet insulin secretion. However, 7-day culture of islets with 5.5 mM glucose and ANP (1 nM - 1 μM) markedly inhibited subsequent glucose (11 mM)-stimulated insulin secretion; total islet insulin content was not affected. Following ANP removal for 24 h, the islet insulin-secretory response to glucose was restored. The insulin-secretory response to other insulin secretagogues, including α-ketoisocaproic acid, forskolin, potassium chloride, and ionomycin were also markedly inhibited by chronic exposure to ANP. However, the combination of potassium chloride and α-ketoisocaproic acid was sufficient to overcome the inhibitory effects of ANP on insulin secretion. The glucose-stimulated increases in islet ATP levels and the ATP/ADP ratio were completely inhibited in ANP 7-day-treated islets vs. control; removal of ANP for 24 h partially restored the glucose response. ANP did not affect islet glycolysis. ANP significantly increased levels of islet activated hormone-sensitive lipase and the expression of uncoupling protein-2 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-δ and -α. Although islet ANP-binding natriuretic peptide receptor-A levels were reduced to 60% of control after 7-day culture with ANP, the ANP-stimulated cGMP levels remained similar to control islet levels. Thus, long-term exposure to ANP inhibits glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and ATP generation in isolated islets.     

Sildenafil reduces insulin-resistance in human endothelial cells

Background

The efficacy of Phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors to re-establish endothelial function is reduced in diabetic patients. Recent evidences suggest that therapy with PDE5 inhibitors, i.e. sildenafil, may increase the expression of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) proteins in the heart and cardiomyocytes. In this study we analyzed the effect of sildenafil on endothelial cells in insulin resistance conditions in vitro.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with insulin in presence of glucose 30 mM (HG) and glucosamine 10 mM (Gluc-N) with or without sildenafil. Insulin increased the expression of PDE5 and eNOS mRNA assayed by Real time-PCR. Cytofluorimetric analysis showed that sildenafil significantly increased NO production in basal condition. This effect was partially inhibited by the PI3K inhibitor LY 294002 and completely inhibited by the NOS inhibitor L-NAME. Akt-1 and eNOS activation was reduced in conditions mimicking insulin resistance and completely restored by sildenafil treatment. Conversely sildenafil treatment can counteract this noxious effect by increasing NO production through eNOS activation and reducing oxidative stress induced by hyperglycaemia and glucosamine.

Conclusions/Significance

These data indicate that sildenafil might improve NOS activity of endothelial cells in insulin resistance conditions and suggest the potential therapeutic use of sildenafil for improving vascular function in diabetic patients.     

Chronic effects of palmitate overload on nutrient-induced insulin secretion and autocrine signalling in pancreatic MIN6 beta cells

Background

Sustained exposure of pancreatic β cells to an increase in saturated fatty acids induces pleiotropic effects on β-cell function, including a reduction in stimulus-induced insulin secretion. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of chronic over supply of palmitate upon glucose- and amino acid-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS and AASIS, respectively) and autocrine-dependent insulin signalling with particular focus on the importance of ceramide, ERK and CaMKII signalling.

Principal Findings

GSIS and AASIS were both stimulated by >7-fold resulting in autocrine-dependent activation of protein kinase B (PKB, also known as Akt). Insulin release was dependent upon nutrient-induced activation of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) as their pharmacological inhibition suppressed GSIS/AASIS significantly. Chronic (48 h, 0.4 mM) palmitate treatment blunted glucose/AA-induced activation of CaMKII and ERK and caused a concomitant reduction (∼75%) in GSIS/AASIS and autocrine-dependent activation of PKB. This inhibition could not be attributed to enhanced mitochondrial fatty acid uptake/oxidation or ceramide synthesis, which were unaffected by palmitate. In contrast, diacylglycerol synthesis was elevated suggesting increased palmitate esterification rather than oxidation may contribute to impaired stimulus-secretion coupling. Consistent with this, 2-bromopalmitate, a non-oxidisable palmitate analogue, inhibited GSIS as effectively as palmitate.

Conclusions

Our results exclude changes in ceramide content or mitochondrial fatty acid handling as factors initiating palmitate-induced defects in insulin release from MIN6 β cells, but suggest that reduced CaMKII and ERK activation associated with palmitate overload may contribute to impaired stimulus-induced insulin secretion.     

Augmented Insulinotropic Action of Arachidonic Acid through the Lipoxygenase Pathway in the Obese Zucker Rat

Objective: The metabolism of arachidonic acid (AA) has been shown to be altered in severe insulin resistance that is present in obese (fa/fa) Zucker rats. We examined the effects and mechanism of action of AA on basal and glucose‐stimulated insulin secretion in pancreatic islets isolated from obese (fa/fa) Zucker rats and their homozygous lean (Fa/Fa) littermates. Research Methods and Procedures: Islets were isolated from 10‐ to 12‐week‐old rats and incubated for 45 minutes in glucose concentrations ranging from 3.3 to 16.7 mM with or without inhibitors of the cyclooxygenase or lipoxygenase pathways. Medium insulin concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay, and islet production of the 12‐lipoxygenase metabolite, 12‐hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12‐HETE), was measured by enzyme immunoassay. Results: In islets from lean animals, AA stimulated insulin secretion at submaximally stimulatory glucose levels (< 11.1 mM) but not at 16.7 mM glucose. In contrast, in islets derived from obese rats, AA potentiated insulin secretion at all glucose concentrations. AA‐induced insulin secretion was augmented in islets from obese compared with lean rats at high concentrations of AA in the presence of 3.3 mM glucose. Furthermore, the inhibitor of 12‐lipoxygenase, esculetin (0.5 μM), inhibited AA‐stimulated insulin secretion in islets from obese but not lean rats. Finally, the islet production of the 12‐HETE was markedly enhanced in islets from obese rats, both in response to 16.7 mM glucose and to AA. Discussion: The insulin secretory response to AA is augmented in islets from obese Zucker rats by a mechanism related to enhanced activity of the 12‐lipoxygenase pathway. Therefore, augmented action of AA may be a mechanism underlying the adaptation of insulin secretion to the increased demand caused by insulin resistance in these animals.     

Effect of hexoses and mannoheptulose on cyclic AMP accumulation and insulin secretion in rat pancreatic islets

The effects of various sugars on the simultaneous release of insulin and accumulation of cyclic AMP were studied in collagenase isolated rat pancreatic islets. d-Glucose stimulated the formation of cyclic AMP at 3 and 60 min of incubation, whether measured by a label incorporation technique, or by the protein kinase binding assay of Gilman. Only d-glucose and d-mannose were able to stimulate insulin release and cyclic [³H]AMP accumulation in the absence of other substrate. d-fructose had a stimulatory effect in the presence of 3.3 mM d-glucose only at a high concentration (38.8 mM), and enhanced the effects of 8.3 mM glucose when added at the concentration of 8.3 mM. d-Galactose was effective only together with 8.3 mM d-glucose. The order of potency of these hexoses, both regarding insulin secretion and cyclic [³H]AMP accumulation, was glucose-mannose-fructose-galactose.l-Glucose and 3-O-methylglucose had no effects at 60 min when incubated together with 8.3 mM d-glucose, whereas at 3 min, 3-O-methylglucose induced a small stimulation of the cyclic [³H]AMP response.d-mannoheptulose and d-glucosamine inhibited the insulin and cyclic [³H]-AMP responses to 27.7 mM glucose. Mannoheptulose suppressed completely the glucose effect on cyclic nucleotide accumulation within 90 s.Although under all incubation conditions, the threshold stimulatory or inhibitory concentration of a given agent was identical for insulin release and cyclic [³H]AMP accumulation, these two variables showed quantitative differences in incubations of 60 min, the magnitude of the changes in insulin secretion being larger than that for the cyclic nucleotide. It is suggested that modulation of islet cyclic AMP level is an important step in the transmission of the effect of various sugars on insulin release; however, glucose and possibly other sugars may also enhance insulin release by additional mechanisms not involving the adenylate cyclase-cyclic AMP system of the β-cell.     

Effects of muscarinic receptor type 3 knockout on mouse islet secretory responses

The impact of muscarinic type 3 receptor knockout (M3KO) on the cholinergic regulation of insulin secretion and phospholipase C (PLC) activation was determined. Islets isolated from control, wild-type mice or heterozygotes responded with comparable insulin secretory responses to 15 mM glucose. This response was markedly amplified by the inclusion of 10 microM carbachol. While 15 mM glucose-induced release remained similar to wild-type and heterozygote responses in M3KO mice, the stimulatory impact of carbachol was abolished. Stimulation with 15 mM glucose plus 50 microM carbachol increased fractional efflux rates of myo-[2-3H]inositol from control wild-type and heterozygote islets but not from M3KO islets. Fed plasma insulin levels of M3KO mice were reduced 68% when compared to values obtained from combined wild-type and heterozygote animals. These studies support the conclusion that the M3 receptor in islets is coupled to PLC activation and insulin secretion and that cholinergic stimulation of the islets may play an important role in the regulation of plasma insulin levels.     

Glucose regulates glucokinase activity in cultured islets from rat pancreas

In this study, we have used isolated pancreatic islets cultured for 7 days in 3 or 30 mM glucose to explore whether glucokinase is induced or activated by high glucose concentrations and has related enzyme activity to glucose-stimulated insulin release. Islets cultured in low glucose medium or low glucose medium plus 350 ng/ml insulin did not respond to high glucose stimulation. Islets cultured in medium containing high glucose concentrations showed a high rate of basal insulin secretion when perifused with 5 mM glucose, and the insulin release was greatly augmented in a biphasic secretion profile when the glucose concentration was raised to 16 mM. Islet glucokinase and hexokinase activities were determined by a sensitive and specific fluorometric method. Glucokinase activity was reduced to approximately 50% in islets cultured in low glucose medium with or without insulin present compared to results with fresh islets. However, islets cultured in 30 mM glucose showed that glucokinase activity was elevated to 236% compared to results with fresh islets. It is concluded that (a) glucose is the physiological regulator of glucokinase in the islet of Langerhans and that (b) the activity of glucokinase plays a crucial role in glucose-induced insulin secretion.     

Reversal of insulin resistance by ATP in hemorrhagic shock.

Hemorrhagic shock was produced by bleeding rats to a mean arterial pressure of 40 mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 133 N/m2), which was maintained for 2 h. Muscles from these animals ('shock' muscles) showed resistance to the stimulation of glucose uptake by insulin. Addition of 1 mM ATP-MgCl2 to the medium had no effect on basal glucose uptake in either group of muscles, but it permitted insulin to exert its stimulatory effect in 'shock' muscles. An optimal insulin effect on glucose uptake in 'shock' muscles incubated without ATP was observed at an insulin concentration of 0.2 Unit/ml. When 1 mM ATP-MgCl2 was added to the medium, optimal insulin effect in 'shock' muscles was observed at an insulin concentration of 0.007 Unit/ml. Increasing the concentration of ATP-MgCl2 to 2.5 mM in the medium resulted in an optimal insulin effect at an insulin concentration of ATP-MgCl2 to 2.5 mM in the medium resulted in an optimal insulin effect at an insulin concentration of 0.001 Unit/ml in 'shock' muscles. Following 1 h cubation in Krebs-HCO3 medium, intracellular ATP contents of 'shock' muscles were approximately 50% lower than in control muscles. Addition of 1 mM ATP-MgCl2 to the incubation medium had no effect on the intracellular ATP contents of either group of muscles following incubation; however, 2.5 mM ATP-MgCl2 elevated intracellular ATP contents of 'shock' muscles but had no effect in control muscles. Possible mechanisms for this reversal of insulin resistance by ATP-MgCl2 in shock are discussed.     

Oleanolic acid enhances insulin secretion in pancreatic beta-cells

We investigated the effect of oleanolic acid, a plant-derived triterpenoid, on insulin secretion and content in pancreatic beta-cells and rat islets. Oleanolic acid significantly enhanced insulin secretion at basal and stimulatory glucose concentrations in INS-1 832/13 cells and enhanced acute glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in isolated rat islets. In the cell line the effects of oleanolic acid on insulin secretion were comparable to that of the sulfonylurea tolbutamide at basal glucose levels and with the incretin mimetic Exendin-4 under glucose-stimulated conditions, yet neither Ca(2+) nor cAMP rose in response to oleanolic acid. Chronic treatment with oleanolic acid increased total cellular insulin protein and mRNA levels. These effects may contribute to the anti-diabetic properties of this natural product.     

Possible modulatory effect of endogenous islet catecholamines on insulin secretion

Background

The possible participation of endogenous islet catecholamines (CAs) in the control of insulin secretion was tested.

Methods

Glucose-induced insulin secretion was measured in the presence of 3-Iodo-L-Tyrosine (MIT), a specific inhibitor of tyrosine-hydroxylase activity, in fresh and precultured islets isolated from normal rats. Incubated islets were also used to measure CAs release in the presence of low and high glucose, and the effect of α2-(yohimbine [Y] and idazoxan [I]) and α1-adrenergic antagonists (prazosin [P] and terazosin [T]) upon insulin secretion elicited by high glucose.

Results

Fresh islets incubated with 16.7 mM glucose released significantly more insulin in the presence of 1 μM MIT (6.66 ± 0.39 vs 5.01 ± 0.43 ng/islet/h, p < 0.02), but did not affect significantly the insulin response to low glucose. A similar enhancing effect of MIT upon insulin secretion was obtained using precultured islets devoid of neural cells, but absolute values were lower than those from fresh islets, suggesting that MIT inhibits islet rather than neural tyrosine hydroxylase. CAs concentration in the incubation media of fresh isolated islets was significantly higher in the presence of 16.7 than 3.3 mM glucose: dopamine 1.67 ± 0.13 vs 0.69 ± 0.13 pg/islet/h, p < 0.001, and noradrenaline 1.25 ± 0.17 vs 0.49 ± 0.04 pg/islet/h, p < 0.02. Y and I enhanced the release of insulin elicited by 16.7 mM glucose while P and T decreased such secretion.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that islet-originated CAs directly modulate insulin release in a paracrine manner.