Viability studies on frozen--thawed rat islets of Langerhans.

In an attempt to determine logistical methods of curing diabetes mellitus in man, an investigation has been made on the viability, in vitro and in vivo, of deeply frozen (?150 °C) cryoprotected rat islets of Langerhans. It is found that rat islets, after recovery from a frozen bank of several syngeneic donors, secrete insulin, when thawed, cultured, and then subjected to a high glucose challenge. Cryoprotected frozen-thawed islets are also examined by electron microscopy. In vivo transplantation of recovered frozen islets has been studied for a period of 16 weeks in one streptozotocindiabetic Lewis rat. All normal tests indicated recovery. After sacrifice, staining procedures showed viable islets in the liver, the site of reimplantation, and only dead islet Beta cells in the pancreas.     

ADP-ribosylation of isolated rat islets of Langerhans

A rapid and reproducible radioimmunoassay method was developed for rat atrial natriuretic factor (ANF)-IV. The method is also applicable to human atrial peptide. ANF was detected in rat hypothalamus (5.03 pmoles/g tissue), right (86.8 pmoles/mg tissue) and left atria (52.5 pmoles/mg tissue), and plasma (156 fmoles/ml). After high salt intake immunoreactive ANF in atria and plasma increased significantly, while a significant decrease was observed in hypothalamus. Gel chromatography revealed high and low molecular weight ANF in atria and hypothalamus while only a low molecular weight form was found in plasma.     

Pentitols and insulin release by isolated rat islets of Langerhans

1. Insulin secretion was studied in isolated islets of Langerhans obtained by collagenase digestion of rat pancreas. In addition to responding to glucose and mannose as do whole pancreas and pancreas slices in vitro, isolated rat islets also secrete insulin in response to xylitol, ribitol and ribose, but not to sorbitol, mannitol, arabitol, xylose or arabinose. 2. Xylitol and ribitol readily reduce NAD(+) when added to a preparation of ultrasonically treated islets. 3. Adrenaline (1mum) inhibits the effects of glucose and xylitol on insulin release. Mannoheptulose and 2-deoxy-glucose, however, inhibit the response to glucose but not that to xylitol. 4. The intracellular concentration of glucose 6-phosphate is increased when islets are incubated with glucose but not with xylitol, suggesting that xylitol does not promote insulin release by conversion into glucose 6-phosphate. 5. Theophylline (5mm) potentiates the effect of 20mm-glucose on insulin release from isolated rat islets of Langerhans, but has no effect on xylitol-mediated release. These results indicate that xylitol does not stimulate insulin release by alterations in the intracellular concentrations of cyclic AMP. 6. A possible role for the metabolism of hexoses via the pentose phosphate pathway in the stimulation of insulin release is discussed.     

Phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis in isolated guinea-pig islets of Langerhans.

Previous studies have reported an increased turnover of phospholipid in isolated islets of Langerhans in response to raised glucose concentrations. The present investigation was thus undertaken to determine the nature of any phospholipases that may be implicated in this phenomenon by employing various radiolabelled exogenous phospholipids. Hydrolysis of 1-acyl-2-[14C]arachidonoylglycerophosphoinositol by a sonicated preparation of islets optimally released radiolabelled lysophosphatidylinositol, arachidonic acid and 1,2-diacylglycerol at pH 5,7 and 9 respectively. This indicates the presence of a phospholipase A1 and a phospholipase C. However, the lack of any labelled lysophosphatidylinositol production when 2-acyl-1-[14C]stearoylglycerophosphoinositol was hydrolysed argues against a role for phospholipase A2 in the release of arachidonic acid. Phospholipase C activity as measured by phosphatidyl-myo-[3H]inositol hydrolysis was optimal around pH8, required Ca2+ for activity and was predominantly cytosolic in origin. The time course of phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis at pH 6 indicated a precursor-product relationship for 1,2-diacylglycerol and arachidonic acid respectively. The release of these two products when phosphatidylinositol was hydrolysed by either islet or acinar tissue was similar. However, phospholipase A1 activity was 20-fold higher in acinar tissue. Substrate specificity studies with islet tissue revealed that arachidonic acid release from phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine was only 8% and 2.5% respectively of that from phosphatidylinositol. Diacylglycerol lipase was also demonstrated in islet tissue being predominantly membrane bound and stimulated by Ca2+. The availability of non-esterified arachidonic acid in islet cells could be regulated by changes in the activity of a phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C acting in concert with a diacylglycerol lipase.     

Identification and metabolism of polyphosphoinositides in isolated islets of Langerhans.

The effect of pH variation on the exchangeability with deuterium of protons strongly coupled to Mo(V) in the active and desulpho forms of xanthine oxidase was studied by e.p.r. and rapid freezing, in extension of the work of Gutteridge, Tanner & Bray [Biochem. J. (1978) 175, 887-897]. Above neutrality, exchange rates increased with increasing pH. Detailed studies were made on the desulpho enzyme under a variety of conditions, and exchange rate constants at 22 degrees C ranged from 0.16s -1 at pH 6.6 to 1.6s -1 at pH 11.3. The mechanism of proton exchange in the enzyme is discussed. The interpretation by the above workers that the strongly coupled proton of the active enzyme is on sulphur and that of the desulpho enzyme is on oxygen remains valid (and is in agreement with other work), as do their proposals for the structures of the protonated and deprotonated species. However, pK values cannot be calculated from the exchange data. It is likely that the relatively low rates of exchange observed are due to the difference of structure between the protonated and the deprotonated forms. In the case of the desulpho enzyme, an exchange mechanism, which involves the proton exchanging both as such and along with oxygen in the form of a hydroxyl ion, is discussed.     

Anti-secretagogue effect of lithium on isolated rat islets of Langerhans

Administration of lithium carbonate solution (50 mg/kg, po, twice daily) to Charles Foster male albino rats for 45 consecutive days caused an intolerance to oral glucose. Inhibition in (pro)insulin biosynthesis followed by a significant fall in immunoreactive insulin release was seen in islets isolated from identically treated rats. As the activities of acid phosphatase and cathepsin B were unaltered, it is possible that the anti-secretagogue effect is sequential to inhibition of (pro)insulin biosynthesis by lithium.     

Cryogenic preservation of isolated islets of Langerhans: Two-step cooling

Rat islets of Langerhans were frozen to ?196 °C using a two-step freezing procedure. Islets isolated from the pancreases of Long Evans hooded rats were exposed to CMRL 1066 media containing 1 M dimethyl sulfoxide for 6 min at 4 °C. They were transferred directly to subzero holding baths ranging from ?20 to ?43 °C for 5 to 20 min prior to transfer to and storage in liquid nitrogen. After warming at ～7 °C/min, the islets were diluted with Hanks' balanced salt solution containing 10% fetal calf serum, washed, and cultured overnight. In general, maximum protection of the islets from the stress of cooling to ?196 °C was obtained after holding the islets at ?35 or ?40 °C for between 5 and 15 min. After thawing, islets frozen using an “optimized” two-step protocol released insulin in response to a glucose challenge at a rate equivalent to that of control islets.     

Insulin-releasing effect of quinaldic acid and its relatives on isolated Langerhans islets

Quinaldic acid and 8-hydroxyquinaldic acid, end-metabolites of kynurenine (1,2), were shown to cause release of insulin from isolated Langerhans islets of rats. In this respect, both kynurenic acid and xanthurenic acid were found to be somewhat less active than quinaldic acid, but L-kynurenine, 3-hydroxyl-L-kynurenine, quinolinic acid and L-tryptophan did not cause the insulin release.Possible correlation between disorder in tryptophan metabolisms directed toward the excessive formation of quinaldic acid and 8-hydroxyquinaldic acid and pathogenesis of diabetic state was discussed.     

Co-secretion of carboxypeptidase H and insulin from isolated rat islets of Langerhans.

The release of carboxypeptidase H activity from isolated rat islets was determined and compared to the secretion of immunoreactive insulin. Analysis of pancreatic islet cells sorted into beta and non-beta types indicated that approx. 80% of islet carboxypeptidase H activity is present in the beta cell. The release of both insulin and carboxypeptidase H was stimulated markedly by increasing the glucose concentration in the medium from 2.8 to 28 mM. The fractional release was in accordance with the observed cellular distribution of both proteins. The secretory response was biphasic with time, with an initial rapid transient phase of release within 5 min, followed by a more sustained response. The concentration-dependencies of glucose stimulation of release of insulin and carboxypeptidase H were similar, with a threshold for stimulation around 5.6 mM-glucose and maximal stimulatory response at 16.7-28 mM-glucose. The release of both proteins was inhibited by 20 mM-mannoheptulose, removal of Ca2+ from the medium and addition of 1 microM-noradrenaline. The combination of 10 mM-4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate and 10 mM-glutamine stimulated the release of carboxypeptidase H and insulin, as did 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine and 350 microM-tolbutamide in the presence of glucose. It is evident that carboxypeptidase H is released from the pancreatic beta-cell by an exocytotic process from the same intracellular compartment as insulin. The release of carboxypeptidase H by a constitutive process was at best equivalent to 0.4%/h, or less than 2% of the maximal rate of release via the regulated pathway. It is concluded that carboxypeptidase H can be used as a sensitive index of beta-cell secretion and an alternative marker to the insulin-related peptides.     

Effects of monensin on metabolism of isolated rat islets of Langerhans.

Monensin, a univalent ionophore, is a carboxylic acid produced by Streptomyces cinnamonensis. It will complex various alkali-metal ions, but most readily binds Na+. Because of interest in the possible role of Na+ in the regulation of insulin secretion, we examined its effects on several aspects of the metabolism of isolated rat islets of Langerhans. The ionophore inhibited glucose-stimulated insulin release in a concentration-dependent manner, completely inhibiting secretion evoked by 20 mM-glucose at concentrations as low as 0.1 microM in static incubations. In perifusion experiments, both phases of insulin release were equally affected. Monensin (0.1 microM) had no significant effect on glucose oxidation as measured by the generation of 14CO2 from [14C]glucose. Monensin increased the rate of 22Na+ efflux from preloaded islets and net 22Na+ uptake over 30 min, in the absence of changes in islet volume or extracellular space. The ionophore increased the Rb+/K+ permeability of islet cells, as shown by its inhibition of 86Rb+ retention and stimulation of 86Rb+ efflux. At 0.1 microM, monensin abolished glucose-stimulated 45Ca2+ uptake by islets during 5 min incubations, and stimulated 45Ca2+ efflux from preloaded islets perifused with Ca2+-free medium, even in the complete absence of extracellular Na+. Studies of the uptake of 14C-labelled 5,5-dimethyloxazolidine-2,4-dione showed that 0.1 microM-monensin increased net intracellular pH from 7.05 to 7.13. 7 Monensin has widespread, complex, effects on the secretory responses and ion handling by the B cells, which are difficult to interpret in terms solely of actions as a Na+ ionophore.     

Stimulation of insulin secretion from isolated rat islets of Langerhans by melittin

Melittin , an amphipathic polypeptide, stimulated the secretion of insulin from rat islets of Langerhans incubated in vitro . The secretory response was dose-dependent and saturable with half the maximal response elicited by a melittin concentration of 4 g/ml. The response was rapid in onset, an increase in secretion occurring within 2 rain of exposure of the islets to melittin (2 g/ml). An enhanced secretory rate could be maintained for at least 40 rain in the presence of melittin but declined steadily when the agent was removed. Stimulation of secretion by melittin occurred in the absence of glucose and in the presence of both 4 mM and 8 mM glucose but not in the presence of 20 mM glucose. The effect of melittin on secretion was dependent on the presence of extracellular calcium but was not inhibited by norepinephrine. The data suggest that melittin may be a valuable agent for further study of the role played by the B-cell plasma membrane in the regulation of insulin secretion.     

Effects of phenoxybenzamine on insulin secretion from isolated rat islets of Langerhans

In isolated rat islets the ₂-adrenergic antagonist phenoxybenzamine was found to be only partially effective at relieving the inhibition of glucose-induced insulin secretion mediated by noradrenaline. Further experiment revealed a direct inhibitory effects of phenoxybenzamine itself on the secretory response to glucose. At concentrations above 1 M the antagonist inhibited insulin secretion in a dose-dependent manner, with greater than 50% inhibition at 50 M. The inhibition of secretion developed rapidly in perifused islets, and was not altered when islets were also incubated with idazoxan or benextramine, suggesting that it did not reflect binding of phenoxybenzamine to the ₂-receptor. Paradoxically phenoxybenzamine significantly increased the basal secretion rate in the presence of 4 mM glucose. The results demonstrate that phenoxybenzamine can exert direct effects on insulin secretion which are unrelated to its -antagonist properties.     

Cryopreservation of islets of Langerhans

Development of techniques for cryopreservation of pancreatic islets of Langerhans could potentially allow for increased freedom from the time restrictions presently affecting viability in islet cell transplantation. While several investigators have attempted islet cell freezing and have obtained favorable in vitro results after thawing, there have been few reported in vivo successes with islets transplanted after freezing. We have developed a simple system for freezing islet cell pancreatic fragments to ?196 °C and have either stored them in liquid nitrogen for 24 hr or immediately thawed the islets prior to transplantation. In addition, antilymphoblast globulin has been used as graft pretreatment modality in order to modify islet cell immunogenicity. We found that ALG was effective in prolongation of graft survival after freezing as well as on fresh nonfrozen transplants. The use of freezing and ALG appears, therefore, to have a favorable effect on the immunogenicity of the pancreatic islet cell allograft.     

Effects of taxol and nocodazole on insulin secretion from isolated rat islets of Langerhans

Taxol, a promotor of microtubule polymerization, and nocodazole, which induces microtubule depolymerization, used at concentrations known to be specific for these effects in other cell types, were each shown to inhibit glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from isolated rat islets of Langerhans. These findings suggest that the dynamic regulation of microtubule polymerization-depolymerization in pancreatic B ceils may be important for insulin secretion via the microtubule-microfilamentous system.