Immunohistochemical localization of monoamine oxidase type B in pancreatic islets of the rat.

Monoamine oxidase (MAO) is regarded as a mitochondrial enzyme. This enzyme localizes on the outer membrane of mitochondria. There are two kinds of MAO isozymes, MAO type A (MAOA) and type B (MAOB). Previous studies have shown that MAOB activity is found in the pancreatic islets. This activity in the islets is increased by the fasting-induced decrease of plasma glucose level. Islet B cells contain monoamines in their secretory granules. These monoamines inhibit the secretion of insulin from the B cells. MAOB is active in degrading monoamines. Therefore, MAOB may influence the insulin-secretory process by regulating the stores of monoamines in the B cells. However, it has not been determined whether MAOB is localized on B cells or other cell types of the islets. In the present study, we used both double-labeling immunofluorescence histochemical and electron microscopic immunohistochemical methods to examine the subcellular localization of MAOB in rat pancreatic islets. MAOB was found in the mitochondrial outer membranes of glucagon-secreting cells (A cells), insulin-secreting cells (B cells), and some pancreatic polypeptide (PP)-secreting cells (PP cells), but no MAOB was found in somatostatin-secreting cells (D cells), nor in certain other PP cells. There were two kinds of mitochondria in pancreatic islet B cells: one contains MAOB on their outer membranes, but a substantial proportion of them lack this enzyme. Our findings indicate that pancreatic islet B cells contain MAOB on their mitochondrial outer membranes, and this enzyme may be involved in the regulation of monoamine levels and insulin secretion in the B cells.     

Cytochemistry and ultrastructure of frog pancreatic exo- and endocrine epithelium under normal conditions]

The pancreatic epithelium of intact frog has been studied using morphometry, cytochemistry and electron microscopy. A low level of DNA synthesis was shown to be characteristic of pancreatic epithelium of frogs caught in winter. The B/A cell volume ratio is 3.68 +/- 0.16 and 2.55 +/- 0.36 in small and median pancreatic islets, resp. A-, B-, D-cells are found in pancreatic islets, and intermediate acinar A and acinar B cells in intact frog pancreas.     

Development of endocrine pancreatic islets in embryos of the grass snake Natrix natrix (Lepidosauria,Serpentes)

Differentiation of the pancreatic islets in grass snake Natrix natrix embryos, was analyzed using light, transmission electron microscopy, and immuno-gold labeling. The study focuses on the origin of islets, mode of islet formation, and cell arrangement within islets. Two waves of pancreatic islet formation in grass snake embryos were described. The first wave begins just after egg laying when precursors of endocrine cells located within large cell agglomerates in the dorsal pancreatic bud differentiate. The large cell agglomerates were divided by mesenchymal cells thus forming the first islets. This mode of islet formation is described as fission. During the second wave of pancreatic islet formation which is related to the formation of the duct mantle, we observed four phases of islet formation: (a) differentiation of individual endocrine cells from the progenitor layer of duct walls (budding) and their incomplete delamination; (b) formation of two types of small groups of endocrine cells (A/D and B) in the wall of pancreatic ducts; (c) joining groups of cells emerging from neighboring ducts (fusion) and rearrangement of cells within islets; (d) differentiated pancreatic islets with characteristic arrangement of endocrine cells. Mature pancreatic islets of the grass snake contained mainly A endocrine cells. Single B and D or PP–cells were present at the periphery of the islets. This arrangement of endocrine cells within pancreatic islets of the grass snake differs from that reported from most others vertebrate species. Endocrine cells in the pancreas of grass snake embryos were also present in the walls of intralobular and intercalated ducts. At hatching, some endocrine cells were in contact with the lumen of the pancreatic ducts.     

Morphological changes in the human endocrine pancreas induced by chronic excess of endogenous glucagon.

The non-tumoral endocrine pancreas from a patient with elevated plasma levels of glucagon due to a malignant glucagonoma was studied immunocytochemically, ultrastructurally and morphometrically. Compared with normal pancreatic islets from control subjects, those of the pancreas from the patient with a glucagonoma showed an almost complete disappearance of A cells, a decrease in immunoreactive insulin in B cells associated with cytological features indicating enhanced synthesis and secretion of this hormone, and an increase in immunoreactive somatostatin and pancreatic polypeptide (PP) accompanied by unusually high numbers of D and PP cells. In addition, numerous B cells were found outside the islets, either forming micro-islets or scattered in the exocrine tissue (nesidioblastosis). The possible mechanisms involved in determining the changes in the secretory activity of B cells and the alterations in the cell composition of the islets are discussed.     

Evidence for secretion of 7B2 by A- and B-cells of hamster pancreatic islets.

7B2 is a neuroendocrine protein, and in the pancreatic islets the presence of 7B2 in A- and B-cells was immunohistochemically demonstrated. In order to examine 7B2 secretion by A- and B-cells of pancreatic islets, we prepared isolated hamster pancreatic islet cells as well as an A-cell-rich culture, and studied 7B2 secretion under certain stimulations. 7B2 was secreted by isolated hamster pancreatic islet cells. This secretion was stimulated by theophylline and arginine, but glucose had a weak effect on the 7B2 secretion. Such a response of 7B2 to the stimulations was different from that of insulin or glucagon. 7B2 secretion was also noted in the A-cell-rich culture. These results suggest that 7B2 is secreted by both A- and B-cells of the hamster pancreatic islets and its secretion is regulated under certain conditions.     

Expression and regulation of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases in human and rat pancreatic islets

As shown by transgenic mouse models and by using phosphodiesterase 3 (PDE3) inhibitors, PDE3B has an important role in the regulation of insulin secretion in pancreatic β-cells. However, very little is known about the regulation of the enzyme. Here, we show that PDE3B is activated in response to high glucose, insulin and cAMP elevation in rat pancreatic islets and INS-1 (832/13) cells. Activation by glucose was not affected by the presence of diazoxide. PDE3B activation was coupled to an increase as well as a decrease in total phosphorylation of the enzyme. In addition to PDE3B, several other PDEs were detected in human pancreatic islets: PDE1, PDE3, PDE4C, PDE7A, PDE8A and PDE10A. We conclude that PDE3B is activated in response to agents relevant for β-cell function and that activation is linked to increased as well as decreased phosphorylation of the enzyme. Moreover, we conclude that several PDEs are present in human pancreatic islets.     

The ultrastructural basis for the identification of cell types in the pancreatic islets

Summary The pancreatic islets of rabbit, dog and opossum have been studied by light and electron microscopy. Silver-positive cells in the rabbit are predominantly sandwiched between the peripheral A and central B cells, and by electron microscopy are identified as D cells. Pancreatic islets in the tail of the dog pancreas have A, B, and D (silver-positive) cells, but the islets in the uncinate process of the dog pancreas lack phosphotungstic acid hematoxylin-positive A cells. By electron microscopy the characteristic D cells are found in both tail and uncinate process, but A cells are confined to the tail islets, confirming the identification of cell types. A unique cell type termed the F cell is found in the dog uncinate islets and it is characterized by secretory granules of angular profiles. In the opossum, the A cells contain considerable amounts of glycogen demonstrable by both light and electron microscopy. A unique cell type is also present in the opossum islets termed an E cell (Thomas, 1937), which has large secretory granules (400–500 m). The physiological implications of a multiplicity of cell types in pancreatic islets is discussed.This investigation was supported in part by United States Public Health Service research grants GM-10102 and GM-03784 from the Institute of General Medical Sciences, and AM-01226 from the Institute of Arthritis and Metabolic Diseases. The authors wish to acknowledge the valuable technical assistance of Mrs. Aileen Sevier and Mrs. Lidia Donahue.     

Appearance of immunoreactive endocrine cells during the development of the rat pancreas, with special reference to polypeptide-secreting cells

The chronological appearance of PP cells in fetal pancreatic islets was studied using specific anti-PP serum and the direct peroxidase method. The presence of A and B cells was also studied, using the same immunocytochemical technique, as a reference pattern related to data previously reported. Our data confirm that the A cell is the earliest endocrine cell type, appearing on the 12th day of gestation, followed by B cells (14th day) and later on by PP cells (19th day). Primitive islets were identified in the pancreas after the 15th day. However, the spatial cell disposition observed in the adult islet was only recognized at the 20th day of gestation. The data reported provide the necessary information to establish the complete chronology in the rat fetus. Consequently, the development of pancreatic islets in the rat fetus could be employed as a useful model to study the existence of factors that control the sequential appearance of endocrine cells and the possible changes occurring in the islets of animals with genetic diabetes during the fetal period.     

Calbindin D-27 kDa: preferential localization in non-B islet cells of the rat pancreas

The presence and abundance of calbindin in rat pancreatic islet cells was assessed by immunohistochemistry of either whole islets or purified B and non-B islet cells, as well as by Western blotting of extracts derived from whole islets and purified B and non-B islet cells. Immunohistochemistry of pancreatic sections indicated a higher calbindin content in non-B cells, located at the periphery of the islets, than in the centrally located insulin-producing B cells. Comparable results were obtained in purified islet cells. Likewise, scanning densitometry of the Western blots indicated that, relative to cell volume, the single calbindin band (Mr 27 kDa) was 5-7 times higher in non-B than in B cells. In the splenic lobe of chick pancreas, however, the opposite situation prevailed. Thus, insulin-producing cells clustered in small roundish islets were more intensely labelled after exposure to anti-calbindin serum than non-B islet cells located in large and irregularly shaped islets. Nevertheless, even in the chick pancreas, non-B islet cells contained an appreciable amount of calbindin.     

In vitro and in vivo protective effect of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides on alloxan-induced pancreatic islets damage

This study was undertaken to investigate the protective effect against alloxan-induced pancreatic islets damage by Ganoderma lucidum Polysaccharides (Gl-PS) isolated from the fruiting body of Ganoderma lucidum (Leyss. ex Fr.) Karst. In vitro, alloxan caused dose-dependent toxicity on the isolated pancreatic islets. Pre-treatment of islets with Gl-PS for 12 h and 24 h significantly reversed alloxan-induced islets viability loss. Gl-PS was also found to inhibit the free radicals production induced by alloxan in the isolated pancreatic islets using confocal microscopy. Gl-PS dose-dependently increased serum insulin and reduced serum glucose levels when pretreated intragastrically for 10 days in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. It was found that the pancreas homogenates had higher lipid peroxidation products in alloxan-treated mice than in the Gl-PS-treated animals. Aldehyde fuchsin staining revealed that alloxan caused nearly all the beta cells disappearing from the pancreatic islets, while Gl-PS partly protected the beta cells from necrosis. Alloxan (60 mg/kg) induced NF-kappa B activation in the pancreas at 30 min after injection, pretreatment with Gl-PS inhibited alloxan-induced activation of NF-kappa B. These results suggest that Gl-PS was useful in protecting against alloxan-induced pancreatic islets damage in vitro and in vivo; one of the mechanisms is through its scavenging ability to protect the pancreatic islets from free radicals-damage induced by alloxan.     

链脲佐菌素诱导糖尿病大鼠胰腺外分泌部A、B细胞密度的变化

本文应用A蛋白金银—过氧化物酶抗过氧化物酶(PAGS-PAP)双重染色法,观察了链脲佐菌素(streptozotocin,STZ)诱导的糖尿病大鼠胰腺外分泌部含高血糖素的单个A细胞(单A细胞)及合胰岛素的单个B细胞(单B细胞)密度的变化.在一次大剂量腹腔注射STZ后第5天和第10天,大鼠胰腺外分泌部单A细胞密度较对照组大鼠增加,而单B细胞密度在注射STZ后第5天较对照组大鼠减少,但在第15天与对照组大鼠接近.在第15天,一些单B细胞分布在靠近胰岛的腺泡中,岛周腺泡含单B细胞的胰岛百分率明显高于对照组.由于胰腺外分泌部的单A、单B细胞在分布特征上与中间细胞相似,在糖尿病时其数量变化也与中间细胞一致,因此,本研究所观察到的单A、单B细胞与前人报道的中间细胞有密切关系.上述单A、单B细胞密度的变化提示,在STZ诱导的糖尿病大鼠,胰腺中的B细胞被STZ破坏后,其外分泌部可能有某些细胞通过中间细胞向单A、单B细胞发生了转化或者单A、单B细胞即此转化过程中的中间细胞.     

Hepoxilins, potential endogenous mediators of insulin release

Evidence is presented to show that pancreatic islets of Langerhans are capable of producing hepoxilins A3 and B3 from endogenous substrates as well as 14C-labeled 12-HPETE. Both hepoxilins are active in stimulating the release of insulin from these cells in the presence of 10 mM glucose. These experiments suggest that the hepoxilins may participate as potential endogenous mediators of insulin release in islets of Langerhans.     

Generation of glucose-responsive functional islets with a three-dimensional structure from mouse fetal pancreatic cells and iPS cells in vitro

Islets of Langerhans are a pancreatic endocrine compartment consisting of insulin-producing β cells together with several other hormone-producing cells. While some insulin-producing cells or immature pancreatic cells have been generated in vitro from ES and iPS cells, islets with proper functions and a three-dimensional (3D) structure have never been successfully produced. To test whether islets can be formed in vitro, we first examined the potential of mouse fetal pancreatic cells. We found that E16.5 pancreatic cells, just before forming islets, were able to develop cell aggregates consisting of β cells surrounded by glucagon-producing α cells, a structure similar to murine adult islets. Moreover, the transplantation of these cells improved blood glucose levels in hyperglycemic mice. These results indicate that functional islets are formed in vitro from fetal pancreatic cells at a specific developmental stage. By adopting these culture conditions to the differentiation of mouse iPS cells, we developed a two-step system to generate islets, i.e. immature pancreatic cells were first produced from iPS cells, and then transferred to culture conditions that allowed the formation of islets from fetal pancreatic cells. The islets exhibited distinct 3D structural features similar to adult pancreatic islets and secreted insulin in response to glucose concentrations. Transplantation of the islets improved blood glucose levels in hyperglycemic mice. In conclusion, the two-step culture system allows the generation of functional islets with a 3D structure from iPS cells.     

Immunocytochemical study of the distribuition of endocrine cells in the pancreas of the Brazilian sparrow species Zonotrichia Capensis Subtorquata (Swaison, 1837).

In the present study, we investigated types of pancreatic endocrine cells and its respective peptides in the Brazilian sparrow species using immunocytochemistry. The use of polyclonal specific antisera for somatostatin, glucagon, avian pancreatic polypeptide (APP), YY polypeptide (PYY) and insulin, revealed a diversified distribution in the pancreas. All these types of immunoreactive cells were observed in the pancreas with different amounts. Insulin-Immunoreactive cells to (B cells) were most numerous, preferably occupying the central place in the pancreatic islets. Somatostatin, PPA, PYY and glucagon immunoreactive cells occurred in a lower frequency in the periphery of pancreatic islets.     

A non-receptor-type protein phosphotyrosine phosphatase is enriched in secretory vesicles of glucagon – and pancreatic polypeptide – secreting cells of the endocrine pancreas

 The secretory vesicles of some cells of the islets of Langerhans of the pancreas contain high amounts of immunoreactive tyrosine phosphatase of the PTP1B/TCPTP subfamily. The cells are located in the peripheral parts of the islets and were identified as glucagon- and pancreatic polypeptide-forming cells. The tyrosine phosphatase is also enriched in some of the somatostatin-producing cells but is not elevated either in insulin-producing B-cells or in the exocrine pancreas. Virtually the same patterns were found in pancretic tissues of rats, guinea pigs, pigs, and mice. High levels of detergent-soluble tyrosine phosphatase were measured in the particular fraction of pancreatic islets with a substrate preferred by PTP1B/TCPTP-type protein tyrosine phosphatases. Accepted: 6 November 1998     

Selective Expression of Huntingtin-associated Protein 1 in ��-Cells of the Rat Pancreatic Islets

Huntingtin-associated protein-1 (HAP1) was initially identified as a binding partner of huntingtin, the Huntington''s disease protein. Based on its preferred distribution among neurons and endocrine cells, HAP1 has been suggested to play roles in vesicular transportation in neurons and hormonal secretion of endocrine cells. Given that HAP1 is selectively expressed in the islets of rat pancreas, in this study, we analyzed the expression pattern of HAP1 in the islets. In rats injected intraperitoneally with streptozotocin, which can selectively destroy β-cells of the pancreatic islets, the number of HAP1 immunoreactive cells was dramatically decreased and was accompanied by a parallel decrease in the number of insulin-immunoreactive cells. Immunofluorescent double staining of pancreas sections showed that, in rat islets, HAP1 is selectively expressed in the insulin-immunoreactive β-cells but not in the glucagon-immunoreactive α-cells and somatostatin immunoreactive δ-cells. In isolated rat pancreatic islets, ∼80% of cells expressed both HAP1 and insulin. Expression of HAP1 in the INS-1 rat insulinoma cell line was also demonstrated by immunofluorescent staining. Western blotting further revealed that HAP1 in both the isolated rat pancreatic islets and the INS-1 cells also has two isoforms, HAP1A and HAP1B, which are the same as those in the hypothalamus. These results demonstrated that HAP1 is selectively expressed in β-cells of rat pancreatic islets, suggesting the involvement of HAP1 in the regulation of cellular trafficking and secretion of insulin. (J Histochem Cytochem 58:255–263, 2010)     

Immunohistochemical localization of exocrine enzymes in normal rat pancreas.

On the basis of morphological and biochemical differences, the exocrine pancreatic tissue has been divided in peri- and teleinsular regions. In the present study the enzymatic profile of these regions has been investigated by the immunofluorescent technique using antibodies against nine pancreatic enzymes (alpha-amylase, lipase, chymotrypsinogen A, trypsinogen, elastase, carboxypeptidase A and B, DNase and RNase A). These antibodies were specific to their antigens without cross reaction. By immunofluorescence, most acinar cells of the normal rat pancreas were positive to the nine enzymes tested. However, an inhomogeneity in the staining pattern was found; specifically, the cells located in the periinsular region of many islets showed a brighter fluorescence than acinar cells in the teleinsular tissue. These data add a new parameter to describe the inhomogeneity of the exocrine pancreas.     

Dissociation of Langerhans islets in the rabbit after pancreatic duct ligation. Immunocytochemical and ultrastructural studies

In the rabbit, pancreatic duct ligation leads to serious disturbances of the pancreatic endocrine parenchyma. Immunocytochemical studies conducted over a short period (between 5 and 30 days post ligation) allow observation of a progressive dissociation of the Langerhans islets which initially affects the splenic part of the pancreas, a region where numerous large islets are found. This dissociation is followed by a dispersion of small heterologous endocrine cell clusters or isolated endocrine cells in a connective tissue which replace the exocrine parenchyma. On the 30th day after ligation ultrastructural studies show marked degranulation of the B cells demonstrating the great fragility of these cells. These observations of insular dissociation, scattering of the different endocrine cells and impairment of B cells are often reported in experimental and pathological studies of the pancreas.