Mfn2 deletion in brown adipose tissue protects from insulin resistance and impairs thermogenesis

BAT‐controlled thermogenic activity is thought to be required for its capacity to prevent the development of insulin resistance. This hypothesis predicts that mediators of thermogenesis may help prevent diet‐induced insulin resistance. We report that the mitochondrial fusion protein Mitofusin 2 (Mfn2) in BAT is essential for cold‐stimulated thermogenesis, but promotes insulin resistance in obese mice. Mfn2 deletion in mice through Ucp1‐cre (BAT‐Mfn2‐KO) causes BAT lipohypertrophy and cold intolerance. Surprisingly however, deletion of Mfn2 in mice fed a high fat diet (HFD) results in improved insulin sensitivity and resistance to obesity, while impaired cold‐stimulated thermogenesis is maintained. Improvement in insulin sensitivity is associated with a gender‐specific remodeling of BAT mitochondrial function. In females, BAT mitochondria increase their efficiency for ATP‐synthesizing fat oxidation, whereas in BAT from males, complex I‐driven respiration is decreased and glycolytic capacity is increased. Thus, BAT adaptation to obesity is regulated by Mfn2 and with BAT‐Mfn2 absent, BAT contribution to prevention of insulin resistance is independent and inversely correlated to whole‐body cold‐stimulated thermogenesis.     

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.     

Ca2+, NAD(P)H and membrane potential changes in pancreatic beta-cells by methyl succinate: comparison with glucose

The present study was undertaken to determine the main metabolic secretory signals generated by the mitochondrial substrate MeS (methyl succinate) compared with glucose in mouse and rat islets and to understand the differences. Glycolysis and mitochondrial metabolism both have key roles in the stimulation of insulin secretion by glucose. Both fuels elicited comparable oscillatory patterns of Ca2+ and changes in plasma and mitochondrial membrane potential in rat islet cells and clonal pancreatic beta-cells (INS-1). Saturation of the Ca2+ signal occurred between 5 and 6 mM MeS, while secretion reached its maximum at 15 mM, suggesting operation of a K(ATP)-channel-independent pathway. Additional responses to MeS and glucose included elevated NAD(P)H autofluorescence in INS-1 cells and islets and increases in assayed NADH and NADPH and the ATP/ADP ratio. Increased NADPH and ATP/ADP ratios occurred more rapidly with MeS, although similar levels were reached after 5 min of exposure to each fuel, whereas NADH increased more with MeS than with glucose. Reversal of MeS-induced cell depolarization by Methylene Blue completely inhibited MeS-stimulated secretion, whereas basal secretion and KCl-induced changes in these parameters were not affected. MeS had no effect on secretion or signals in the mouse islets, in contrast with glucose, possibly due to a lack of malic enzyme. The data are consistent with the common intermediates being pyruvate, cytosolic NADPH or both, and suggest that cytosolic NADPH production could account for the more rapid onset of MeS-induced secretion compared with glucose stimulation.     

What can mitochondrial heterogeneity tell us about mitochondrial dynamics and autophagy?

A growing body of evidence shows that mitochondria are heterogeneous in terms of structure and function. Increased heterogeneity has been demonstrated in a number of disease models including ischemia-reperfusion and nutrient-induced beta cell dysfunction and diabetes. Subcellular location and proximity to other organelles, as well as uneven distribution of respiratory components have been considered as the main contributors to the basal level of heterogeneity. Recent studies point to mitochondrial dynamics and autophagy as major regulators of mitochondrial heterogeneity. While mitochondrial fusion mixes the content of the mitochondrial network, fission dissects the mitochondrial network and generates depolarized segments. These depolarized mitochondria are segregated from the networking population, forming a pre-autophagic pool contributing to heterogeneity. The capacity of a network to yield a depolarized daughter mitochondrion by a fission event is fundamental to the generation of heterogeneity. Several studies and data presented here provide a potential explanation, suggesting that protein and membranous structures are unevenly distributed within the individual mitochondrion and that inner membrane components do not mix during a fusion event to the same extent as the matrix components do. In conclusion, mitochondrial subcellular heterogeneity is a reflection of the mitochondrial lifecycle that involves frequent fusion events in which components may be unevenly mixed and followed by fission events generating disparate daughter mitochondria, some of which may fuse again, others will remain solitary and join a pre-autophagic pool.