scholarly journals A role for PAK1 mediated phosphorylation of β-catenin Ser552 in the regulation of insulin secretion

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brie Sorrenson ◽  
Waruni C Dissanayake ◽  
Fengyun Hu ◽  
Kate L Lee ◽  
Peter R Shepherd

The presence of adherens junctions and the associated protein β-catenin are requirements for the development of glucose stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) in β-cells. Evidence indicates that modulation of β-catenin function in response to changes in glucose levels can modulate the levels of insulin secretion from β-cells but the role of β-catenin phosphorylation in this process has not been established. We find that a Ser552Ala version of β-catenin attenuates glucose stimulated insulin secretion indicating a functional role for Ser552 phosphorylation of β-catenin in insulin secretion. This is associated with alterations F/G actin ratio  but not  transcriptional activity of β-catenin.   Both glucose and GLP-1 stimulated phosphorylation of the serine 552 residue on β-catenin.  We investigated the possibility that an EPAC-PAK1 pathway might be involved in this phosphorylation event.  We find that reduction in PAK1 levels using siRNA attenuates both glucose and GLP-1 stimulated phosphorylation of β-catenin Ser552 and the effects of these on insulin secretion in β-cell models. Further, both the EPAC inhibitor ESI-09 and the PAK1 inhibitor IPA3 do the same in both β-cell models and mouse islets. Together this identifies phosphorylation of β-catenin at Ser552 as part of a cell signalling mechanism linking nutrient and hormonal regulation of β-catenin to modulation of  insulin secretory capacity of β-cells and indicates this phosphorylation event is regulated downstream of EPAC and PAK1 in β-cells.

2013 ◽  
Vol 449 (3) ◽  
pp. 803-811 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuelle Cognard ◽  
Coralie G. Dargaville ◽  
Deborah L. Hay ◽  
Peter R. Shepherd

Pancreatic β-cells are highly responsive to changes in glucose, but the mechanisms involved are only partially understood. There is increasing evidence that the β-catenin signalling pathway plays an important role in regulating β-cell function, but the mechanisms regulating β-catenin signalling in these cells is not well understood. In the present study we show that β-catenin levels and downstream signalling are regulated by changes in glucose levels in INS-1E and β-TC6-F7 β-cell models. We found a glucose-dependent increase in levels of β-catenin in the cytoplasm and nucleus of INS-1E cells. Expression of cyclin D1 also increased with glucose and required the presence of β-catenin. This was associated with an increase in phosphorylation of β-catenin on Ser552, which is known to stabilize the molecule and increase its transcriptional activity. In a search for possible signalling intermediates we found forskolin and cell-permeable cAMP analogues recapitulated the glucose effects, suggesting a role for cAMP and PKA (cAMP-dependent protein kinase/protein kinase A) downstream of glucose. Furthermore, glucose caused sustained increases in cAMP. Two different inhibitors of adenylate cyclase and PKA signalling blocked the effects of glucose, whereas siRNA (small interfering RNA) knockdown of PKA blocked the effects of glucose on β-catenin signalling. Finally, reducing β-catenin levels with either siRNA or pyrvinium impaired glucose- and KCl-stimulated insulin secretion. Taken together the results of the present study define a pathway by which changes in glucose levels can regulate β-catenin using a mechanism which involves cAMP production and the activation of PKA. This identifies a pathway that may be important in glucose-dependent regulation of gene expression and insulin secretion in β-cells.


2020 ◽  
Vol 477 (4) ◽  
pp. 763-772
Author(s):  
Waruni C. Dissanayake ◽  
Brie Sorrenson ◽  
Kate L. Lee ◽  
Sandra Barre ◽  
Peter R. Shepherd

The recent finding that β-catenin levels play an important rate-limiting role in processes regulating insulin secretion lead us to investigate whether its binding partner α-catenin also plays a role in this process. We find that levels of both α-E-catenin and α-N-catenin are rapidly up-regulated as levels of glucose are increased in rat clonal β-cell models INS-1E and INS-832/3. Lowering in levels of either α-catenin isoform using siRNA resulted in significant increases in glucose stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) and this effect was attenuated when β-catenin levels were lowered indicating these proteins have opposing effects on insulin release. This effect of α-catenin knockdown on GSIS was not due to increases in insulin expression but was associated with increases in calcium influx into cells. Moreover, simultaneous depletion of α-E catenin and α-N catenin decreased the actin polymerisation to a similar degree as latrunculin treatment and inhibition of ARP 2/3 mediated actin branching with CK666 attenuated the α-catenin depletion effect on GSIS. This suggests α-catenin mediated actin remodelling may be involved in the regulation of insulin secretion. Together this indicates that α-catenin and β-catenin can play opposing roles in regulating insulin secretion, with some degree of functional redundancy in roles of α-E-catenin and α-N-catenin. The finding that, at least in β-cell models, the levels of each can be regulated in the longer term by glucose also provides a potential mechanism by which sustained changes in glucose levels might impact on the magnitude of GSIS.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brenda Strutt ◽  
Sandra Szlapinski ◽  
Thineesha Gnaneswaran ◽  
Sarah Donegan ◽  
Jessica Hill ◽  
...  

AbstractThe apelin receptor (Aplnr) and its ligands, Apelin and Apela, contribute to metabolic control. The insulin resistance associated with pregnancy is accommodated by an expansion of pancreatic β-cell mass (BCM) and increased insulin secretion, involving the proliferation of insulin-expressing, glucose transporter 2-low (Ins+Glut2LO) progenitor cells. We examined changes in the apelinergic system during normal mouse pregnancy and in pregnancies complicated by glucose intolerance with reduced BCM. Expression of Aplnr, Apelin and Apela was quantified in Ins+Glut2LO cells isolated from mouse pancreata and found to be significantly higher than in mature β-cells by DNA microarray and qPCR. Apelin was localized to most β-cells by immunohistochemistry although Aplnr was predominantly associated with Ins+Glut2LO cells. Aplnr-staining cells increased three- to four-fold during pregnancy being maximal at gestational days (GD) 9–12 but were significantly reduced in glucose intolerant mice. Apelin-13 increased β-cell proliferation in isolated mouse islets and INS1E cells, but not glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Glucose intolerant pregnant mice had significantly elevated serum Apelin levels at GD 9 associated with an increased presence of placental IL-6. Placental expression of the apelinergic axis remained unaltered, however. Results show that the apelinergic system is highly expressed in pancreatic β-cell progenitors and may contribute to β-cell proliferation in pregnancy.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaeyong Cho ◽  
Yukio Horikawa ◽  
Mayumi Enya ◽  
Jun Takeda ◽  
Yoichi Imai ◽  
...  

Abstract We sought to determine a mechanism by which L-arginine increases glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) in β-cells by finding a protein with affinity to L-arginine using arginine-immobilized magnetic nanobeads technology. Glucokinase (GCK), the key regulator of GSIS and a disease-causing gene of maturity-onset diabetes of the young type 2 (MODY2), was found to bind L-arginine. L-Arginine stimulated production of glucose-6-phosphate (G6P) and induced insulin secretion. We analyzed glucokinase mutants and identified three glutamate residues that mediate binding to L-arginine. One MODY2 patient with GCKE442* demonstrated lower C-peptide-to-glucose ratio after arginine administration. In β-cell line, GCKE442* reduced L-arginine-induced insulin secretion compared with GCKWT. In addition, we elucidated that the binding of arginine protects glucokinase from degradation by E3 ubiquitin ligase cereblon mediated ubiquitination. We conclude that L-arginine induces insulin secretion by increasing G6P production by glucokinase through direct stimulation and by prevention of degradation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (45) ◽  
pp. 28307-28315
Author(s):  
Baile Wang ◽  
Huige Lin ◽  
Xiaomu Li ◽  
Wenqi Lu ◽  
Jae Bum Kim ◽  
...  

Filamentous actin (F-actin) cytoskeletal remodeling is critical for glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) in pancreatic β-cells, and its dysregulation causes type 2 diabetes. The adaptor protein APPL1 promotes first-phase GSIS by up-regulating solubleN-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) protein expression. However, whether APPL2 (a close homology of APPL1 with the same domain organization) plays a role in β-cell functions is unknown. Here, we show that APPL2 enhances GSIS by promoting F-actin remodeling via the small GTPase Rac1 in pancreatic β-cells. β-cell specific abrogation of APPL2 impaired GSIS, leading to glucose intolerance in mice. APPL2 deficiency largely abolished glucose-induced first- and second-phase insulin secretion in pancreatic islets. Real-time live-cell imaging and phalloidin staining revealed that APPL2 deficiency abolished glucose-induced F-actin depolymerization in pancreatic islets. Likewise, knockdown of APPL2 expression impaired glucose-stimulated F-actin depolymerization and subsequent insulin secretion in INS-1E cells, which were attributable to the impairment of Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1) activation. Treatment with the F-actin depolymerization chemical compounds or overexpression of gelsolin (a F-actin remodeling protein) rescued APPL2 deficiency-induced defective GSIS. In addition, APPL2 interacted with Rac GTPase activating protein 1 (RacGAP1) in a glucose-dependent manner via the bin/amphiphysin/rvs-pleckstrin homology (BAR-PH) domain of APPL2 in INS-1E cells and HEK293 cells. Concomitant knockdown of RacGAP1 expression reverted APPL2 deficiency-induced defective GSIS, F-actin remodeling, and Rac1 activation in INS-1E cells. Our data indicate that APPL2 interacts with RacGAP1 and suppresses its negative action on Rac1 activity and F-actin depolymerization thereby enhancing GSIS in pancreatic β-cells.


2018 ◽  
Vol 314 (5) ◽  
pp. E512-E521 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael G. Spelios ◽  
Lauren A. Afinowicz ◽  
Regine C. Tipon ◽  
Eitan M. Akirav

Three-dimensional (3D) pseudoislets (PIs) can be used for the study of insulin-producing β-cells in free-floating islet-like structures similar to that of primary islets. Previously, we demonstrated the ability of islet-derived endothelial cells (iECs) to induce PIs using murine insulinomas, where PI formation enhanced insulin production and glucose responsiveness. In this report, we examined the ability of iECs to spontaneously induce the formation of free-floating 3D PIs using the EndoC-βH1 human β-cell line murine MS1 iEC. Within 14 days, the coculturing of both cell types produced fully humanized EndoC-βH1 PIs with little to no contaminating murine iECs. The size and shape of these PIs were similar to primary human islets. iEC-induced PIs demonstrated reduced dysregulated insulin release under low glucose levels and higher insulin secretion in response to high glucose and exendin-4 [a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analog] compared with monolayer cells cultured alone. Interestingly, iEC-PIs were also better at glucose sensing in the presence of extendin-4 compared with PIs generated on a low-adhesion surface plate in the absence of iECs and showed an overall improvement in cell viability. iEC-induced PIs exhibited increased expression of key genes involved in glucose transport, glucose sensing, β-cell differentiation, and insulin processing, with a concomitant decrease in glucagon mRNA expression. The enhanced responsiveness to exendin-4 was associated with increased protein expression of GLP-1 receptor and phosphokinase A. This rapid coculture system provides an unlimited number of human PIs with improved insulin secretion and GLP-1 responsiveness for the study of β-cell biology.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Volta ◽  
M. Julia Scerbo ◽  
Anett Seelig ◽  
Robert Wagner ◽  
Nils O’Brien ◽  
...  

Abstract Diabetes mellitus affects one in eleven adults worldwide. Most suffer from Type 2 Diabetes which features elevated blood glucose levels and an inability to adequately secrete or respond to insulin. Insulin producing β-cells have primary cilia which are implicated in the regulation of glucose metabolism, insulin signaling and secretion. To better understand how β-cell cilia affect glucose handling, we ablate cilia from mature β-cells by deleting key cilia component Ift88. Here we report that glucose homeostasis and insulin secretion deteriorate over 12 weeks post-induction. Cilia/basal body components are required to suppress spontaneous auto-activation of EphA3 and hyper-phosphorylation of EphA receptors inhibits insulin secretion. In β-cells, loss of cilia/basal body function leads to polarity defects and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Defective insulin secretion from IFT88-depleted human islets and elevated pEPHA3 in islets from diabetic donors both point to a role for cilia/basal body proteins in human glucose homeostasis.


MedChemComm ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 280-293
Author(s):  
Anna Munder ◽  
Yoni Moskovitz ◽  
Aviv Meir ◽  
Shirin Kahremany ◽  
Laura Levy ◽  
...  

The nanoscale composite improved β-cell functions in terms of rate of proliferation, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, resistance to cellular stress and functional maturation.


2010 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 205-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela McDonald ◽  
Sarah Fogarty ◽  
Isabelle Leclerc ◽  
Elaine V. Hill ◽  
D. Grahame Hardie ◽  
...  

Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells requires the kinesin-1/Kif5B-mediated transport of insulin granules along microtubules. 5′-AMPK (5′-AMP-activated protein kinase) is a heterotrimeric serine/threonine kinase which is activated in β-cells at low glucose concentrations, but inhibited as glucose levels increase. Active AMPK blocks glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and the recruitment of insulin granules to the cell surface, suggesting motor proteins may be targets for this kinase. While both kinesin-1/Kif5B and KLC1 (kinesin light chain-1) contain consensus AMPK phosphorylation sites (Thr693 and Ser520, respectively) only recombinant GST (glutathione transferase)–KLC1 was phosphorylated by purified AMPK in vitro. To test the hypothesis that phosphorylation at this site may modulate kinesin-1-mediated granule movement, we developed an approach to study the dynamics of all the resolvable granules within a cell in three dimensions. This cell-wide approach revealed that the number of longer excursions (>10 μm) increased significantly in response to elevated glucose concentration (30 versus 3 mM) in control MIN6 β-cells. However, similar changes were seen in cells overexpressing wild-type KLC1, phosphomimetic (S517D/S520D) or non-phosphorylatable (S517A/S520A) mutants of KLC1. Thus, changes in the phosphorylation state of KLC1 at Ser517/Ser520 seem unlikely to affect motor function.


Endocrinology ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 150 (9) ◽  
pp. 4065-4073 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiongfei Zhang ◽  
Wei Yong ◽  
Jinghuan Lv ◽  
Yunxia Zhu ◽  
Jingjing Zhang ◽  
...  

Abstract Forkhead Box O1 (FoxO1) is a key transcription regulator of insulin/IGF-I signaling pathway, and its activity can be increased by dexamethasone (DEX) in several cell types. However, the role of FoxO1 in DEX-induced pancreatic β-cell dysfunction has not been fully understood. Therefore, in this study, we investigated whether FoxO1 could mediate DEX-induced β-cell dysfunction and the possible underlying mechanisms in pancreatic β-cell line RINm5F cells and primary rat islet. We found that DEX markedly increased FoxO1 mRNA and protein expression and decreased FoxO1 phosphorylation through the Akt pathway, which resulted in an increase in active FoxO1 in RINm5F cells and isolated rat islets. Activated FoxO1 subsequently inhibited pancreatic duodenal homeobox-1 expression and induced nuclear exclusion of pancreatic duodenal homeobox-1. Knockdown of FoxO1 by RNA interference restored the expression of pancreatic duodenal homeobox-1 and prevented DEX-induced dysfunction of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in rat islets. Together, the results of present study demonstrate that FoxO1 is integrally involved in DEX-induced inhibition of pancreatic duodenal homeobox-1 and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion dysfunction in pancreatic islet β-cells. Inhibition of FoxO1 can effectively protect β-cells against DEX-induced dysfunction.


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