Kisspeptin and Glucose Homeostasis

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (03) ◽  
pp. 141-146
Author(s):  
Chioma Izzi-Engbeaya ◽  
Thomas G. Hill ◽  
James E. Bowe

AbstractKisspeptin has well-established critical roles in the control of reproduction and fertility. Recently, evidence has emerged that suggests kisspeptin may have additional roles in the regulation of glucose homeostasis. Conflicting reports on the effects of kisspeptin on insulin secretion in animal models have been published, which cannot be fully accounted for by the different kisspeptin isoforms and range of kisspeptin doses used in these studies. Human studies have demonstrated associations between circulating kisspeptin levels and measures of insulin secretion and insulin resistance; and the only published interventional study has confirmed kisspeptin enhances glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in humans. Further studies are required to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the effects of kisspeptin on the pancreatic β-cell and to determine the therapeutic potential of kisspeptin receptor agonist in the treatment of disorders of glucose homeostasis.

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.


Plants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 1087
Author(s):  
Dahae Lee ◽  
Jin Su Lee ◽  
Jurdas Sezirahiga ◽  
Hak Cheol Kwon ◽  
Dae Sik Jang ◽  
...  

Chocolate vine (Akebia quinata) is consumed as a fruit and is also used in traditional medicine. In order to identify the bioactive components of A. quinata, a phytosterol glucoside stigmasterol-3-O-β-d-glucoside (1), three triterpenoids maslinic acid (2), scutellaric acid (3), and hederagenin (4), and three triterpenoidal saponins akebia saponin PA (5), hederacoside C (6), and hederacolchiside F (7) were isolated from a 70% EtOH extract of the fruits of A. quinata (AKQU). The chemical structures of isolates 1–7 were determined by analyzing the 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic data. Here, we evaluated the effects of AKQU and compounds 1–7 on insulin secretion using the INS-1 rat pancreatic β-cell line. Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) was evaluated in INS-1 cells using the GSIS assay. The expression levels of the proteins related to pancreatic β-cell function were detected by Western blotting. Among the isolates, stigmasterol-3-O-β-d-glucoside (1) exhibited strong GSIS activity and triggered the overexpression of pancreas/duodenum homeobox protein-1 (PDX-1), which is implicated in the regulation of pancreatic β-cell survival and function. Moreover, isolate 1 markedly induced the expression of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2), insulin receptor substrate-2 (IRS-2), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), and Akt, which regulate the transcription of PDX-1. The results of our experimental studies indicated that stigmasterol-3-O-β-d-glucoside (1) isolated from the fruits of A. quinata can potentially enhance insulin secretion, and might alleviate the reduction in GSIS during the development of T2DM.


Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 1129
Author(s):  
Chi Woo Yoon ◽  
Nan Sook Lee ◽  
Kweon Mo Koo ◽  
Sunho Moon ◽  
Kyosuk Goo ◽  
...  

In glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) of pancreatic β-cells, the rise of free cytosolic Ca2+ concentration through voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) triggers the exocytosis of insulin-containing granules. Recently, mechanically induced insulin secretion pathways were also reported, which utilize free cytosolic Ca2+ ions as a direct regulator of exocytosis. In this study, we aimed to investigate intracellular Ca2+ responses on the HIT-T15 pancreatic β-cell line upon low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) stimulation and found that ultrasound induces two distinct types of intracellular Ca2+ oscillation, fast-irregular and slow-periodic, from otherwise resting cells. Both Ca2+ patterns depend on the purinergic signaling activated by the rise of extracellular ATP or ADP concentration upon ultrasound stimulation, which facilitates the release through mechanosensitive hemichannels on the plasma membrane. Further study demonstrated that two subtypes of purinergic receptors, P2X and P2Y, are working in a competitive manner depending on the level of glucose in the cell media. The findings can serve as an essential groundwork providing an underlying mechanism for the development of a new therapeutic approach for diabetic conditions with further validation.


Biomolecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 1057
Author(s):  
Blandine Gausserès ◽  
Junjun Liu ◽  
Ewout Foppen ◽  
Cécile Tourrel-Cuzin ◽  
Ana Rodriguez Sanchez-Archidona ◽  
...  

Objective: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) occurs by deterioration in pancreatic β-cell function and/or progressive loss of pancreatic β-cell mass under the context of insulin resistance. α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) may contribute to insulin sensitivity but its role in the pathogenesis of T2D remains undefined. We investigated whether the systemic lack of α7 nAChR was sufficient to impair glucose homeostasis. Methods: We used an α7 nAChR knock-out (α7−/−) mouse model fed a standard chow diet. The effects of the lack of α7 nAChR on islet mass, insulin secretion, glucose and insulin tolerance, body composition, and food behaviour were assessed in vivo and ex vivo experiments. Results: Young α7−/− mice display a chronic mild high glycemia combined with an impaired glucose tolerance and a marked deficit in β-cell mass. In addition to these metabolic disorders, old mice developed adipose tissue inflammation, elevated plasma free fatty acid concentrations and presented glycolytic muscle insulin resistance in old mice. Finally, α7−/− mice, fed a chow diet, exhibited a late-onset excessive gain in body weight through increased fat mass associated with higher food intake. Conclusion: Our work highlights the important role of α7 nAChR in glucose homeostasis. The constitutive lack of α7 nAChR suggests a novel pathway influencing the pathogenesis of T2D.


2011 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 627-632 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barry R Johns ◽  
Fahim Abbasi ◽  
Gerald M Reaven

BACKGROUND Several surrogate estimates have been used to define relationships between insulin action and pancreatic β-cell function in healthy individuals. Because it is unclear how conclusions about insulin secretory function depend on specific estimates used, we evaluated the effect of different approaches to measurement of insulin action and secretion on observations of pancreatic β-cell function in individuals whose fasting plasma glucose (FPG) was <7.0 mmol/L (126 mg/dL). METHODS We determined 2 indices of insulin secretion [homeostasis model assessment of β-cell function (HOMA-β) and daylong insulin response to mixed meals], insulin action [homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and steady-state plasma glucose (SSPG) concentration during the insulin suppression test], and degree of glycemia [fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and daylong glucose response to mixed meals] in 285 individuals with FPG <7.0 mmol/L. We compared the relationship between the 2 measures of insulin secretion as a function of the measures of insulin action and degree of glycemia. RESULTS Assessment of insulin secretion varied dramatically as a function of which of the 2 methods was used and which measure of insulin resistance or glycemia served as the independent variable. For example, the correlation between insulin secretion (HOMA-β) and insulin resistance varied from an r value of 0.74 (when HOMA-IR was used) to 0.22 (when SSPG concentration was used). CONCLUSIONS Conclusions about β-cell function in nondiabetic individuals depend on the measurements used to assess insulin action and insulin secretion. Viewing estimates of insulin secretion in relationship to measures of insulin resistance and/or degree of glycemia does not mean that an unequivocal measure of pancreatic β-cell function has been obtained.


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.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Byung-Jun Sung ◽  
Sung-Bin Lim ◽  
Jae Hyeon Kim ◽  
Won-Mo Yang ◽  
Rohit N Kulkarni ◽  
...  

Objective: The endocrine pancreatic β-cells play a pivotal role in the maintenance of whole-body glucose homeostasis and its dysregulation is a consistent feature in all forms of diabetes. However, knowledge of intracellular regulators that modulate b-cell function remains incomplete. We investigated the physiological role of ROCK1 in the regulation of insulin secretion and glucose homeostasis. Methods: Mice lacking ROCK1 in pancreatic β-cells (RIP-Cre; ROCK1loxP/loxP, β-ROCK1-/-) were studied. Glucose and insulin tolerance tests as well as glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) were measured. Insulin secretion response to a direct glucose or pyruvate or pyruvate kinase (PK) activator stimulation in isolated islets from β-ROCK1-/- mice or β-cell lines with knockdown of ROCK1 were also evaluated. Proximity ligation assay was performed to determine the physical interactions between PK and ROCK1. Results: Mice with a deficiency of ROCK1 in pancreatic β-cells exhibited significantly increased blood glucose levels and reduced serum insulin without changes in body weight. Interestingly, β-ROCK1-/- mice displayed progressive impairment of glucose tolerance while maintaining insulin sensitivity mostly due to impaired GSIS. Consistently, GSIS was markedly decreased in ROCK1-deficient islets and ROCK1 knockdown INS-1 cells. Concurrently, ROCK1 blockade led to a significant decrease in intracellular calcium levels, ATP levels, and oxygen consumption rates in isolated islets and INS-1 cells. Treatment of ROCK1-deficient islets or ROCK1 knockdown β-cells either with pyruvate or a PK activator rescued the impaired GSIS. Mechanistically, we observed that ROCK1 binding to PK is greatly enhanced by glucose stimulation in β-cells. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that β-cell ROCK1 is essential for glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and maintenance of glucose homeostasis and that ROCK1 acts as an upstream regulator of glycolytic pyruvate kinase signaling.


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