Effects of atorvastatin on the regeneration of pancreatic β-cells after streptozotocin treatment in the neonatal rodent

2010 ◽  
Vol 299 (1) ◽  
pp. E92-E100 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. C. Marchand ◽  
E. J. Arany ◽  
D. J. Hill

To investigate the role of statins in β-cell regeneration a model of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced β-cell injury was used in the neonatal rat. We hypothesized that β-cell growth and regeneration would increase following treatment with atorvastatin and that this would be associated with intraislet vasculogenesis. Pregnant Wistar rats were gavaged with 20 or 40 mg/kg atorvastatin for 21 days commencing on gestation day 15. Atorvastatin was detected in the circulation of the offspring. On postnatal day 4, the pups were given either a control or STZ (70 mg/kg ip) injection. β-Cell mass had partially recovered by postnatal day 44 following STZ treatment, and atorvastatin (20 mg/kg) significantly increased β-cell mass in both STZ-treated and control animals. An increase in the numbers of small islets at postnatal day 44 was seen in STZ-treated animals following atorvastatin, suggestive of neogenesis, and glucose tolerance was improved. Treatment with atorvastatin caused an increase in the numbers of intraislet endothelial cells at postnatal day 14 and the percentage of endothelial cells undergoing DNA synthesis, suggesting that angiogenesis had preceded the increase in β-cell mass. The results indicate that functional β-cell mass was expanded with atorvastatin in both control and STZ-treated neonatal rats and suggests a novel effect of a statin in promoting islet plasticity.

2010 ◽  
Vol 299 (1) ◽  
pp. C1-C6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshio Fujitani ◽  
Takashi Ueno ◽  
Hirotaka Watada

Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved machinery for degradation and recycling of various cytoplasmic components such as long-lived proteins and organelles. In pancreatic β-cells, as in most other cells, autophagy is also important for the low basal turnover of ubiquitinated proteins and damaged organelles under normal conditions. Insulin resistance results in upregulation of autophagic activity in β-cells. Induced autophagy in β-cells plays a pivotal role in the adaptive expansion of β-cell mass. Nevertheless, it is not clear whether autophagy is protective or detrimental in response to cellular stresses in β-cells. In this review, we describe the crucial roles of autophagy in normal function of β-cells and discuss how dysfunction of the autophagic machinery could lead to the development of diabetes mellitus.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yin Liu ◽  
Siyuan He ◽  
Ruixue Zhou ◽  
Xueping Zhang ◽  
Shanshan Yang ◽  
...  

Pancreatic β-cell mass and insulin secretion are determined by the dynamic change of transcription factor expression levels in response to altered metabolic demand. Nuclear factor-Y (NF-Y) is an evolutionarily conserved transcription factor playing critical roles in multiple cellular processes. However, the physiological role of NF-Y in pancreatic β-cells is poorly understood. The present study was undertaken in a conditional knockout of <i>Nf-ya</i> specifically in pancreatic β-cells (<i>Nf-ya </i>βKO) to define the essential physiological role of NF-Y in β-cells. <i>Nf-ya </i>βKO mice exhibited glucose intolerance without changes in insulin sensitivity. Reduced β-cell proliferation resulting in decreased β-cell mass was observed in these mice, which was associated with disturbed actin cytoskeleton. NF-Y-deficient β-cells also exhibited impaired insulin secretion with a reduced Ca<sup>2+</sup> influx in response to glucose, which was associated an inefficient glucose uptake into β-cells due to a decreased expression of glucose transporter 2 and a reduction in ATP production resulting from the disruption of mitochondrial integrity. This study is the first to show that NF-Y is critical for pancreatic islets homeostasis and function through regulation in β-cell proliferation, glucose uptake into β-cells, and mitochondrial energy metabolism. Modulating NF-Y expression in β-cells may therefore offer an attractive approach for therapeutic intervention.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yin Liu ◽  
Siyuan He ◽  
Ruixue Zhou ◽  
Xueping Zhang ◽  
Shanshan Yang ◽  
...  

Pancreatic β-cell mass and insulin secretion are determined by the dynamic change of transcription factor expression levels in response to altered metabolic demand. Nuclear factor-Y (NF-Y) is an evolutionarily conserved transcription factor playing critical roles in multiple cellular processes. However, the physiological role of NF-Y in pancreatic β-cells is poorly understood. The present study was undertaken in a conditional knockout of <i>Nf-ya</i> specifically in pancreatic β-cells (<i>Nf-ya </i>βKO) to define the essential physiological role of NF-Y in β-cells. <i>Nf-ya </i>βKO mice exhibited glucose intolerance without changes in insulin sensitivity. Reduced β-cell proliferation resulting in decreased β-cell mass was observed in these mice, which was associated with disturbed actin cytoskeleton. NF-Y-deficient β-cells also exhibited impaired insulin secretion with a reduced Ca<sup>2+</sup> influx in response to glucose, which was associated an inefficient glucose uptake into β-cells due to a decreased expression of glucose transporter 2 and a reduction in ATP production resulting from the disruption of mitochondrial integrity. This study is the first to show that NF-Y is critical for pancreatic islets homeostasis and function through regulation in β-cell proliferation, glucose uptake into β-cells, and mitochondrial energy metabolism. Modulating NF-Y expression in β-cells may therefore offer an attractive approach for therapeutic intervention.


2007 ◽  
Vol 193 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominique A Glauser ◽  
Werner Schlegel

FOXO transcription factors critically control fundamental cellular processes, including metabolism, cell differentiation, cell cycle arrest, DNA repair, and other reactions to cellular stress. FOXO factors sense the balance between stimuli promoting growth and differentiation versus stress stimuli signaling damage. Integrated through the FOXO system, these divergent stimuli decide on cell fate, a choice between proliferation, differentiation, or apoptosis. In pancreatic β cells, most recent evidence highlights complex FOXO-dependent responses to glucose, insulin, or other growth factors, which include regulatory feedback. In the short term, FOXO-dependent mechanisms help β cells to accomplish their endocrine function, and may increase their resistance to oxidative stress due to transient hyperglycemia. In the long term, FOXO-dependent responses lead to the adaptation of β cell mass, conditioning the future ability of the organism to produce insulin and cope with changes in fuel abundance. FOXO emerges as a key factor for the maintenance of a functional endocrine pancreas and represents an interesting element in the development of therapeutic approaches to treat diabetes. This review on the role of FOXO transcription factors in pancreatic β cells has three parts. In Part I, FOXO transcription factors will be presented in general: structure, molecular mechanisms of regulation, cellular functions, and physiological roles. Part II will focus on specific data about FOXO factors in pancreatic β cells. Lastly in Part III, it will be attempted to combine general and β cell-specific knowledge with the aim to envisage globally the role of FOXO factors in β cell-linked physiology and disease.


2009 ◽  
Vol 297 (6) ◽  
pp. E1304-E1312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diana Choi ◽  
Anna Radziszewska ◽  
Stephanie A. Schroer ◽  
Nicole Liadis ◽  
Yunfeng Liu ◽  
...  

Fas/Fas ligand belongs to the tumor necrosis factor superfamily of receptors/ligands and is best known for its role in apoptosis. However, recent evidence supports its role in other cellular responses, including proliferation and survival. Although Fas has been implicated as an essential mediator of β-cell death in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes, the essential role of Fas specifically in pancreatic β-cells has been found to be controversial. Moreover, the role of Fas on β-cell homeostasis and function is not clear. The objective of this study is to determine the role of Fas specifically in β-cells under both physiological and diabetes models. Mice with Fas deletion specifically in the β-cells were generated using the Cre-loxP system. Cre-mediated Fas deletion was under the control of the rat insulin promoter. Absence of Fas in β-cells leads to complete protection against FasL-induced cell death. However, Fas is not essential in determining β-cell mass or susceptibility to streptozotocin- or HFD-induced diabetes. Importantly, Fas deletion in β-cells leads to increased p65 expression, enhanced glucose tolerance, and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, with increased exocytosis as manifested by increased changes in membrane capacitance and increased expression of Syntaxin1A, VAMP2, and munc18a. Together, our study shows that Fas in the β-cells indeed plays an essential role in the canonical death receptor-mediated apoptosis but is not essential in regulating β-cell mass or diabetes development. However, β-cell Fas is critical in the regulation of glucose homeostasis through regulation of the exocytosis machinery.


2006 ◽  
Vol 26 (12) ◽  
pp. 4553-4563 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seon-Yong Yeom ◽  
Geun Hyang Kim ◽  
Chan Hee Kim ◽  
Heun Don Jung ◽  
So-Yeon Kim ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Activating signal cointegrator 2 (ASC-2) is a transcriptional coactivator of many nuclear receptors (NRs) and other transcription factors and contains two NR-interacting LXXLL motifs (NR boxes). In the pancreas, ASC-2 is expressed only in the endocrine cells of the islets of Langerhans, but not in the exocrine cells. Thus, we examined the potential role of ASC-2 in insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells. Overexpressed ASC-2 increased glucose-elicited insulin secretion, whereas insulin secretion was decreased in islets from ASC-2+/− mice. DN1 and DN2 are two dominant-negative fragments of ASC-2 that contain NR boxes 1 and 2, respectively, and block the interactions of cognate NRs with the endogenous ASC-2. Primary rat islets ectopically expressing DN1 or DN2 exhibited decreased insulin secretion. Furthermore, relative to the wild type, ASC-2+/− mice showed reduced islet mass and number, which correlated with increased apoptosis and decreased proliferation of ASC-2+/− islets. These results suggest that ASC-2 regulates insulin secretion and β-cell survival and that the regulatory role of ASC-2 in insulin secretion appears to involve, at least in part, its interaction with NRs via its two NR boxes.


2009 ◽  
Vol 83 (16) ◽  
pp. 8004-8011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Young-Sun Lee ◽  
Na Li ◽  
Seungjin Shin ◽  
Hee-Sook Jun

ABSTRACT The D variant of encephalomyocarditis virus (EMC-D virus) causes diabetes in mice by destroying pancreatic β cells. In mice infected with a low dose of EMC-D virus, macrophages play an important role in β-cell destruction by producing soluble mediators such as interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and nitric oxide (NO). To investigate the role of NO and inducible NO synthase (iNOS) in the development of diabetes in EMC-D virus-infected mice, we infected iNOS-deficient DBA/2 mice with EMC-D virus (2 × 102 PFU/mouse). Mean blood glucose levels in EMC-D virus-infected iNOS-deficient mice and wild-type mice were 205.5 and 466.7 mg/dl, respectively. Insulitis and macrophage infiltration were reduced in islets of iNOS-deficient mice compared with wild-type mice at 3 days after EMC-D virus infection. Apoptosis of β cells was decreased in iNOS-deficient mice, as evidenced by reduced numbers of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling-positive cells. There were no differences in mRNA expression of antiapoptotic molecules Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, Bcl-w, Mcl-1, cIAP-1, and cIAP-2 between wild-type and iNOS-deficient mice, whereas expression of proapoptotic Bax and Bak mRNAs was significantly decreased in iNOS-deficient mice. Expression of IL-1β and TNF-α mRNAs was significantly decreased in both islets and macrophages of iNOS-deficient mice compared with wild-type mice after EMC-D virus infection. Nuclear factor κB was less activated in macrophages of iNOS-deficient mice after virus infection. We conclude that NO plays an important role in the activation of macrophages and apoptosis of pancreatic β cells in EMC-D virus-infected mice and that deficient iNOS gene expression inhibits macrophage activation and β-cell apoptosis, contributing to prevention of EMC-D virus-induced diabetes.


2010 ◽  
Vol 120 (5) ◽  
pp. 179-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henrik Ortsäter

Saturated fatty acids are toxic to pancreatic β-cells. By inducing apoptosis, they contribute to a decrease in β-cell mass, a hallmark of Type 2 diabetes. In the present issue of Clinical Science, Keane and co-workers show that the polyunsaturated fatty acid arachidonic acid protects the β-cell against the toxic effects of palmitate. As Type 2 diabetes is characterized by subclinical inflammation, and arachidonic acid and metabolites thereof are produced during states of inflammation, it is possible that pancreatic β-cells use arachidonic acid as a compound for self-protection.


2016 ◽  
Vol 174 (5) ◽  
pp. R225-R238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonàs Juan-Mateu ◽  
Olatz Villate ◽  
Décio L Eizirik

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic autoimmune disease in which pancreatic β cells are killed by infiltrating immune cells and by cytokines released by these cells. This takes place in the context of a dysregulated dialogue between invading immune cells and target β cells, but the intracellular signals that decide β cell fate remain to be clarified. Alternative splicing (AS) is a complex post-transcriptional regulatory mechanism affecting gene expression. It regulates the inclusion/exclusion of exons into mature mRNAs, allowing individual genes to produce multiple protein isoforms that expand the proteome diversity. Functionally related transcript populations are co-ordinately spliced by master splicing factors, defining regulatory networks that allow cells to rapidly adapt their transcriptome in response to intra and extracellular cues. There is a growing interest in the role of AS in autoimmune diseases, but little is known regarding its role in T1D. In this review, we discuss recent findings suggesting that splicing events occurring in both immune and pancreatic β cells contribute to the pathogenesis of T1D. Splicing switches in T cells and in lymph node stromal cells are involved in the modulation of the immune response against β cells, while β cells exposed to pro-inflammatory cytokines activate complex splicing networks that modulate β cell viability, expression of neoantigens and susceptibility to immune-induced stress. Unveiling the role of AS in β cell functional loss and death will increase our understanding of T1D pathogenesis and may open new avenues for disease prevention and therapy.


Endocrinology ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 154 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuki Orime ◽  
Jun Shirakawa ◽  
Yu Togashi ◽  
Kazuki Tajima ◽  
Hideaki Inoue ◽  
...  

Decreased β-cell mass is a hallmark of type 2 diabetes, and therapeutic approaches to increase the pancreatic β-cell mass have been expected. In recent years, gastrointestinal incretin peptides have been shown to exert a cell-proliferative effect in pancreatic β-cells. Trefoil factor 2 (TFF2), which is predominantly expressed in the surface epithelium of the stomach, plays a role in antiapoptosis, migration, and proliferation. The TFF family is expressed in pancreatic β-cells, whereas the role of TFF2 in pancreatic β-cells has been obscure. In this study, we investigated the mechanism by which TFF2 enhances pancreatic β-cell proliferation. The effects of TFF2 on cell proliferation were evaluated in INS-1 cells, MIN6 cells, and mouse islets using an adenovirus vector containing TFF2 or a recombinant TFF2 peptide. The forced expression of TFF2 led to an increase in bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation in both INS-1 cells and islets, without any alteration in insulin secretion. TFF2 significantly increased the mRNA expression of cyclin A2, D1, D2, D3, and E1 in islets. TFF2 peptide increased ERK1/2 phosphorylation and BrdU incorporation in MIN6 cells. A MAPK kinase inhibitor (U0126) abrogated the TFF2 peptide-mediated proliferation of MIN6 cells. A CX-chemokine receptor-4 antagonist also prevented the TFF2 peptide-mediated increase in ERK1/2 phosphorylation and BrdU incorporation in MIN6 cells. These results indicated that TFF2 is involved in β-cell proliferation at least partially via CX-chemokine receptor-4-mediated ERK1/2 phosphorylation, suggesting TFF2 may be a novel target for inducing β-cell proliferation.


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