scholarly journals Up-regulation of clusterin (sulfated glycoprotein-2) in pancreatic islet cells upon streptozotocin injection to rats

1999 ◽  
Vol 162 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
IS Park ◽  
YZ Che ◽  
M Bendayan ◽  
SW Kang ◽  
BH Min

Clusterin is a heterodimeric glycoprotein which has been shown to play important roles in programmed cell death and/or in tissue reorganization not only during embryonic development but also in damaged tissues. Recently, we reported the transient induction of clusterin in pancreatic endocrine cells during early developmental stages of islet formation. In the present study, we have investigated the expression of clusterin in pancreatic tissue of streptozotocin-treated rats which were undergoing extensive islet tissue reorganization due to degeneration of insulin beta cells. Clusterin was found in endocrine cells identified as glucagon-secreting alpha cells at the periphery of the islet. Using immunoelectron microscopy, clusterin-positive cells showed the typical ultrastructural features of pancreatic alpha cells. In addition, colocalization of clusterin and glucagon in the same secretory granules was shown by double immunogold labeling. These results imply that clusterin is a secretory molecule having endocrine and/or paracrine actions in parallel with glucagon. Further, we noted that clusterin expression was increased in pancreatic alpha cells during the process of beta cell death upon streptozotocin injection. The increase was significant as early as 1-3 h after streptozotocin treatment prior to any morphological alteration of islet beta cell and any manifestation of hyperglycemia. The expression of clusterin was steady-stately up-regulated during the process of islet reorganization caused by streptozotocin-induced cytotoxic injury. Therefore, we suggest that clusterin might be considered as a molecule induced by both embryonic development and drug-induced reorganization of the endocrine pancreas. Since clusterin expression is up-regulated in alpha cells, but not in beta cells undergoing degeneration, it may play a protective role against the cytotoxic insult.

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 1735-1742 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ling Chen ◽  
Jing Zhang ◽  
Zhuo Zhang ◽  
Yaping Chu ◽  
Bing Song ◽  
...  

Background/Aims: The lack of available beta cells greatly limits the use of beta cell transplantation as a therapy for diabetes. Thus, generation of beta cells from other sources is substantially required. Pax4 has been shown to induce reprograming of alpha cells into beta cells during embryogenesis. Nevertheless, whether expression of Pax4 in adult alpha cells could trigger this alpha-to-beta cell reprogramming is unknown. Methods: Here we generated an adeno-associated virus carrying Pax4 and GFP under a CMV promoter (AAV-Pax4). We used AAV-Pax4 to transduce a mouse alpha cell line in vitro, and to transduce primary alpha cells in diabetic mice. Reprogramming was examined by double immunostaining and by changes in beta cell number. The effects on blood glucose were evaluated by fasting blood glucose and glucose response. Results: In vitro, Pax4 overexpression neither induced insulin expression, nor suppressed glucagon expression in alpha cells. In vivo, Pax4 overexpression failed to increase beta cell number, and did not alter hyperglycemia and glucose response in diabetic mice. Conclusion: Pax4 expression is not sufficient to transduce pancreatic alpha cells into beta cells. Overexpression of Pax4 in alpha cells may not increase functional beta cell number in diabetic patients.


Development ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 127 (13) ◽  
pp. 2883-2895 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Gannon ◽  
M.K. Ray ◽  
K. Van Zee ◽  
F. Rausa ◽  
R.H. Costa ◽  
...  

We used transgenesis to explore the requirement for downregulation of hepatocyte nuclear factor 6 (HNF6) expression in the assembly, differentiation, and function of pancreatic islets. In vivo, HNF6 expression becomes downregulated in pancreatic endocrine cells at 18. 5 days post coitum (d.p.c.), when definitive islets first begin to organize. We used an islet-specific regulatory element (pdx1(PB)) from pancreatic/duodenal homeobox (pdx1) gene to maintain HNF6 expression in endocrine cells beyond 18.5 d.p.c. Transgenic animals were diabetic. HNF6-overexpressing islets were hyperplastic and remained very close to the pancreatic ducts. Strikingly, alpha, delta, and PP cells were increased in number and abnormally intermingled with islet beta cells. Although several mature beta cell markers were expressed in beta cells of transgenic islets, the glucose transporter GLUT2 was absent or severely reduced. As glucose uptake/metabolism is essential for insulin secretion, decreased GLUT2 may contribute to the etiology of diabetes in pdx1(PB)-HNF6 transgenics. Concordantly, blood insulin was not raised by glucose challenge, suggesting profound beta cell dysfunction. Thus, we have shown that HNF6 downregulation during islet ontogeny is critical to normal pancreas formation and function: continued expression impairs the clustering of endocrine cells and their separation from the ductal epithelium, disrupts the spatial organization of endocrine cell types within the islet, and severely compromises beta cell physiology, leading to overt diabetes.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Medini ◽  
T. Cohen ◽  
D. Mishmar

AbstractMitochondrial gene expression is pivotal to cell metabolism. Nevertheless, it is unknown whether it diverges within a given cell type. Here, we analysed single-cell RNA-seq experiments from ∼4600 human pancreatic alpha and beta cells, as well as ∼900 mouse beta cells. Cluster analysis revealed two distinct human beta cells populations, which diverged by mitochondrial (mtDNA) and nuclear DNA (nDNA)-encoded oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) gene expression in healthy and diabetic individuals, and in newborn but not in adult mice. Insulin gene expression was elevated in beta cells with higher mtDNA gene expression in humans and in young mice. Such human beta cell populations also diverged in mt-RNA mutational repertoire, and in their selective signature, thus implying the existence of two previously overlooked distinct and conserved beta cell populations. While applying our approach to alpha cells, two sub-populations of cells were identified which diverged in mtDNA gene expression, yet these cellular populations did not consistently diverge in nDNA OXPHOS genes expression, nor did they correlate with the expression of glucagon, the hallmark of alpha cells. Thus, pancreatic beta cells within an individual are divided into distinct groups with unique metabolic-mitochondrial signature.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. e0245204
Author(s):  
Shigeharu G. Yabe ◽  
Satsuki Fukuda ◽  
Junko Nishida ◽  
Fujie Takeda ◽  
Kiyoko Nashiro ◽  
...  

Diabetes mellitus is caused by breakdown of blood glucose homeostasis, which is maintained by an exquisite balance between insulin and glucagon produced respectively by pancreatic beta cells and alpha cells. However, little is known about the mechanism of inducing glucagon secretion from human alpha cells. Many methods for generating pancreatic beta cells from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) have been reported, but only two papers have reported generation of pancreatic alpha cells from hPSCs. Because NKX6.1 has been suggested as a very important gene for determining cell fate between pancreatic beta and alpha cells, we searched for the factors affecting expression of NKX6.1 in our beta cell differentiation protocols. We found that BMP antagonism and activation of retinoic acid signaling at stage 2 (from definitive endoderm to primitive gut tube) effectively suppressed NKX6.1 expression at later stages. Using two different hPSCs lines, treatment with BMP signaling inhibitor (LDN193189) and retinoic acid agonist (EC23) at Stage 2 reduced NKX6.1 expression and allowed differentiation of almost all cells into pancreatic alpha cells in vivo after transplantation under a kidney capsule. Our study demonstrated that the cell fate of pancreatic cells can be controlled by adjusting the expression level of NKX6.1 with proper timing of BMP antagonism and activation of retinoic acid signaling during the pancreatic differentiation process. Our method is useful for efficient induction of pancreatic alpha cells from hPSCs.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Halesha D. Basavarajappa ◽  
Jose M. Irimia ◽  
Patrick T. Fueger

AbstractAvoiding loss of functional beta cell mass is critical for preventing or treating diabetes. Currently, the molecular mechanisms underlying beta cell death are partially understood, and there is a need to identify new targets for developing novel therapeutics to treat diabetes. Previously, our group established that Mig6, an inhibitor of EGF signaling, mediates beta cell death under diabetogenic conditions. The objective of this study was to clarify the mechanisms linking diabetogenic stimuli to beta cell death by investigating Mig6-interacting proteins. Using co-immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry, we evaluated the binding partners of Mig6 under both normal glucose (NG) and glucolipotoxic (GLT) conditions in beta cells. We identified that Mig6 interacts dynamically with NumbL; whereas Mig6 associates with NumbL under NG, this interaction is disrupted under GLT conditions. Further, we demonstrate that siRNA-mediated suppression of NumbL expression in beta cells prevented apoptosis under GLT conditions by blocking activation of NF-κB signaling. Using co-immunoprecipitation experiments we observed that NumbL’s interactions with TRAF6, a key component of NFκB signaling, are increased under GLT conditions. The interactions among Mig6, NumbL, and TRAF6 are dynamic and context-dependent. We propose a model wherein these interactions activate pro-apoptotic NF-κB signaling while blocking pro-survival EGF signaling under diabetogenic conditions, leading to beta cell apoptosis. These findings indicate that NumbL should be further investigated as a candidate anti-diabetic therapeutic target.


Author(s):  
Geert Antoine Martens ◽  
Geert Stange ◽  
Lorenzo Piemonti ◽  
Jasper Anckaert ◽  
Zhidong Ling ◽  
...  

Ongoing beta cell death in type 1 diabetes (T1D) can be detected using biomarkers selectively discharged by dying beta cells into plasma. MicroRNA-375 (miR-375) ranks among top biomarkers based on studies in animal models and human islet transplantation. Our objective was to identify additional microRNAs that are co-released with miR-375 proportionate to the amount of beta cell destruction. RT-PCR profiling of 733 microRNAs in a discovery cohort of T1D patients 1 hour before/after islet transplantation indicated increased plasma levels of 22 microRNAs. Sub-selection for beta cell selectivity resulted in 15 microRNAs that were subjected to double-blinded multicenter analysis. This led to identification of 8 microRNAs that were consistently increased during early graft destruction: besides miR-375, these included miR-132/204/410/200a/429/125b, microRNAs with known function and enrichment in beta cells. Their potential clinical translation was investigated in a third independent cohort of 46 transplant patients, by correlating post-transplant microRNA levels to C-peptide levels 2 months later. Only miR-375 and miR-132 had prognostic potential for graft outcome and none of the newly identified microRNAs outperformed miR-375 in multiple regression. In conclusion, this study reveals multiple beta cell-enriched microRNAs that are co-released with miR-375 and can be used as complementary biomarkers of beta cell death.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi-Chun Chen ◽  
Andrew J. Lutkewitte ◽  
Halesha D. Basavarajappa ◽  
Patrick T. Fueger

ABSTRACTA loss of functional beta cell mass is a final etiological event in the development of frank type 2 diabetes (T2D). To preserve or expand beta cells and therefore treat/prevent T2D, growth factors have been considered therapeutically but have largely failed to achieve robust clinical success. The molecular mechanisms preventing the activation of mitogenic signaling pathways from maintaining functional beta cell mass during the development of T2D remain unknown. We speculated that endogenous negative effectors of mitogenic signaling cascades impede beta cell survival/expansion. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that a stress-inducible epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor, Mitogen-inducible gene 6 (Mig6), regulates beta cell fate in a T2D milieu. To this end, we determined that: 1) glucolipotoxicity (GLT) induces Mig6, thereby blunting EGFR signaling cascades, and 2) Mig6 mediates molecular events regulating beta cell survival/death. We discovered that GLT impairs EGFR activation, and Mig6 is elevated in human islets from T2D donors as well as GLT-treated rodent islets and 832/13 INS-1 beta cells. Mig6 is essential for GLT-induced EGFR desensitization, as Mig6 suppression rescued the GLT-impaired EGFR and ERK1/2 activation. Further, Mig6 mediated EGFR but not insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor nor hepatocyte growth factor receptor activity in beta cells. Finally, we identified that elevated Mig6 augmented beta cell apoptosis, as Mig6 suppression reduced apoptosis during GLT. In conclusion, we established that T2D and GLT induce Mig6 in pancreatic beta cells. The elevated Mig6 desensitizes EGFR signaling and induces beta cell death. Our findings suggest that Mig6 could be a novel therapeutic target for T2D, as blocking Mig6 could possibly enhance mitogenic signaling cascades in a diabetic milieu to promote beta cell survival and prevent beta cell death.


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