Lactogens reduce endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced rodent and human β-cell death and diabetes incidence in Akita mice

Diabetes occurs due to a loss of functional β-cells, resulting from β-cell death and dysfunction. Lactogens protect rodent and human β-cells in vitro and in vivo against triggers of β-cell cytotoxicity relevant to diabetes, many of which converge onto a common pathway, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. However, whether lactogens modulate the ER stress pathway is unknown. This study examines if lactogens can protect β-cells against ER stress and mitigate diabetes incidence in Akita mice, a rodent model of ER stress-induced diabetes, akin to neonatal diabetes in humans. We show that lactogens protect INS1 cells, primary rodent and human β-cells in vitro against two distinct ER stressors, tunicamycin and thapsigargin, through activation of the JAK2/STAT5 pathway. Lactogens mitigate expression of pro-apoptotic molecules in the ER stress pathway that are induced by chronic ER stress in INS1 cells and rodent islets. Transgenic expression of placental lactogen in β-cells of Akita mice drastically reduces the severe hyperglycemia, diabetes incidence, hypoinsulinemia, β-cell death, and loss of β-cell mass observed in Akita littermates. These are the first studies in any cell type demonstrating lactogens modulate the ER stress pathway, causing enhanced β-cell survival and reduced diabetes incidence in the face of chronic ER stress.

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Protection of pancreatic β-cells by exendin-4 may involve the reduction of endoplasmic reticulum stress; in vivo and in vitro studies

Journal of Endocrinology ◽

10.1677/joe-06-0148 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 193 (1) ◽

pp. 65-74 ◽

Cited By ~ 70

Author(s):

Shin Tsunekawa ◽

Naoki Yamamoto ◽

Katsura Tsukamoto ◽

Yuji Itoh ◽

Yukiko Kaneko ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Endoplasmic Reticulum ◽

Cell Death ◽

Er Stress ◽

Islet Cells ◽

Binding Protein ◽

Β Cells ◽

Β Cell ◽

Pancreatic Β Cells

The aim of this study was to investigate the in vivo and in vitro effects of exendin-4, a potent glucagon-like peptide 1 agonist, on the protection of the pancreatic β-cells against their cell death. In in vivo experiments, we used β-cell-specific calmodulin-overexpressing mice where massive apoptosis takes place in their β-cells, and we examined the effects of chronic treatment with exendin-4. Chronic and s.c. administration of exendin-4 reduced hyperglycemia. The treatment caused significant increases of the insulin contents of the pancreas and islets, and retained the insulin-positive area. Dispersed transgenic islet cells lived only shortly, and several endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-related molecules such as immunoglobulin-binding protein (Bip), inositol-requiring enzyme-1α, X-box-binding protein-1 (XBP-1), RNA-activated protein kinase-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase, activating transcription factor-4, and C/EBP-homologous protein (CHOP) were more expressed in the transgenic islets. We also found that the spliced form of XBP-1, a marker of ER stress, was also increased in β-cell-specific calmodulin-overexpressing transgenic islets. In the quantitative real-time PCR analyses, the expression levels of Bip and CHOP were reduced in the islets from the transgenic mice treated with exendin-4. These findings suggest that excess of ER stress occurs in the transgenic β-cells, and the suppression of ER stress and resultant protection against cell death may be involved in the anti-diabetic effects of exendin-4.

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Imeglimin Ameliorates β-cell Apoptosis by Modulating the Endoplasmic Reticulum Homeostasis Pathway

10.2337/figshare.16654780.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jinghe Li ◽

Ryota Inoue ◽

Yu Togashi ◽

Tomoko Okuyama ◽

Aoi Satoh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Endoplasmic Reticulum ◽

Er Stress ◽

Cell Survival ◽

Cell Apoptosis ◽

Cell Function ◽

Cell Mass ◽

Β Cells ◽

Β Cell ◽

Akita Mice ◽

The Impact

The effects of imeglimin, a novel anti-diabetes agent, on β-cell function remain unclear. Here, we unveiled the impact of imeglimin on β-cell survival. Treatment with imeglimin augmented mitochondrial function, enhanced insulin secretion, promoted β-cell proliferation, and improved β-cell survival in mouse islets. Imeglimin upregulated the expression of endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-related molecules including Chop (Ddit3), Gadd34 (Ppp1r15a), Atf3, and Sdf2l1, and decreased eIF2α phosphorylation, after treatment with thapsigargin, and restored global protein synthesis in β-cells under ER stress. Imeglimin failed to protect ER stress-induced β-cell apoptosis in CHOP-deficient islets or in the presence of GADD34 inhibitor. Treatment with imeglimin showed a significant decrease in the number of apoptotic β-cells and increased β-cell mass in Akita mice. Imeglimin also protected against β-cell apoptosis in both human islets and human pluripotent stem cell (<a>hPSC)-derived β-like cells</a>. <a>Taken together, imeglimin modulates ER homeostasis pathway, which results in the prevention of β-cell apoptosis both in vitro and in vivo.</a>

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Mitogen-Inducible Gene 6 Triggers Apoptosis and Exacerbates ER Stress-Induced β-Cell Death

Molecular Endocrinology ◽

10.1210/me.2012-1174 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 27 (1) ◽

pp. 162-171 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Yi-Chun Chen ◽

E. Scott Colvin ◽

Bernhard F. Maier ◽

Raghavendra G. Mirmira ◽

Patrick T. Fueger

Keyword(s):

Cell Death ◽

Er Stress ◽

Caspase 3 ◽

Cell Mass ◽

Growth Factor Receptor ◽

Protein Translation ◽

Β Cells ◽

Β Cell ◽

Inducible Gene

The increased insulin secretory burden placed on pancreatic β-cells during obesity and insulin resistance can ultimately lead to β-cell dysfunction and death and the development of type 2 diabetes. Mitogen-inducible gene 6 (Mig6) is a cellular stress-responsive protein that can negatively regulate the duration and intensity of epidermal growth factor receptor signaling and has been classically viewed as a molecular brake for proliferation. In this study, we used Mig6 heterozygous knockout mice (Mig6+/−) to study the role of Mig6 in regulating β-cell proliferation and survival. Surprisingly, the proliferation rate of Mig6+/− pancreatic islets was lower than wild-type islets despite having comparable β-cell mass and glucose tolerance. We thus speculated that Mig6 regulates cellular death. Using adenoviral vectors to overexpress or knockdown Mig6, we found that caspase 3 activation during apoptosis was dependent on the level of Mig6. Interestingly, Mig6 expression was induced during endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and its protein levels were maintained throughout ER stress. Using polyribosomal profiling, we identified that Mig6 protein translation was maintained, whereas the global protein translation was inhibited during ER stress. In addition, Mig6 overexpression exacerbated ER stress-induced caspase 3 activation in vitro. In conclusion, Mig6 is transcriptionally up-regulated and resistant to global translational inhibition during stressed conditions in β-cells and mediates apoptosis in the form of caspase 3 activation. The sustained production of Mig6 protein exacerbates ER stress-induced β-cell death. Thus, preventing the induction, translation, and/or function of Mig6 is warranted for increasing β-cell survival.

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Imeglimin Ameliorates β-cell Apoptosis by Modulating the Endoplasmic Reticulum Homeostasis Pathway

10.2337/figshare.16654780 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jinghe Li ◽

Ryota Inoue ◽

Yu Togashi ◽

Tomoko Okuyama ◽

Aoi Satoh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Endoplasmic Reticulum ◽

Er Stress ◽

Cell Survival ◽

Cell Apoptosis ◽

Cell Function ◽

Cell Mass ◽

Β Cells ◽

Β Cell ◽

Akita Mice ◽

The Impact

The effects of imeglimin, a novel anti-diabetes agent, on β-cell function remain unclear. Here, we unveiled the impact of imeglimin on β-cell survival. Treatment with imeglimin augmented mitochondrial function, enhanced insulin secretion, promoted β-cell proliferation, and improved β-cell survival in mouse islets. Imeglimin upregulated the expression of endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-related molecules including Chop (Ddit3), Gadd34 (Ppp1r15a), Atf3, and Sdf2l1, and decreased eIF2α phosphorylation, after treatment with thapsigargin, and restored global protein synthesis in β-cells under ER stress. Imeglimin failed to protect ER stress-induced β-cell apoptosis in CHOP-deficient islets or in the presence of GADD34 inhibitor. Treatment with imeglimin showed a significant decrease in the number of apoptotic β-cells and increased β-cell mass in Akita mice. Imeglimin also protected against β-cell apoptosis in both human islets and human pluripotent stem cell (<a>hPSC)-derived β-like cells</a>. <a>Taken together, imeglimin modulates ER homeostasis pathway, which results in the prevention of β-cell apoptosis both in vitro and in vivo.</a>

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4-Methyl-2,4-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)pent-1-ene, a Major Active Metabolite of Bisphenol A, Triggers Pancreatic β-Cell Death via a JNK/AMPKα Activation-Regulated Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Mediated Apoptotic Pathway

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms22094379 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (9) ◽

pp. 4379

Author(s):

Cheng-Chin Huang ◽

Ching-Yao Yang ◽

Chin-Chuan Su ◽

Kai-Min Fang ◽

Cheng-Chieh Yen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Endoplasmic Reticulum ◽

Cell Death ◽

Bisphenol A ◽

Er Stress ◽

Active Metabolite ◽

Caspase 3 ◽

Pancreatic Β Cell ◽

Β Cells ◽

Β Cell ◽

Compound C

4-methyl-2,4-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)pent-1-ene (MBP), a major active metabolite of bisphenol A (BPA), is generated in the mammalian liver. Some studies have suggested that MBP exerts greater toxicity than BPA. However, the mechanism underlying MBP-induced pancreatic β-cell cytotoxicity remains largely unclear. This study demonstrated the cytotoxicity of MBP in pancreatic β-cells and elucidated the cellular mechanism involved in MBP-induced β-cell death. Our results showed that MBP exposure significantly reduced cell viability, caused insulin secretion dysfunction, and induced apoptotic events including increased caspase-3 activity and the expression of active forms of caspase-3/-7/-9 and PARP protein. In addition, MBP triggered endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, as indicated by the upregulation of GRP 78, CHOP, and cleaved caspase-12 proteins. Pretreatment with 4-phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA; a pharmacological inhibitor of ER stress) markedly reversed MBP-induced ER stress and apoptosis-related signals. Furthermore, exposure to MBP significantly induced the protein phosphorylation of JNK and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)α. Pretreatment of β-cells with pharmacological inhibitors for JNK (SP600125) and AMPK (compound C), respectively, effectively abrogated the MBP-induced apoptosis-related signals. Both JNK and AMPK inhibitors also suppressed the MBP-induced activation of JNK and AMPKα and of each other. In conclusion, these findings suggest that MBP exposure exerts cytotoxicity on β-cells via the interdependent activation of JNK and AMPKα, which regulates the downstream apoptotic signaling pathway.

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Bax and Bak jointly control survival and dampen the early unfolded protein response in pancreatic β-cells under glucolipotoxic stress

10.1101/855239 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Sarah A. White ◽

Lisa Zhang ◽

Yu Hsuan Carol Yang ◽

Dan S. Luciani

Keyword(s):

Cell Death ◽

Er Stress ◽

Unfolded Protein Response ◽

Β Cells ◽

Β Cell ◽

Pancreatic Β Cells ◽

Unfolded Protein ◽

Protein Response

ABSTRACTER stress and apoptosis contribute to the loss of pancreatic β-cells under the pro-diabetic conditions of glucolipotoxicity. Although activation of the canonical pathway of intrinsic apoptosis is known to require Bax and Bak, their individual and combined involvement in glucolipotoxic β-cell death have not been demonstrated. It has also remained an open question if Bax and Bak in β-cells have non-apoptotic roles in mitochondrial function and ER stress signaling, as suggested in other cell types. Using mice with individual or combined β-cell deletion of Bax and Bak, we demonstrated that glucolipotoxic β-cell death in vitro happens in sequential stages; first via non-apoptotic mechanisms and later by apoptosis, which Bax and Bak were redundant in triggering. In contrast, they had non-redundant roles in mediating staurosporine-induced β-cell apoptosis. We further established that Bax and Bak do not affect normal glucose-stimulated β-cell Ca2+ responses, insulin secretion, or in vivo glucose tolerance. Finally, our experiments revealed that Bax and Bak together dampen the unfolded protein response in β-cells during the early stages of chemical- or glucolipotoxicity-induced ER stress. These findings identify novel roles of the canonical apoptosis machinery in modulating stress signals that are important for the pathobiology of β-cells in diabetes.

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Lactogens Reduce Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress–Induced Rodent and Human β-Cell Death and Diabetes Incidence in Akita Mice

Diabetes ◽

10.2337/db19-0909 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 69 (7) ◽

pp. 1463-1475 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Rosemary Li ◽

Nagesha Guthalu Kondegowda ◽

Joanna Filipowska ◽

Rollie F. Hampton ◽

Silvia Leblanc ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Endoplasmic Reticulum ◽

Cell Death ◽

Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress ◽

Diabetes Incidence ◽

Β Cell ◽

Akita Mice

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Endoplasmic reticulum stress and the unfolded protein response in pancreatic islet inflammation

Journal of Molecular Endocrinology ◽

10.1530/jme-15-0306 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 57 (1) ◽

pp. R1-R17 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

Kira Meyerovich ◽

Fernanda Ortis ◽

Florent Allagnat ◽

Alessandra K Cardozo

Keyword(s):

Endoplasmic Reticulum ◽

Er Stress ◽

Unfolded Protein Response ◽

Diabetic Patients ◽

Β Cells ◽

Β Cell ◽

Unfolded Protein ◽

Islet Inflammation ◽

The Unfolded Protein Response ◽

Protein Response

Insulin-secreting pancreatic β-cells are extremely dependent on their endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to cope with the oscillatory requirement of secreted insulin to maintain normoglycemia. Insulin translation and folding rely greatly on the unfolded protein response (UPR), an array of three main signaling pathways designed to maintain ER homeostasis and limit ER stress. However, prolonged or excessive UPR activation triggers alternative molecular pathways that can lead to β-cell dysfunction and apoptosis. An increasing number of studies suggest a role of these pro-apoptotic UPR pathways in the downfall of β-cells observed in diabetic patients. Particularly, the past few years highlighted a cross talk between the UPR and inflammation in the context of both type 1 (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). In this article, we describe the recent advances in research regarding the interplay between ER stress, the UPR, and inflammation in the context of β-cell apoptosis leading to diabetes.

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Diazoxide-induced β-cell rest reduces endoplasmic reticulum stress in lipotoxic β-cells

Journal of Endocrinology ◽

10.1677/joe-08-0251 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 199 (1) ◽

pp. 41-50 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

Ernest Sargsyan ◽

Henrik Ortsäter ◽

Kristofer Thorn ◽

Peter Bergsten

Keyword(s):

Endoplasmic Reticulum ◽

Insulin Secretion ◽

Er Stress ◽

Cell Function ◽

Β Cells ◽

Β Cell ◽

Eukaryotic Translation ◽

Β Cell Function ◽

Activating Transcription Factor ◽

The Unfolded Protein Response

Elevated levels of glucose and lipids are characteristics of individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The enhanced nutrient levels have been connected with deterioration of β-cell function and impaired insulin secretion observed in these individuals. A strategy to improve β-cell function in individuals with T2DM has been intermittent administration of KATP channel openers. After such treatment, both the magnitude and kinetics of insulin secretion are markedly improved. In an attempt to further delineate mechanisms of how openers of KATP channels improve β-cell function, the effects of diazoxide on markers of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress was determined in β-cells exposed to the fatty acid palmitate. The eukaryotic translation factor 2-alpha kinase 3 (EIF2AK3; also known as PERK) and endoplasmic reticulum to nucleus signaling 1 (ERN1; also known as IRE1) pathways, but not the activating transcription factor (ATF6) pathway of the unfolded protein response, are activated in such lipotoxic β-cells. Inclusion of diazoxide during culture attenuated activation of the EIF2AK3 pathway but not the ERN1 pathway. This attenuation was associated with reduced levels of DNA-damage inducible transcript 3 (DDIT3; also known as CHOP) and β-cell apoptosis was decreased. It is concluded that reduction of ER stress may be a mechanism by which diazoxide improves β-cell function.

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