scholarly journals β-Cell Pathophysiology: A Review of Advanced Optical Microscopy Applications

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (23) ◽  
pp. 12820
Author(s):  
Gianmarco Ferri ◽  
Luca Pesce ◽  
Marta Tesi ◽  
Piero Marchetti ◽  
Francesco Cardarelli
Keyword(s):  
Optical Microscopy ◽  
Cell Function ◽  
Molecular Level ◽  
Infrared Range ◽  
Label Free ◽  
Β Cells ◽  
Β Cell ◽  
Excitation Light ◽  
Β Cell Function ◽  
Proper Resolution

β-cells convert glucose (input) resulting in the controlled release of insulin (output), which in turn has the role to maintain glucose homeostasis. β-cell function is regulated by a complex interplay between the metabolic processing of the input, its transformation into second-messenger signals, and final mobilization of insulin-containing granules towards secretion of the output. Failure at any level in this process marks β-cell dysfunction in diabetes, thus making β-cells obvious potential targets for therapeutic purposes. Addressing quantitatively β-cell (dys)function at the molecular level in living samples requires probing simultaneously the spatial and temporal dimensions at the proper resolution. To this aim, an increasing amount of research efforts are exploiting the potentiality of biophysical techniques. In particular, using excitation light in the visible/infrared range, a number of optical-microscopy-based approaches have been tailored to the study of β-cell-(dys)function at the molecular level, either in label-free mode (i.e., exploiting intrinsic autofluorescence of cells) or by the use of organic/genetically-encoded fluorescent probes. Here, relevant examples from the literature are reviewed and discussed. Based on this, new potential lines of development in the field are drawn.

scholarly journals Pericytes contribute to the islet basement membranes to promote beta-cell gene expression

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lina Sakhneny ◽  
Alona Epshtein ◽  
Limor Landsman
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Cell Function ◽  
Basement Membranes ◽  
Cell Physiology ◽  
Β Cells ◽  
Β Cell ◽  
Cell Clustering ◽  
Β Cell Function ◽  
Cell Gene Expression ◽  
Glucose Stimulated Insulin Secretion

Abstractβ-Cells depend on the islet basement membrane (BM). While some islet BM components are produced by endothelial cells (ECs), the source of others remains unknown. Pancreatic pericytes directly support β-cells through mostly unidentified secreted factors. Thus, we hypothesized that pericytes regulate β-cells through the production of BM components. Here, we show that pericytes produce multiple components of the mouse pancreatic and islet interstitial and BM matrices. Several of the pericyte-produced ECM components were previously implicated in β-cell physiology, including collagen IV, laminins, proteoglycans, fibronectin, nidogen, and hyaluronan. Compared to ECs, pancreatic pericytes produce significantly higher levels of α2 and α4 laminin chains, which constitute the peri-islet and vascular BM. We further found that the pericytic laminin isoforms differentially regulate mouse β-cells. Whereas α2 laminins promoted islet cell clustering, they did not affect gene expression. In contrast, culturing on Laminin-421 induced the expression of β-cell genes, including Ins1, MafA, and Glut2, and significantly improved glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Thus, alongside ECs, pericytes are a significant source of the islet BM, which is essential for proper β-cell function.

scholarly journals Herbal Medicines Targeting the Improved β-Cell Functions and β-Cell Regeneration for the Management of Diabetes Mellitus

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-32
Author(s):  
Akurange Sujeevi Dammadinna Wickramasinghe ◽  
Pabasara Kalansuriya ◽  
Anoja Priyadarshani Attanayake
Keyword(s):  
Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
Cell Function ◽  
Herbal Medicines ◽  
Cell Regeneration ◽  
Model Assessment ◽  
Β Cells ◽  
Β Cell ◽  
Cell Functions ◽  
Glucose Transporter 2 ◽  
Β Cell Function

There is an increasing trend of investigating natural bioactive compounds targeting pancreatic β-cells for the prevention/treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM). With the exploration of multiple mechanisms by which β-cells involve in the pathogenesis of DM, herbal medicines are gaining attention due to their multitasking ability as evidenced by traditional medicine practices. This review attempts to summarize herbal medicines with the potential for improvement of β-cell functions and regeneration as scientifically proven by in vivo/in vitro investigations. Furthermore, attempts have been made to identify the mechanisms of improving the function and regeneration of β-cells by herbal medicines. Relevant data published from January 2009 to March 2020 were collected by searching electronic databases “PubMed,” “ScienceDirect,” and “Google Scholar” and studied for this review. Single herbal extracts, polyherbal mixtures, and isolated compounds derived from approximately 110 medicinal plants belonging to 51 different plant families had been investigated in recent years and found to be targeting β-cells. Many herbal medicines showed improvement of β-cell function as observed through homeostatic model assessment-β-cell function (HOMA-β). Pancreatic β-cell regeneration as observed in histopathological and immunohistochemical studies in terms of increase of size and number of functional β-cells was also prominent. Increasing β-cell mass via expression of genes/proteins related to antiapoptotic actions and β-cell neogenesis/proliferation, increasing glucose-stimulated insulin secretion via activating glucose transporter-2 (GLUT-2) receptors, and/or increasing intracellular Ca2+ levels were observed upon treatment of some herbal medicines. Some herbal medicines acted on various insulin signaling pathways. Furthermore, many herbal medicines showed protective effects on β-cells via reduction of oxidative stress and inflammation. However, there are many unexplored avenues. Thus, further investigations are warranted in elucidating mechanisms of improving β-cell function and mass by herbal medicines, their structure-activity relationship (SAR), and toxicities of these herbal medicines.

scholarly journals Lipotoxicity and β-Cell Failure in Type 2 Diabetes: Oxidative Stress Linked to NADPH Oxidase and ER Stress

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 3328
Author(s):  
Eloisa Aparecida Vilas-Boas ◽  
Davidson Correa Almeida ◽  
Leticia Prates Roma ◽  
Fernanda Ortis ◽  
Angelo Rafael Carpinelli
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Type 2 Diabetes ◽  
Nadph Oxidase ◽  
Er Stress ◽  
Cell Function ◽  
Caloric Intake ◽  
Β Cells ◽  
Β Cell ◽  
Β Cell Function

A high caloric intake, rich in saturated fats, greatly contributes to the development of obesity, which is the leading risk factor for type 2 diabetes (T2D). A persistent caloric surplus increases plasma levels of fatty acids (FAs), especially saturated ones, which were shown to negatively impact pancreatic β-cell function and survival in a process called lipotoxicity. Lipotoxicity in β-cells activates different stress pathways, culminating in β-cells dysfunction and death. Among all stresses, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and oxidative stress have been shown to be strongly correlated. One main source of oxidative stress in pancreatic β-cells appears to be the reactive oxygen species producer NADPH oxidase (NOX) enzyme, which has a role in the glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and in the β-cell demise during both T1 and T2D. In this review, we focus on the acute and chronic effects of FAs and the lipotoxicity-induced β-cell failure during T2D development, with special emphasis on the oxidative stress induced by NOX, the ER stress, and the crosstalk between NOX and ER stress.

scholarly journals VEGF-B ablation in pancreatic β-cells upregulates insulin expression without affecting glucose homeostasis or islet lipid uptake

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank Chenfei Ning ◽  
Nina Jensen ◽  
Jiarui Mi ◽  
William Lindström ◽  
Mirela Balan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pancreatic Islet ◽  
Glucose Homeostasis ◽  
Lipid Accumulation ◽  
Cell Function ◽  
Lipid Uptake ◽  
Β Cells ◽  
Β Cell ◽  
Peripheral Tissues ◽  
Β Cell Function ◽  
Triglyceride Content

AbstractType 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) affects millions of people and is linked with obesity and lipid accumulation in peripheral tissues. Increased lipid handling and lipotoxicity in insulin producing β-cells may contribute to β-cell dysfunction in T2DM. The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-B regulates uptake and transcytosis of long-chain fatty acids over the endothelium to tissues such as heart and skeletal muscle. Systemic inhibition of VEGF-B signaling prevents tissue lipid accumulation, improves insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance, as well as reduces pancreatic islet triglyceride content, under T2DM conditions. To date, the role of local VEGF-B signaling in pancreatic islet physiology and in the regulation of fatty acid trans-endothelial transport in pancreatic islet is unknown. To address these questions, we have generated a mouse strain where VEGF-B is selectively depleted in β-cells, and assessed glucose homeostasis, β-cell function and islet lipid content under both normal and high-fat diet feeding conditions. We found that Vegfb was ubiquitously expressed throughout the pancreas, and that β-cell Vegfb deletion resulted in increased insulin gene expression. However, glucose homeostasis and islet lipid uptake remained unaffected by β-cell VEGF-B deficiency.

scholarly journals NKX6.1 transcription factor: a crucial regulator of pancreatic β cell development, identity, and proliferation

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Idil I. Aigha ◽  
Essam M. Abdelalim
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Cell Function ◽  
Disease Modeling ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Cell Mass ◽  
Cell Development ◽  
Pancreatic Β Cell ◽  
Β Cells ◽  
Β Cell ◽  
Β Cell Function

Abstract Understanding the biology underlying the mechanisms and pathways regulating pancreatic β cell development is necessary to understand the pathology of diabetes mellitus (DM), which is characterized by the progressive reduction in insulin-producing β cell mass. Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) can potentially offer an unlimited supply of functional β cells for cellular therapy and disease modeling of DM. Homeobox protein NKX6.1 is a transcription factor (TF) that plays a critical role in pancreatic β cell function and proliferation. In human pancreatic islet, NKX6.1 expression is exclusive to β cells and is undetectable in other islet cells. Several reports showed that activation of NKX6.1 in PSC-derived pancreatic progenitors (MPCs), expressing PDX1 (PDX1+/NKX6.1+), warrants their future commitment to monohormonal β cells. However, further differentiation of MPCs lacking NKX6.1 expression (PDX1+/NKX6.1−) results in an undesirable generation of non-functional polyhormonal β cells. The importance of NKX6.1 as a crucial regulator in MPC specification into functional β cells directs attentions to further investigating its mechanism and enhancing NKX6.1 expression as a means to increase β cell function and mass. Here, we shed light on the role of NKX6.1 during pancreatic β cell development and in directing the MPCs to functional monohormonal lineage. Furthermore, we address the transcriptional mechanisms and targets of NKX6.1 as well as its association with diabetes.

scholarly journals MafB Is Important for Pancreatic β-Cell Maintenance under a MafA-Deficient Condition

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (17) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gulibaikelamu Xiafukaiti ◽  
Shayida Maimaiti ◽  
Kiyohito Ogata ◽  
Akihiro Kuno ◽  
Takashi Kudo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Fat Diet ◽  
Cell Function ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
High Fat ◽  
Β Cells ◽  
Β Cell ◽  
Double Knockout ◽  
Adult Mice ◽  
Pathological Conditions ◽  
Β Cell Function

ABSTRACT The pancreatic-islet-enriched transcription factors MafA and MafB have unique expression patterns in β cells in rodents. MafA is specifically expressed in β cells and is a key regulatory factor for maintaining adult β-cell function, whereas MafB plays an essential role in β-cell development during embryogenesis, and its expression in β cells gradually decreases and is restricted to α cells after birth in rodents. However, it was previously observed that MafB started to be reexpressed in insulin-positive (insulin+) β cells in MafA-deficient adult mice. To elucidate how MafB functions in the adult β cell under MafA-deficient conditions, we generated MafA and MafB double-knockout (A0B0) mice in which MafB was specifically deleted from β cells. As a result, the A0B0 mice became more vulnerable to diabetes under a high-fat diet (HFD) treatment, with impaired islet formation and a decreased number of insulin+ β cells because of increased β-cell apoptosis, indicating MafB can take part in the maintenance of adult β cells under certain pathological conditions.

Effects of palmitate on ER and cytosolic Ca2+ homeostasis in β-cells

2009 ◽  
Vol 296 (4) ◽  
pp. E690-E701 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kamila S. Gwiazda ◽  
Ting-Lin B. Yang ◽  
Yalin Lin ◽  
James D. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Type 2 Diabetes ◽  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Free Fatty Acids ◽  
Cell Function ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Β Cells ◽  
Β Cell ◽  
Β Cell Function

There are strong links between obesity, elevated free fatty acids, and type 2 diabetes. Specifically, the saturated fatty acid palmitate has pleiotropic effects on β-cell function and survival. In the present study, we sought to determine the mechanism by which palmitate affects intracellular Ca2+, and in particular the role of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In human β-cells and MIN6 cells, palmitate rapidly increased cytosolic Ca2+ through a combination of Ca2+ store release and extracellular Ca2+ influx. Palmitate caused a reversible lowering of ER Ca2+, measured directly with the fluorescent protein-based ER Ca2+ sensor D1ER. Using another genetically encoded indicator, we observed long-lasting oscillations of cytosolic Ca2+ in palmitate-treated cells. In keeping with this observed ER Ca2+ depletion, palmitate induced rapid phosphorylation of the ER Ca2+ sensor protein kinase R-like ER kinase (PERK) and subsequently ER stress and β-cell death. We detected little palmitate-induced insulin secretion, suggesting that these Ca2+ signals are poorly coupled to exocytosis. In summary, we have characterized Ca2+-dependent mechanisms involved in altered β-cell function and survival induced by the free fatty acid palmitate. We present the first direct evidence that free fatty acids reduce ER Ca2+ and shed light on pathways involved in lipotoxicity and the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes.

scholarly journals Biphasic Response of Pancreatic β-Cell Mass to Ablation of Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 2 in Mice

2008 ◽  
Vol 28 (9) ◽  
pp. 2971-2979 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yutaka Shigeyama ◽  
Toshiyuki Kobayashi ◽  
Yoshiaki Kido ◽  
Naoko Hashimoto ◽  
Shun-ichiro Asahara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tuberous Sclerosis ◽  
Tuberous Sclerosis Complex ◽  
Cell Function ◽  
Cell Mass ◽  
Mammalian Target Of Rapamycin ◽  
Pancreatic Β Cell ◽  
Β Cells ◽  
Β Cell ◽  
Islet Mass ◽  
Β Cell Function

ABSTRACT Recent studies have demonstrated the importance of insulin or insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) for regulation of pancreatic β-cell mass. Given the role of tuberous sclerosis complex 2 (TSC2) as an upstream molecule of mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin), we examined the effect of TSC2 deficiency on β-cell function. Here, we show that mice deficient in TSC2, specifically in pancreatic β cells (βTSC2−/− mice), manifest increased IGF-1-dependent phosphorylation of p70 S6 kinase and 4E-BP1 in islets as well as an initial increased islet mass attributable in large part to increases in the sizes of individual β cells. These mice also exhibit hypoglycemia and hyperinsulinemia at young ages (4 to 28 weeks). After 40 weeks of age, however, the βTSC2−/− mice develop progressive hyperglycemia and hypoinsulinemia accompanied by a reduction in islet mass due predominantly to a decrease in the number of β cells. These results thus indicate that TSC2 regulates pancreatic β-cell mass in a biphasic manner.

Life and death decisions of the pancreatic β-cell: the role of fatty acids

2006 ◽  
Vol 112 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip Newsholme ◽  
Deirdre Keane ◽  
Hannah J. Welters ◽  
Noel G. Morgan
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Insulin Release ◽  
Chronic Exposure ◽  
Cell Function ◽  
Pancreatic Β Cell ◽  
Β Cells ◽  
Β Cell ◽  
Endogenous Fatty Acid ◽  
Gene And Protein Expression ◽  
Β Cell Function

Both stimulatory and detrimental effects of NEFAs (non-esterified fatty acids) on pancreatic β-cells have been recognized. Acute exposure of the pancreatic β-cell to high glucose concentrations and/or saturated NEFAs results in a substantial increase in insulin release, whereas chronic exposure results in desensitization and suppression of secretion, followed by induction of apoptosis. Some unsaturated NEFAs also promote insulin release acutely, but they are less toxic to β-cells during chronic exposure and can even exert positive protective effects. Therefore changes in the levels of NEFAs are likely to be important for the regulation of β-cell function and viability under physiological conditions. In addition, the switching between endogenous fatty acid synthesis or oxidation in the β-cell, together with alterations in neutral lipid accumulation, may have critical implications for β-cell function and integrity. Long-chain acyl-CoA (formed from either endogenously synthesized or exogenous fatty acids) controls several aspects of β-cell function, including activation of specific isoenzymes of PKC (protein kinase C), modulation of ion channels, protein acylation, ceramide formation and/or NO-mediated apoptosis, and transcription factor activity. In this review, we describe the effects of exogenous and endogenous fatty acids on β-cell metabolism and gene and protein expression, and have explored the outcomes with respect to insulin secretion and β-cell integrity.

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