Co-localization of high-affinity neurotrophin receptors in nucleus basalis of Meynert neurons and their differential reduction in Alzheimer's disease

It has been suggested that degeneration of neurons in Alzheimer's disease is the result of diminished trophic support. However, so far no evidence has been forwarded that neuronal degeneration in Alzheimer's disease is causally related to insufficient production of neurotrophins. The present study deals with (i) the expression and co-localization of tyrosine kinase receptors (trks) in the human nucleus basalis of Meynert and (ii) alterations of these receptors in Alzheimer's disease in the nucleus basalis of Meynert, an area severely affected in Alzheimer's disease. The expression of trkA, trkB and trkC in the nucleus basalis of Meynert of control and Alzheimer's disease brains was studied using three polyclonal antibodies specifically recognizing the extracellular domain of trkA, trkB and trkC. Brain material of eight controls and seven Alzheimer's disease patients was obtained at autopsy, embedded in paraffin and stained immunocytochemically. Using an image analysis system, we determined the proportion of trk neurons expressing the different trk receptors in controls and Alzheimer's disease patients. In control brains, trkA, trkB and trkC were differentially expressed in numerous nucleus basalis of Meynert neurons. The highest proportion of neurons was found to express trkB (75%), followed by trkC (58%) and trkA (54%). Furthermore, using consecutive sections, a clear co-localization of trk receptors was observed in the same neurons. The highest degree of co-localization was observed between trkA and trkB. In Alzheimer's disease patients, the number of immunoreactive neurons and the staining intensity of individual neurons was reduced dramatically. Reduction in the proportion of neurons expressing trkA was 69%, in trkB 47% and in trkC 49%, which indicated a differential reduction in the amount of trk receptors in Alzheimer's disease. These observations indicate that nucleus basalis of Meynert neurons can be supported by more than one neurotrophin and that the degeneration of these neurons in Alzheimer's disease is associated with a decreased expression of trk receptors, suggesting a decreased neurotrophin responsiveness of nucleus basalis of Meynert neurons in Alzheimer's disease.

Islet constitutive nitric oxide synthase: biochemical determination and regulatory function

Recent immunohistochemical findings suggested that a constitutive nitric oxide synthase (cNOS) resides in endocrine pancreas. Here we provide direct biochemical evidence for the presence of cNOS activity in isolated islets. The regulating influence of this nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity for islet hormone release was also investigated. We observed that cNOS activity could be quantitated in islet homogenates by monitoring the formation of L-citrulline from L-arginine using an Amprep CBA cation-exhange minicolumn before derivatization with o-phthaldialdehyde and subsequent high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. The islet NOS was dependent on both Ca2+ and calmodulin and suppressed by the NOS inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME). This effect was enantiomerically specific. Islet insulin release induced by a mixture of L-arginine and glucose was enhanced by L-NAME, whereas L-arginine-induced glucagon release was inhibited. The effect of L-NAME on insulin release was dose dependently potentiated by increasing glucose concentrations, suggesting that glucose is an important regulator of islet NO production. Complementary in vivo studies showed similar results, i.e., the insulin secretory response to a mixture of glucose and L-arginine was extremely enhanced by pretreatment with L-NAME, whereas L-arginine-stimulated glucagon response was suppressed. Finally, in isolated islets, the intracellular nitric oxide (NO) donor hydroxylamine suppressed insulin release and increased glucagon release. In summary, the islets of Langerhans contain a constitutive, Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent isoform of NOS. Islet NO suppressed insulin but enhanced glucagon secretion. The data also suggest a negative feedback by NO on glucose-induced insulin release. The islet NO system is a novel and important regulatory factor in insulin and glucagon secretion.

Islet acid glucan-1,4-alpha-glucosidase: a putative key enzyme in nutrient-stimulated insulin secretion

Little attention has been paid to a possible relationship between lysosomal function and stimulation of secretory processes in endocrine cells. The last few years it has become increasingly evident that the secretion of insulin from the pancreatic beta-cell is the result of a very complex cascade of events, the details of which are far from elucidated and indeed may include the participation of the lysosomal system. We report here, with a combined in vitro and in vivo approach, that selective inhibition of islet lysosomal glycogenolytic acid glucan-1,4-alpha-glucosidase activity by the long-acting 1-deoxynojirimycin derivative emiglitate induces a profound suppression of nutrient-induced insulin release. In islet homogenate emiglitate strongly and dose-dependently inhibited the activity of acid glucan-1,4-alpha-glucosidase (EC50 approximately 10(-6) M) without affecting other classical lysosomal enzyme activities. The emiglitate-induced inhibition curve for glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from isolated islets was remarkably similar to the inhibition curve for acid glucan-1,4-alpha-glucosidase. Moreover, insulin release stimulated by the nonglucose nutrient secretagogues, leucine, and alpha-ketoisocaproic acid (KIC) was totally suppressed by emiglitate. In contrast, receptor activated insulin secretion induced by the insulinotropic hormone cholecystokinin (CCK-8) was unaffected by the drug. Further, parenteral pretreatment of mice with emiglitate markedly suppressed the insulin secretory response to an iv injection of glucose or KIC, whereas the response to an iv injection of CCK-8 was unaffected. In accordance with this, islets isolated from emiglitate-treated mice showed a reduced activity of acid glucan-1,4-alpha-glucosidase and, moreover, such islets incubated in vitro, secreted less insulin in response to glucose than did control islets. Finally, pretreatment of mice with purified fungal acid glucan-1,4-alpha-glucosidase, enzyme replacement, brought about a markedly increased insulin secretory response after an iv injection of KIC, whereas the insulin response after CCK-8 injection was unaffected. Taken together with previous observations, the present data strongly suggest that islet lysosomal acid alpha-glucosidehydrolases are involved in the multifactorial process of nutrient-induced insulin secretion. The existence of hitherto unresolved and complex interactions between different beta-cell organelles in the insulin secretory processes should be thoroughly reevaluated.

Cholecystokinin-A and cholecystokinin-B/gastrin receptor mRNA expression in the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas of the rat and man. A polymerase chain reaction study

BACKGROUND

Gastrin and cholecystokinin (CCK) are thought to exert trophic effects on the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas. Two types of receptors have been cloned, CCK-A and CCK-B/ gastrin. We have examined the occurrence of CCK-A and CCK-B receptor mRNA in the brain, digestive tract, pancreas, and kidney of the rat and man by Northern blot and reverse transcribed polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

METHODS

Total RNA was isolated from rat tissues and reverse transcribed into cDNA. cDNA from brain, kidney, and pancreas of the rat and man and from human whole stomach were commercially available. Northern blot and a PCR technique based on Taq polymerase-antibody interaction and using CCK-A and CCK-B receptor-specific primers, followed by Southern blot analysis, were the methods used.

RESULTS

By means of Northern blots, CCK-A receptor mRNA was detected in rat fundus mucosa and pancreas but not in the remaining GI tract or brain. By means of RT-PCR, CCK-A receptor mRNA was demonstrated in the brain and the mucosa of the fundus, antrum, duodenum, and colon, kidney, pancreas and pancreatic islets. CCK-B receptor mRNA was detected by Northern blot analysis in the brain and the fundus mucosa but not in the rest of the digestive tract and not in the pancreas, pancreatic islets, or kidney. By RT-PCR, expression of CCK-B receptor mRNA could also be detected in antrum mucosa. In man, CCK-A receptor mRNA was detected in the brain, stomach, pancreas, and kidney, whereas CCK-B receptor mRNA was found in the brain, stomach, and pancreas but not in the kidney. Cloning and DNA-sequence analysis of the PCR-amplified rat and human CCK-A and CCK-B receptor DNA fragments, which cover the protein-encoding regions of the intracellular loop C3, showed complete sequence homology as compared with published rat and human sequences.

CONCLUSIONS

It appears unlikely that CCK will have effects in the ileum, at least not effects mediated by CCK-A receptors. It also appears unlikely that physiologic concentrations of gastrin in the circulation will promote growth (or exert other effects) in the pancreas, duodenum, ileum, and colon, since CCK-B receptor mRNA is not expressed or is poorly expressed in these tissues.

Modulation of islet G-proteins, alpha-glucosidehydrolase inhibition and insulin release stimulated by various secretagogues

Guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G-proteins) are known to act as important modulators of insulin release from the islets of Langerhans. We have recently found that the deoxynojirimycin-derivative emiglitate, a recognized inhibitor of intestinal alpha-glucosidehydrolase activity, is a powerful inhibitor of glucose-induced insulin release. With the use of isolated mouse islets the present investigation was performed in a primary attempt to elucidate whether this inhibitory mechanism in some way was linked to the beta-cell G-protein system. Treatment of freshly isolated islets with pertussis toxin (PTX), which is known to inactivate the G (i)-proteins, abolished the inhibitory effect of the alpha(2)-adrenoceptor agonist clonidine on insulin release stimulated by the phosphodiesterase inhibitor IBMX in the presence of the protein kinase C activator TPA and even changed it into an increase. Emiglitate did not display any inhibitory action on insulin release induced by these secretagogues. Similarly, clonidine-induced inhibition of glucose stimulated insulin release was reversed by PTX. However, PTX did not influence the suppressive action of emiglitate on glucose-induced insulin secretion. In contrast, the adenylate cyclase activator forskolin totally abolished the inhibitory effect of emiglitate, but not that of the glucose analogue mannoheptulose, on glucose-induced insulin release. Moreover, the stimulatory effect of forskolin and cholera toxin (CTX) (activator of G (s)-proteins) on the secretion of insulin was markedly enhanced in the presence of emiglitate. In conclusion, our results suggest that the inhibitory effect of emiglitate on glucose-induced insulin release is not directly related to the G(s)-proteins, but most likely exerted solely through the selective suppression of lysosomal aglucosidehydrolase activity, a step in between the proximal and the distal G(i)-proteins, in glucose induced stimulus-secretion mechanisms. Our data also suggests that the inhibitory action of emiglitate on glucose stimulated insulin release can be compensated for by an increased sensitivity of the cyclic AMP-protein kinase A pathway. Hence, emiglitate might indirectly elicit an increased activity of the G(s)-proteins to facilitate the secretory process.

Decreased activity of hippocampal neurons in Alzheimer's disease is not related to the presence of neurofibrillary tangles

Numerous studies have established the key role of the Golgi apparatus (GA) in post-translational processing, transport and targeting of proteins destined for secretion, lysosomes and plasma membranes. Moreover, several studies performed in our laboratories have shown that the size of the immunocytochemically detected neuronal GA is a reliable index of neuronal activity in aging, Alzheimer's disease (AD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. It has been suggested that in AD there is decreased neuronal activity, e.g. in terms of glucose metabolism and protein synthetic capability. To further explore the hypothesis of decreased neuronal activity in AD, in this study the size of the GA was measured in pyramidal neurons of the CA1 area of the hippocampus of non-demented controls and AD patients. The size of the GA was measured separately in neurons with and without neurofibrillary tangles (NFT). Moreover, in order to establish a correlation between the density of NFT and the size of the GA, the density of extraneuronal NFT was determined around each neuron and related to the size of its GA. The results, quantified by image analysis, indicate that there is a significant reduction in GA size in the neurons of the CA1 area of the hippocampus of AD patients. However, there was no significant relationship between the size of the GA and the presence or absence of intracellular NFT. In addition, there was no correlation between the density of extracellular NFT and GA size of adjacent neurons.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The pseudotetrasaccharide acarbose inhibits pancreatic islet glucan-1,4-alpha-glucosidase activity in parallel with a suppressive action on glucose-induced insulin release

The pseudotetrasaccharide acarbose, previously known as a potent inhibitor of intestinal alpha-glucoside hydrolases, was investigated with regard to its influence on islet lysosomal enzyme activities and the insulin secretory processes. We observed that acarbose was a potent inhibitor of mouse islet lysosomal acid glucan-1,4-alpha-glucosidase activity, EC50 approximately 5 mumol/l, as well as of acid alpha-glucosidase activity. In contrast, acarbose did not influence other lysosomal enzyme activities such as acid phosphatase and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase. Neutral alpha-glucosidase (endoplasmic reticulum) was only moderately inhibited in homogenate and was unaffected in intact islets. Incubation of isolated mouse islets with acarbose revealed that the pseudotetrasaccharide was a strong inhibitor of glucose-induced insulin secretion, EC50 approximately 500 nmol/l, and a significant inhibition was already observed at a concentration of acarbose as low as 100 nmol/l. The acarbose analogue maltotetrose did not influence either glucose-induced insulin release or islet lysosomal enzyme activities. Further, acarbose as well as two other alpha-glucoside hydrolase inhibitors, the deoxynojirimycin derivatives miglitol and emiglitate, did not affect islet glucose oxidation at low or high glucose levels. Acarbose also inhibited insulin release induced by the sulfonylurea glibenclamide, whereas insulin secretion stimulated by the cholinergic muscarinic agonist carbachol or the phosphodiesterase inhibitor isobutylmethylxanthine was unaffected by the drug. Moreover, complementary in vivo experiments showed that pretreatment of mice with acarbose to allow for endocytosis of the compound markedly suppressed the insulin secretory response to an intravenous glucose load.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Decreased protein synthetic activity of the hypothalamic tuberomamillary nucleus in Alzheimer's disease as suggested by smaller Golgi apparatus

The nucleus tuberalis lateralis (NTL) and tuberomamillary nucleus (TM), which are located close together in the tuberal region of the human hypothalamus, are differentially affected by Alzheimer's disease (AD), In the AD, the NTL shows only early cytoskeletal alterations, i.e. pre-tangle stages, while the TM is characterised by advanced Alzheimer's changes, e.g. neurofibrillary degeneration, senile plaques and amyloid deposition. Earlier we showed that the early cytoskeletal alterations in the NTL are not accompanied by changes in protein synthetic activity. The present study was carried out in order to measure the protein synthetic activity of the neighbouring area, the TM, which is severely affected by advanced Alzheimer changes. A polyclonal antibody against MG-160, a conserved membrane sialoglycoprotein of the Golgi apparatus, was used to stain this organelle and using an image analysis system, the size of the Golgi apparatus was measured as an index for synthetic and secretory activity in 15 Alzheimer patients and 21 controls. A significant decrease in the size of the Golgi apparatus was found in the TM neurons in AD, although the cell profile area remained unchanged. These data suggest that the protein synthetic and secretory activity of TM neurons is indeed decreased in AD.

Early cytoskeletal changes as shown by Alz-50 are not accompanied by decreased neuronal activity

The nucleus tuberalis lateralis (NTL) is located in the basolateral part of the hypothalamus and is only present as a well-delineated nucleus in human and higher primates. In Alzheimer's disease (AD), NTL neurons show strong early cytoskeletal alterations, as revealed by the antibody Alz-50, but practically no senile plaques or neurofibrillary tangles. To study whether the activity of NTL neurons decreases when cytoskeletal changes appear, i.e., during aging and in AD, we applied a polyclonal antibody raised against the medial cisternae of the Golgi apparatus (GA). The size of the GA and the cell profile of NTL neurons, two established parameters for neuronal activity, were measured by an image analysis system. No significant change in the size of the profiles of the GA or of the neurons was observed in this nucleus during aging or AD. Earlier studies have shown that there is no decrease in cell number in the NTL in AD. We conclude that in the NTL an early hallmark of AD, i.e., cytoskeletal changes as stained by Alz-50, does not correlate with decreased neuronal activity, as reflected by the size of the GA, nor with a decrease in cell number. In addition, we found that the very early occurring and abundant presence of lipofuscin in NTL neurons does not go together with decreased neuronal activity.

Activation of vasopressin neurons in aging and Alzheimer's disease

The supraoptic (SON) and paraventricular nuclei (PVN) of the human hypothalamus are production sites of vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OXT). Although the hypothalamus is affected in Alzheimer's disease (AD), previous work has not only shown that in these two nuclei no neurons are lost, neither during aging nor in AD, but that the number of AVP-expressing neurons and their nucleolar size had even increased with age. These observations indicated that the peptide synthesis of the AVP neurons was activated in the oldest age-groups. Recently published, qualitative observations, using the area of the Golgi Apparatus (GA) as a sensitive parameter for neurosecretory activity, confirmed the activation of SON and PVN neurons with age in human; however, in this report the neurons were not identified according to their neuropeptide content. In the present quantitative study we determined whether the AVP neurons were indeed activated as a result of the aging process in controls and AD patients. We applied a polyclonal antiserum directed against the medial cisternae of the GA on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections taken from the dorsolateral SON (dl-SON) of 10 controls and 10 AD patients, and performed our measurements in this area that is known to be predominantly occupied (90-95%) by AVP neurons. In addition, the sparse OXT cells present in the area of study, were excluded from the measurements on the basis of alternative sections stained for OXT. In the dl-SON, the area occupied by the GA and the cellular profile area per patient were quaNtified by means of image analysis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Decreased neuronal activity in the nucleus basalis of Meynert in Alzheimer's disease as suggested by the size of the Golgi apparatus

In order to study changes in neuronal activity in the nucleus basalis of Meynert in aging and Alzheimer's disease, we applied a polyclonal antibody directed against the Golgi apparatus on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded material. Subsequently, an image analysis system was used to measure the size of the Golgi apparatus in (i) all nucleus basalis neurons and also separately in (ii) the remaining large cells (perikaryonal diameter > 30 microns). A significant reduction of 49% in the size of the Golgi apparatus was found in the entire population of nucleus basalis neurons in Alzheimer's disease. Furthermore, although there was no significant decrease in the size of the persisting large neurons in the nucleus basalis of Meynert, a significantly decreased size of the Golgi apparatus was found in these neurons in Alzheimer's disease. These results suggest that the overall activity of nucleus basalis neurons is severely decreased in Alzheimer's disease. Furthermore, these data support the idea that atrophy and decreased activity are the main phenomena in the nucleus basalis in Alzheimer's disease; they also indicate that the size of the Golgi apparatus is a sensitive parameter to follow this process.

Changes in islet glucan-1,4-alpha-glucosidase activity modulate sulphonylurea-induced but not cholinergic insulin secretion

We have previously presented indirect in vivo evidence for the involvement of islet acid glucan-1,4-alpha-glucosidase (acid amyloglucosidase), a lysosomal glucose-producing enzyme, in certain insulin secretory processes. In the present in vitro and in vivo investigation, we studied whether differential changes in islet acid amyloglucosidase activity would be related to the insulin secretory response induced by two mechanistically different secretagogues, the sulphonylurea derivative, glibenclamide and the acetylcholine receptor agonist, carbachol. It was observed that the selective alpha-glucosidehydrolase inhibitors emiglitate and acarbose markedly reduced glibenclamide-induced insulin release from isolated islets. Insulin release stimulated by carbachol or the protein kinase C activator TPA (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate), was not inhibited. Basal insulin secretion was unaffected by emiglitate and acarbose. Further, pretreatment of mice with emiglitate resulted in a marked reduction of the in vivo insulin response to glibenclamide. Moreover, in vivo pretreatment with purified fungal amyloglucosidase ('enzyme replacement'), a procedure known to increase islet amyloglucosidase activity, greatly enhanced the insulin response to i.v. glibenclamide. This insulin release was accompanied by a marked depression of the blood glucose levels. In contrast, enzyme pretreatment did not influence the insulin response or the blood glucose levels after carbachol. The data strongly suggest that islet acid amyloglucosidase is involved in the insulin secretory processes induced by glibenclamide but not in those involving stimulation of muscarinic receptors or direct activation of protein kinase C. The results also indicate separate or at least partially separate pathways for insulin release induced by glibenclamide and cholinergic stimulation.

Islet glucan-1,4-alpha-glucosidase: differential influence on insulin secretion induced by glucose and isobutylmethylxanthine in mice

In previous in-vivo studies we have presented indirect evidence for the involvement of islet acid glucan-1,4-alpha-glucosidase (acid amyloglucosidase), a lysosomal glycogen-hydrolysing enzyme, in certain insulin secretory processes. In the present combined in-vitro and in-vivo investigation, we studied whether differential changes in islet acid amyloglucosidase activity were related to the insulin secretory response induced by two mechanistically different secretagogues, glucose and isobutylmethylxanthine (IBMX). It was observed that addition of the selective alpha-glucosidehydrolase inhibitor emiglitate (1 mmol/l) to isolated pancreatic islets resulted in a marked reduction of glucose-induced insulin release. This was accompanied by a pronounced suppression of islet activities of acid amyloglucosidase and acid alpha-glucosidase, whereas other lysosomal enzyme activities, such as acid phosphatase and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase, were unaffected. Furthermore, islets first incubated with emiglitate in the presence of high (16.7 mmol/l) glucose released less insulin than untreated controls in response to glucose in a second incubation period in the absence of emiglitate. In contrast, IBMX-induced insulin release was not influenced by emiglitate although accompanied by a marked reduction of islet activities of all three alpha-glucosidehydrolases. Basal insulin secretion (1 mmol glucose/l) was unaffected in the presence of emiglitate. In-vivo pretreatment of mice with highly purified fungal amyloglucosidase ('enzyme replacement'), a procedure known to increase islet amyloglucosidase activity, resulted in a greatly enhanced insulin secretory response to an i.v. glucose load. The increase in insulin release was accompanied by a markedly improved glucose tolerance curve in these animals. In contrast, enzyme pretreatment did not influence the insulin response or the blood glucose levels after an i.v. injection of IBMX. The data lend further support to our hypothesis that islet acid amyloglucosidase is involved in the multifactorial insulin secretory processes induced by glucose but not in those involving direct activation of the cyclic AMP system. The results also indicate separate, or at least partially separate, pathways for insulin release induced by glucose and IBMX.

Ca2+ deficiency, selective alpha-glucosidehydrolase inhibition, and insulin secretion

We investigated the relation between activities of islet glycogenolytic alpha-glucosidehydrolases and insulin secretion induced by glucose and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX) by means of suppressing 1) insulin release (Ca2+ deficiency) and 2) islet alpha-glucosidehydrolase activity (selective inhibition by the deoxynojirimycin derivative miglitol). Additionally, the in vivo insulin response to both secretagogues was examined. We observed that, similar to glucose-induced insulin release, islet glycogenolytic hydrolases (acid amyloglucosidase, acid alpha-glucosidase) were highly Ca2+ dependent. Acid phosphatase, N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase, or neutral alpha-glucosidase (endoplasmic reticulum) was not influenced by Ca2+ deficiency. In Ca2+ deficiency IBMX-induced insulin release was unaffected and was accompanied by reduced activities of islet alpha-glucosidehydrolases. Miglitol strongly inhibited glucose-induced insulin release concomitant with a marked suppression of islet alpha-glucosidehydrolase activities. Direct addition of miglitol to islet homogenates suppressed acid amyloglucosidase [half-maximal effective concentration (EC50) approximately 10(-6) M] and acid alpha-glucosidase. Acid phosphatase and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase were unaffected. The miglitol-induced inhibition of glucose-stimulated insulin release was dose dependent (EC50 approximately 10(-6) M) and displayed a remarkable parallelism with the inhibition curve for acid amyloglucosidase. The in vivo insulin secretory response to glucose was markedly reduced in dystrophic mice (low amyloglucosidase), whereas the response to IBMX was unaffected. In summary, islet glycogenolytic hydrolases are Ca2+ dependent, and acid amyloglucosidase is directly involved in the multifactorial process of glucose-induced insulin release. In contrast the mechanisms of IBMX-stimulated insulin secretion operate independently of these enzymes. The effects of miglitol, a drug currently used in diabetes therapy, deserves further investigation.