beta-Cell-specific overexpression of glutathione peroxidase preserves intranuclear MafA and reverses diabetes in db/db mice

Modulating glutathione thiol status alters pancreatic β-cell morphogenesis in the developing zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryo

Emerging evidence suggests that redox-active chemicals perturb pancreatic islet development. To better understand potential mechanisms for this, we used zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos to investigate roles of glutathione (GSH; predominant cellular redox buffer) and the transcription factor Nrf2a (Nfe2l2a; zebrafish Nrf2 co-ortholog) in islet morphogenesis. We delineated critical windows of susceptibility to redox disruption of β-cell morphogenesis, interrogating embryos at 24, 48 and 72 h post fertilization (hpf) and visualized Nrf2a expression in the pancreas using whole-mount immunohistochemistry at 96 hpf. Chemical GSH modulation at 48 hpf induced significant islet morphology changes at 96 hpf. Pro-oxidant exposures to tert-butylhydroperoxide (77.6 μM; 10-min at 48 hpf) or tert-butylhydroquinone (1 μM; 48-56 hpf) decreased β-cell cluster area at 96 hpf. Conversely, exposures to antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (bolsters GSH pools; 100 μM; 48-72 hpf) or sulforaphane (activates Nrf2a; 20 μM; 48-72 hpf) significantly increased islet areas. Nrf2a was also stabilized in β-cells: 10-min exposures to 77.6 μM tert-butylhydroperoxide significantly increased Nrf2a protein compared to control islet cells that largely lack stabilized Nrf2a; 10-min exposures to higher (776 μM) tert-butylhydroperoxide concentration stabilized Nrf2a throughout the pancreas. Using biotinylated-GSH to visualize in situ protein glutathionylation, islet cells displayed high protein glutathionylation, indicating oxidized GSH pools. The 10-min high (776 μM) tert-butylhydroperoxide exposure (induced Nrf2a globally) decreased global protein glutathionylation at 96 hpf. Mutant fish expressing inactive Nrf2a were protected against tert-butylhydroperoxide-induced abnormal islet morphology. Our data indicate that disrupted redox homeostasis and Nrf2a stabilization during pancreatic β-cell development impact morphogenesis, with implications for disease states at later life stages. Our work identifies a potential molecular target (Nrf2) that mediates abnormal β-cell morphology in response to redox disruptions. Moreover, our findings imply that developmental exposure to exogenous stressors at distinct windows of susceptibility could diminish the reserve redox capacity of β-cells, rendering them vulnerable to later-life stresses and disease.

YY1 deficiency in β-cells leads to mitochondrial dysfunction and diabetes in mice

BACKGROUND

The transcription factor YY1 is an important regulator for metabolic homeostasis. Activating mutations in YY1 lead to tumorigenesis of pancreatic β-cells, however, the physiological functions of YY1 in β-cells are still unknown. Here, we investigated the effects of YY1 ablation on insulin secretion and glucose metabolism.

METHODS

We established two models of β-cell-specific YY1 knockout mice. The glucose metabolic phenotypes, β-cell mass and β-cell functions were analyzed in the mouse models. Transmission electron microscopy was used to detect the ultrastructure of β-cells. The flow cytometry analysis, measurement of OCR and ROS were performed to investigate the mitochondrial function. Histological analysis, quantitative PCR and ChIP were performed to analyze the target genes of YY1 in β-cells.

RESULTS

Our results showed that loss of YY1 resulted in reduction of insulin production, β-cell mass and glucose tolerance in mice. Ablation of YY1 led to defective ATP production and mitochondrial ROS accumulation in pancreatic β-cells. The inactivation of YY1 impaired the activity of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, induced mitochondrial dysfunction and diabetes in mouse models.

CONCLUSION

Our findings demonstrate that the transcriptional activity of YY1 is essential for the maintenance of mitochondrial functions and insulin secretion in β-cells.

Metabolism as a central regulator of β-cell chromatin state

Pancreatic β-cells are critical mediators of glucose homeostasis in the body, and proper cellular nutrient metabolism is critical to β-cell function. Several interacting signaling networks that uniquely control β-cell metabolism produce essential substrates and co-factors for catalytic reactions, including reactions that modify chromatin. Chromatin modifications, in turn, regulate gene expression. The reactions that modify chromatin are therefore well-positioned to adjust gene expression programs according to nutrient availability. It follows that dysregulation of nutrient metabolism in β-cells may impact chromatin state and gene expression through altering the availability of these substrates and co-factors. Metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes (T2D) can significantly alter metabolite levels in cells. This suggests that a driver of β-cell dysfunction during T2D may be the altered availability of substrates or co-factors necessary to maintain β-cell chromatin state. Induced changes in the β-cell chromatin modifications may then lead to dysregulation of gene expression, in turn contributing to the downward cascade of events that leads to the loss of functional β-cell mass, and loss of glucose homeostasis, that occurs in T2D.

Diabetic Cardiomyopathy: From Mechanism to Management in a Nutshell

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a significant complication of diabetes mellitus characterized by gradually failing heart with detrimental cardiac remodelings, such as fibrosis and diastolic and systolic dysfunction, which is not directly attributable to coronary artery disease. Insulin resistance and resulting hyperglycemia is the main trigger involved in the initiation of diabetic cardiomyopathy. There is a constellation of many pathophysiological events, such as lipotoxicity, oxidative stress, inflammation, inappropriate activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, dysfunctional immune modulation promoting increased rate of cardiac cell injury, apoptosis, and necrosis, which ultimately culminates into interstitial fibrosis, cardiac stiffness, diastolic dysfunction, initially, and later systolic dysfunction too. These events finally lead to clinical heart failure of DCM. Herein, The pathophysiology of DCM is briefly discussed. Furthermore, potential therapeutic strategies currently used for DCM are also briefly mentioned.

Cumulative Effect of Cardiovascular Risk Factors on Regulation of AMPK/SIRT1-PGC-1α-SIRT3 Pathway in the Human Erectile Tissue

Cardiovascular disease risk factors (CVDRF), especially diabetes mellitus (DM), disrupt oxidative stress response. This condition underlies endothelial dysfunction, early manifested in men as erectile dysfunction. The current study is aimed at elucidating the impact of CVDRF in the oxidation responsive AMPK/SIRT1-PGC-1α-SIRT3 pathway and related miRNAs in the human corpus cavernosum. Human penile tissue fragments from individuals submitted to programmed urological surgeries (n = 27), aged 43-63 years, were clustered depending on the presence of CVDRF; the control group included samples from patients without CVDRF, and groups A and B included samples from patients with DM and additional CVDRF, totalizing ≤2 CVDRF (group A) and ≥3 CVDRF (group B). Dual-immunolabelling of SIRT3, SOD2, or GPX1 with α-actin in tissue sections was carried out. The assessment of expression levels of NOX1, phospho-AMPKα, total AMPKα, SIRT1, PGC-1α, SIRT3, SOD2, and GPX1 was performed by western blotting and of miR-200a, miR-34a, miR-421, and miR-206 by real-time PCR. Phospho-AMPKα and SIRT3 expression was found significantly increased in group B relative to other groups, suggesting a marked influence of CVDRF, additional to DM, in the regulation of these enzymes. NOX1 was also increased in group B relative to controls. Only an increasing tendency was observed in the phospho-AMPKα/total AMPKα ratio, SIRT1, and PGC-1α expression in groups A and B when compared with controls. Concerning antioxidant enzymes, GPX1 expression was found incremented in group A, but SOD2 expression was decreased in groups A and B, comparative with controls. Group B presented significantly diminished levels of miR-421 and miR-200a, but only a decreasing trend on miR-34 and miR-206 expression was observed. Taken together, our findings demonstrated that besides DM, additional CVDRF presented a cumulative effect in the cellular response to oxidative unbalance, contributing to AMPK/SIRT1-PGC-1α-SIRT3 pathway activation. SOD2, a major mitochondrial antioxidant defence, did not follow the same variation.

Peroxiredoxin 1 plays a primary role in protecting pancreatic β-cells from hydrogen peroxide and peroxynitrite

Both reactive nitrogen and oxygen species (RNS and ROS), such as nitric oxide, peroxynitrite, and hydrogen peroxide, have been implicated as mediators of pancreatic β-cell damage during the pathogenesis of autoimmune diabetes. While β-cells are thought to be vulnerable to oxidative damage due to reportedly low levels of antioxidant enzymes, such as catalase and glutathione peroxidase, we have shown that they use thioredoxin reductase to detoxify hydrogen peroxide. Thioredoxin reductase is an enzyme that participates in the peroxiredoxin antioxidant cycle. Peroxiredoxins are expressed in β-cells and, when overexpressed, protect against oxidative stress, but the endogenous roles of peroxiredoxins in the protection of β-cells from oxidative damage are unclear. Here, using either glucose oxidase or menadione to continuously deliver hydrogen peroxide, or the combination of dipropylenetriamine NONOate and menadione to continuously deliver peroxynitrite, we tested the hypothesis that β-cells use peroxiredoxins to detoxify both of these reactive species. Either pharmacological peroxiredoxin inhibition with conoidin A or specific depletion of cytoplasmic peroxiredoxin 1 (Prdx1) using siRNAs sensitizes INS 832/13 cells and rat islets to DNA damage and death induced by hydrogen peroxide or peroxynitrite. Interestingly, depletion of peroxiredoxin 2 (Prdx2) had no effect. Together, these results suggest that β-cells use cytoplasmic Prdx1 as a primary defense mechanism against both ROS and RNS.

Human Islet Response to Selected Type 1 Diabetes-Associated Bacteria: A Transcriptome-Based Study

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic autoimmune disease that results from destruction of pancreatic β-cells. T1D subjects were recently shown to harbor distinct intestinal microbiome profiles. Based on these findings, the role of gut bacteria in T1D is being intensively investigated. The mechanism connecting intestinal microbial homeostasis with the development of T1D is unknown. Specific gut bacteria such as Bacteroides dorei (BD) and Ruminococcus gnavus (RG) show markedly increased abundance prior to the development of autoimmunity. One hypothesis is that these bacteria might traverse the damaged gut barrier, and their constituents elicit a response from human islets that causes metabolic abnormalities and inflammation. We have tested this hypothesis by exposing human islets to BD and RG in vitro, after which RNA-Seq analysis was performed. The bacteria altered expression of many islet genes. The commonly upregulated genes by these bacteria were cytokines, chemokines and enzymes, suggesting a significant effect of gut bacteria on islet antimicrobial and biosynthetic pathways. Additionally, each bacteria displayed a unique set of differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Ingenuity pathway analysis of DEGs revealed that top activated pathways and diseases included TREM1 signaling and inflammatory response, illustrating the ability of bacteria to induce islet inflammation. The increased levels of selected factors were confirmed using immunoblotting and ELISA methods. Our data demonstrate that islets produce a complex anti-bacterial response. The response includes both symbiotic and pathogenic aspects. Both oxidative damage and leukocyte recruitment factors were prominent, which could induce beta cell damage and subsequent autoimmunity.

Neratinib protects pancreatic beta cells in diabetes

The loss of functional insulin-producing β-cells is a hallmark of diabetes. Mammalian sterile 20-like kinase 1 (MST1) is a key regulator of pancreatic β-cell death and dysfunction; its deficiency restores functional β-cells and normoglycemia. The identification of MST1 inhibitors represents a promising approach for a β-cell-protective diabetes therapy. Here, we identify neratinib, an FDA-approved drug targeting HER2/EGFR dual kinases, as a potent MST1 inhibitor, which improves β-cell survival under multiple diabetogenic conditions in human islets and INS-1E cells. In a pre-clinical study, neratinib attenuates hyperglycemia and improves β-cell function, survival and β-cell mass in type 1 (streptozotocin) and type 2 (obese Lepr^db/db) diabetic mouse models. In summary, neratinib is a previously unrecognized inhibitor of MST1 and represents a potential β-cell-protective drug with proof-of-concept in vitro in human islets and in vivo in rodent models of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Type 1 as well as type 2 diabetes are characterized by a loss of insulin-producing β-cells. Here the authors show that the FDA-approved drug neratinib has beneficial effects on β-cell survival, insulin secretion, and glycemic control in mouse models of diabetes.

Nutrient Metabolism, Subcellular Redox State, and Oxidative Stress in Pancreatic Islets and β-Cells

Insulin-secreting pancreatic β-cells play a critical role in blood glucose homeostasis and the development of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in the context of insulin resistance. Based on data obtained at the whole cell level using poorly specific chemical probes, reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as superoxide and hydrogen peroxide have been proposed to contribute to the stimulation of insulin secretion by nutrients (positive role) and to the alterations of cell survival and secretory function in T2D (negative role). This raised the controversial hypothesis that any attempt to decrease β-cell oxidative stress and apoptosis in T2D would further impair insulin secretion. Over the last decade, the development of genetically-encoded redox probes that can be targeted to cellular compartments of interest and are specific of redox couples allowed the evaluation of short- and long-term effects of nutrients on β-cell redox changes at the subcellular level. The data indicated that the nutrient regulation of β-cell redox signaling and ROS toxicity is far more complex than previously thought and that the subcellular compartmentation of these processes cannot be neglected when evaluating the mechanisms of ROS production or the efficacy of antioxidant enzymes and antioxidant drugs under glucolipotoxic conditions and in T2D. In this review, we present what is currently known about the compartmentation of redox homeostatic systems and tools to investigate it. We then review data about the effects of nutrients on β-cell subcellular redox state under normal conditions and in the context of T2D and discuss challenges and opportunities in the field.

Centaurium erythraea extract improves survival and functionality of pancreatic beta-cells in diabetes through multiple routes of action

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Centaurium erythraea Rafn (CE) is used as a traditional medicinal plant in Serbia to treat different ailments due to its antidiabetic, antipyretic, antiflatulent and detoxification effects.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Elucidation of the mechanisms that underlie the antioxidant and pro-survival effects of the CE extract (CEE) in beta-cells and pancreatic islets from streptozotocin (STZ)-treated diabetic rats.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Diabetes was induced in rats by multiple applications of low doses of STZ (40 mg/kg intraperitoneally (i.p.), for five consecutive days). CEE (100 mg/kg) was administered orally, in the pre-treated group for two weeks before diabetes induction, during the treatments with STZ and for four weeks after diabetes onset, and in the post-treatment group for four weeks after diabetes induction. The impact of CEE on diabetic islets was estimated by histological and immunohistochemical examination of the pancreas. Molecular mechanisms of the effects of CEE were also analyzed in insulinoma Rin-5F cells treated with STZ (12 mM) and CEE (0.25 mg/mL). Oxidative stress was evaluated by assessing the levels of DNA damage, lipid peroxidation, protein S-glutathionylation and enzymatic activities and expression of CAT, MnSOD, CuZnSOD, GPx and GR in beta-cells. The presence and activities of the redox-sensitive and islet-enriched regulatory proteins were also analyzed.

RESULTS

Treatment with CEE ameliorated the insulin level and glycemic control in STZ-induced diabetic rats by improving the structural and functional properties of pancreatic islets through multiple routes of action. The disturbance of islet morphology and islet cell contents in diabetes was reduced by the CEE treatment and was associated with a protective effect of CEE on the levels of insulin, GLUT-2 and p-Akt in diabetic islets. The antioxidant effect of CEE on STZ-treated beta-cells was displayed as reduced DNA damage, lipid peroxidation, protein S-glutathionylation and alleviation of STZ-induced disruption in MnSOD, CuZnSOD and CAT enzyme activities. The oxidative stress-induced disturbance of the transcriptional regulation of CAT, MnSOD, CuZnSOD, GPx and GR enzymes in beta-cells was improved after the CEE treatment, and was observed as readjustment of the presence and activities of redox-sensitive NFκB-p65, FOXO3A, Sp1 and Nrf-2 transcription factors. The observed CEE-mediated induction of proliferative and pro-survival pathways and insulin expression/secretion after STZ-induced oxidative stress in beta-cells could be partially attributed to a fine-tuned modulation of the activities of pro-survival Akt, ERK and p38 kinases and islet-enriched Pdx-1 and MafA regulatory factors.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study provide evidence that CEE improves the structural and functional properties of pancreatic beta-cells by correcting the endogenous antioxidant regulatory mechanisms and by promoting proliferative and pro-survival pathways in beta-cells.

The Beta Cell in Type 2 Diabetes

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review summarizes the alterations in the β-cell observed in type 2 diabetes (T2D), focusing on changes in β-cell identity and mass and changes associated with metabolism and intracellular signaling.

RECENT FINDINGS

In the setting of T2D, β-cells undergo changes in gene expression, reverting to a more immature state and in some cases transdifferentiating into other islet cell types. Alleviation of metabolic stress, ER stress, and maladaptive prostaglandin signaling could improve β-cell function and survival. The β-cell defects leading to T2D likely differ in different individuals and include variations in β-cell mass, development, β-cell expansion, responses to ER and oxidative stress, insulin production and secretion, and intracellular signaling pathways. The recent recognition that some β-cells undergo dedifferentiation without dying in T2D suggests strategies to revive these cells and rejuvenate their functionality.

Involvement of M1 and M3 receptors in isolated pancreatic islets function during weight cycling in ovariectomized rats

We investigated the structural and functional adaptations of the pancreas during weight cycling in animals submitted to hypoestrogenism. Female Wistar rats were distributed among the following test groups: ShamAL (AL, ad libitum); OVXAL (ovariectomized); and OVXcycle (dietary restriction with weight cycling). The ShamAL and OVXAL groups received commercial feed ad libitum, whereas the OVXcycle group received 21 days of commercial feed ad libitum, and 21 days of caloric restriction, with caloric intake amounting to 40% of the amount of feed consumed by the rats in the OVXAL group. The tolerance tests for glucose and insulin were applied. After euthanasia, the pancreas and adipose tissue were collected. The disappearance of glucose during the insulin assay occurred at a higher rate in tissues from the OVXcycle group, compared with the OVXAL group. Fasting glycemia and perirenal adipose tissue were lower in the OVXcycle group. By comparison with the ShamAL and OVXAL groups, the OVXcycle group showed higher protein expression of the M1 and M3 receptors and SOD1-2, as well as higher carbachol-induced insulin secretion. Under highly stimulatory conditions with 16.7 mmol/L glucose, the OVXAL and OVXcycle groups presented lower insulin secretion compared with the ShamAL group. Morphological analysis revealed higher iron deposition in the OVXAL islets by comparison with the OVXcycle group. These results show that ovariectomy accelerated the loss of pancreatic islet function, and that weight cycling could restore the function of the islets.

Pancreatic β-cells detoxify H2O2 through the peroxiredoxin/thioredoxin antioxidant system

Oxidative stress is thought to promote pancreatic β-cell dysfunction and contribute to both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, are mediators of oxidative stress that arise largely from electron leakage during oxidative phosphorylation. Reports that β-cells express low levels of antioxidant enzymes, including catalase and GSH peroxidases, have supported a model in which β-cells are ill-equipped to detoxify ROS. This hypothesis seems at odds with the essential role of β-cells in the control of metabolic homeostasis and organismal survival through exquisite coupling of oxidative phosphorylation, a prominent ROS-producing pathway, to insulin secretion. Using glucose oxidase to deliver H₂O₂ continuously over time and Amplex Red to measure extracellular H₂O₂ concentration, we found here that β-cells can remove micromolar levels of this oxidant. This detoxification pathway utilizes the peroxiredoxin/thioredoxin antioxidant system, as selective chemical inhibition or siRNA-mediated depletion of thioredoxin reductase sensitized β-cells to continuously generated H₂O₂ In contrast, when delivered as a bolus, H₂O₂ induced the DNA damage response, depleted cellular energy stores, and decreased β-cell viability independently of thioredoxin reductase inhibition. These findings show that β-cells have the capacity to detoxify micromolar levels of H₂O₂ through a thioredoxin reductase-dependent mechanism and are not as sensitive to oxidative damage as previously thought.

Activation of Nrf2 signaling by natural products-can it alleviate diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) has reached pandemic proportions and effective prevention strategies are wanted. Its onset is accompanied by cellular distress, the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a transcription factor boosting cytoprotective responses, and many phytochemicals activate Nrf2 signaling. Thus, Nrf2 activation by natural products could presumably alleviate DM. We summarize function, regulation and exogenous activation of Nrf2, as well as diabetes-linked and Nrf2-susceptible forms of cellular stress. The reported amelioration of insulin resistance, β-cell dysfunction and diabetic complications by activated Nrf2 as well as the status quo of Nrf2 in precision medicine for DM are reviewed.

Impact of carbonylation on glutathione peroxidase-1 activity in human hyperglycemic endothelial cells

AIMS

High levels of glucose and reactive carbonyl intermediates of its degradation pathway such as methylglyoxal (MG) may contribute to diabetic complications partly via increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This study focused on glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPx1) expression and the impact of carbonylation as an oxidative protein modification on GPx1 abundance and activity in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) under conditions of mild to moderate oxidative stress.

RESULTS

High extracellular glucose and MG enhanced intracellular ROS formation in HUVECs. Protein carbonylation was only transiently augmented pointing to an effective antioxidant defense in these cells. Nitric oxide synthase expression was decreased under hyperglycemic conditions but increased upon exposure to MG, whereas superoxide dismutase expression was not significantly affected. Increased glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity seemed to compensate for a decrease in GPx1 protein due to enhanced degradation via the proteasome. Mass spectrometry analysis identified Lys-114 as a possible carbonylation target which provides a vestibule for the substrate H2O2 and thus enhances the enzymatic reaction.

INNOVATION

Oxidative protein carbonylation has so far been associated with functional inactivation of modified target proteins mainly contributing to aging and age-related diseases. Here, we demonstrate that mild oxidative stress and subsequent carbonylation seem to activate protective cellular redox signaling pathways whereas severe oxidative stress overwhelms the cellular antioxidant defense leading to cell damage.

CONCLUSIONS

This study may contribute to a better understanding of redox homeostasis and its role in the development of diabetes and related vascular complications.

Effect of the sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor luseogliflozin on pancreatic beta cell mass in db/db mice of different ages

To examine the effects of luseogliflozin, a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor, on pancreatic beta cell mass in db/db mice of different ages. db/db mice aged 6, 10, 14 and 24 weeks old were fed either standard chow (control group) or standard chow containing 0.01% luseogliflozin (luseo group). After 4 weeks, immunohistochemistry and gene expression tests were conducted. In 6-week-old db/db mice, immunohistochemistry revealed a significant increase in beta cell mass in the luseo group compared with the control group after 4 weeks of treatment. Gene expression profiling of isolated islets showed upregulation Mafa, Pdx1, Ki67 and Ccnd2 in the luseo group. Beta cell mass decreased with age in db/db mice in the control group. Beta cell mass in the luseo group significantly increased compared with the control group regardless of age, although beta cell mass in the 28-week-old luseo group (4 weeks of treatment in 24-week-old db/db mice) was significantly lower than in the 10-week-old luseo group (4 weeks of treatment in 6-week-old db/db mice). Luseogliflozin preserved beta cell mass in db/db mice. The protective effect was more evident in the earlier phase of diabetes.

The role of folic acid and selenium against oxidative damage from ethanol in early life programming: a review

There are disorders in children, covered by the umbrella term “fetal alcohol spectrum disorder” (FASD), that occur as result of alcohol consumption during pregnancy and lactation. They appear, at least in part, to be related to the oxidative stress generated by ethanol. Ethanol metabolism generates reactive oxygen species and depletes the antioxidant molecule glutathione (GSH), leading to oxidative stress and lipid and protein damage, which are related to growth retardation and neurotoxicity, thereby increasing the incidence of FASD. Furthermore, prenatal and postnatal exposure to ethanol in dams, as well as increasing oxidation in offspring, causes malnutrition of several micronutrients such as the antioxidant folic acid and selenium (Se), affecting their metabolism and bodily distribution. Although abstinence from alcohol is the only way to prevent FASD, it is possible to reduce its harmful effects with a maternal dietary antioxidant therapy. In this review, folic acid and Se have been chosen to be analyzed as antioxidant intervention systems related to FASD because, like ethanol, they act on the methionine metabolic cycle, being related to the endogenous antioxidants GSH and glutathione peroxidase. Moreover, several birth defects are related to poor folate and Se status.

Activation of the 12/15 lipoxygenase pathway accompanies metabolic decline in db/db pre-diabetic mice

The 12-lipoxygenase (12LO) pathway is a promising target to reduce islet dysfunction, adipose tissue (AT) inflammation and insulin resistance. Optimal pre-clinical models for the investigation of selective12LO inhibitors in this context have not yet been identified. The objective of this study was to characterize the time course of 12LO isoform expression and metabolite production in pancreatic islets and AT of C57BLKS/J-db/db obese diabetic mouse in a pre-diabetic state in order to establish a suitable therapeutic window for intervention with selective lipoxygenase inhibitors. Mice have 2 major 12LO isoforms -the leukocyte type (12/15LO) and the platelet type (p12LO) and both are expressed in islets and AT. We found a sharp increase in protein expression of 12/15LO in the pancreatic islets of 10-week old db-/- mice compared to 8- week old counterparts. Immunohistochemistry showed that the increase in islet 12/15LO parallels a decline in islet number. Analysis of 12- and 15-hydroperoxytetraeicosanoid acids (HETE)s showed a 2-3 fold increase especially in 12(S)-HETE that mirrored the increase in 12/15LO expression in islets. Analysis of AT and stromal vascular fraction (SVF) showed a significant increase of platelet 12LO gene expression along with 12- and 15- HETEs. The data demonstrate that the db/db mouse is a suitable model for investigation of 12/15LO inhibitors in the development of inflammatory mediated type 2 diabetes, with a narrow window of therapeutic intervention prior to 8 weeks of age.

Mechanisms of β-cell dedifferentiation in diabetes: recent findings and future research directions

Like all the cells of an organism, pancreatic β-cells originate from embryonic stem cells through a complex cellular process termed differentiation. Differentiation involves the coordinated and tightly controlled activation/repression of specific effectors and gene clusters in a time-dependent fashion thereby giving rise to particular morphological and functional cellular features. Interestingly, cellular differentiation is not a unidirectional process. Indeed, growing evidence suggests that under certain conditions, mature β-cells can lose, to various degrees, their differentiated phenotype and cellular identity and regress to a less differentiated or a precursor-like state. This concept is termed dedifferentiation and has been proposed, besides cell death, as a contributing factor to the loss of functional β-cell mass in diabetes. β-cell dedifferentiation involves: (1) the downregulation of β-cell-enriched genes, including key transcription factors, insulin, glucose metabolism genes, protein processing and secretory pathway genes; (2) the concomitant upregulation of genes suppressed or expressed at very low levels in normal β-cells, the β-cell forbidden genes; and (3) the likely upregulation of progenitor cell genes. These alterations lead to phenotypic reconfiguration of β-cells and ultimately defective insulin secretion. While the major role of glucotoxicity in β-cell dedifferentiation is well established, the precise mechanisms involved are still under investigation. This review highlights the identified molecular mechanisms implicated in β-cell dedifferentiation including oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, inflammation and hypoxia. It discusses the role of Foxo1, Myc and inhibitor of differentiation proteins and underscores the emerging role of non-coding RNAs. Finally, it proposes a novel hypothesis of β-cell dedifferentiation as a potential adaptive mechanism to escape cell death under stress conditions.

Nrf2/antioxidant pathway mediates β cell self-repair after damage by high-fat diet-induced oxidative stress

Many theories have been advanced to better understand why β cell function and structure relentlessly deteriorate during the course of type 2 diabetes (T2D). These theories include inflammation, apoptosis, replication, neogenesis, autophagy, differentiation, dedifferentiation, and decreased levels of insulin gene regulatory proteins. However, none of these have considered the possibility that endogenous self-repair of existing β cells may be an important factor. To examine this hypothesis, we conducted studies with female Zucker diabetic fatty rats fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 1, 2, 4, 7, 9, 18, or 28 days, followed by a return to regular chow for 2-3 weeks. Repair was defined as reversal of elevated blood glucose and of inappropriately low blood insulin levels caused by a HFD, as well as reversal of structural damage visualized by imaging studies. We observed evidence of functional β cell damage after a 9-day exposure to a HFD and then repair after 2-3 weeks of being returned to normal chow (blood glucose [BG] = 348 ± 30 vs. 126 ± 3; mg/dl; days 9 vs. 23 day, P < 0.01). After 18- and 28-day exposure to a HFD, damage was more severe and repair was less evident. Insulin levels progressively diminished with 9-day exposure to a HFD; after returning to a regular diet, insulin levels rebounded toward, but did not reach, normal values. Increase in β cell mass was 4-fold after 9 days and 3-fold after 18 days, and there was no increase after 28 days of a HFD. Increases in β cell mass during a HFD were not different when comparing values before and after a return to regular diet within the 9-, 18-, or 28-day studies. No changes were observed in apoptosis or β cell replication. Formation of intracellular markers of oxidative stress, intranuclear translocation of Nrf2, and formation of intracellular antioxidant proteins indicated the participation of HFD/oxidative stress induction of the Nrf2/antioxidant pathway. Flow cytometry-based assessment of β cell volume, morphology, and insulin-specific immunoreactivity, as well as ultrastructural analysis by transmission electron microscopy, revealed that short-term exposure to a HFD produced significant changes in β cell morphology and function that are reversible after returning to regular chow. These results suggest that a possible mechanism mediating the ability of β cells to self-repair after a short-term exposure to a HFD is the activation of the Nrf2/antioxidant pathway.

Energy depletion and not ROS formation is a crucial step of glucolipotoxicity (GLTx) in pancreatic beta cells

We have shown previously that genetic or pharmacological deletion of K_ATP channels protect against beta cell dysfunction induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Since it is assumed that glucolipotoxicity (GLTx) causes ROS production, we aimed to evaluate whether suppression of K_ATP channel activity can also prevent beta cell damage evoked by GLTx. We used an in vitro model of GLTx and measured distinct parameters of stimulus-secretion coupling. GLTx gradually induced disturbances of Ca²⁺ oscillations over 3 days. This impairment in Ca²⁺ dynamics was partially reversed in beta cells without functional K_ATP channels (SUR1^-/-) and by the sulfonylurea gliclazide but not by tolbutamide. By contrast, the GLTx-induced suppression of glucose-induced insulin secretion could not be rescued by decreased K_ATP channel activity pointing to a direct interaction of GLTx with the secretory capacity. Accordingly, GLTx also suppressed KCl-induced insulin secretion. GLTx was not accompanied by decisively increased ROS production or enhanced apoptosis. Insulin content of beta cells was markedly reduced by GLTx, an effect not prevented by gliclazide. Since GLTx markedly diminished the mitochondrial membrane potential and cellular ATP content, lack of ATP is assumed to decrease insulin biosynthesis. The deleterious effect of GLTx is therefore caused by direct interference with the secretory capacity whereby reduction of insulin content is one important parameter. These findings deepen our understanding how GLTx damages beta cells and reveal that GLTx is disconnected from ROS formation, a notion important for targeting beta cells in the treatment of diabetes. Overall, GLTx-induced energy depletion may be a primary step in the cascade of events leading to loss of beta cell function in type-2 diabetes mellitus.

A Sustained Activation of Pancreatic NMDARs Is a Novel Factor of β-Cell Apoptosis and Dysfunction

Type 2 diabetes, which features β-cell failure, is caused by the decrease of β-cell mass and insulin secretory function. Current treatments fail to halt the decrease of functional β-cell mass. Strategies to prevent β-cell apoptosis and dysfunction are highly desirable. Recently, our group and others have reported that blockade of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) in the islets has been proposed to prevent the progress of type 2 diabetes through improving β-cell function. It suggests that a sustained activation of the NMDARs may exhibit deleterious effect on β-cells. However, the exact functional impact and mechanism of the sustained NMDAR stimulation on islet β-cells remains unclear. Here, we identify a sustained activation of pancreatic NMDARs as a novel factor of apoptotic β-cell death and function. The sustained treatment with NMDA results in an increase of intracellular [Ca2+] and reactive oxygen species, subsequently induces mitochondrial membrane potential depolarization and a decrease of oxidative phosphorylation expression, and then impairs the mitochondrial function of β-cells. NMDA specifically induces the mitochondrial-dependent pathway of apoptosis in β-cells through upregulation of the proapoptotic Bim and Bax, and downregulation of antiapoptotic Bcl-2. Furthermore, a sustained stimulation of NMDARs impairs β-cell insulin secretion through decrease of pancreatic duodenal homeobox-1 (Pdx-1) and adenosine triphosphate synthesis. The activation of nuclear factor-κB partly contributes to the reduction of Pdx-1 expression induced by overstimulation of NMDARs. In conclusion, we show that the sustained stimulation of NMDARs is a novel mediator of apoptotic signaling and β-cell dysfunction, providing a mechanistic insight into the pathological role of NMDARs activation in diabetes.

Distinct Levels of Reactive Oxygen Species Coordinate Metabolic Activity with Beta-cell Mass Plasticity

The pancreatic beta-cells control glucose homeostasis by secreting insulin in response to nutrient intake. The number of beta-cells is under tight metabolic control, as this number increases with higher nutrient intake. However, the signaling pathways matching nutrition with beta-cell mass plasticity remain poorly defined. By applying pharmacological and genetic manipulations, we show that reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulate dose-dependently beta-cell proliferation in vivo and in vitro. In particular, reducing ROS levels in beta-cells blocks their proliferation in response to nutrients. Using a non-invasive genetic sensor of intracellular hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), we reveal that glucose can directly increase the levels of H₂O₂. Furthermore, a moderate increase in H₂O₂ levels can stimulate beta-cell proliferation. Interestingly, while high H₂O₂ levels are inhibitory to beta-cell proliferation, they expand beta-cell mass in vivo by inducing rapid beta-cell neogenesis. Our study thus reveals a ROS-level-dependent mechanism linking nutrients with beta-cell mass plasticity. Hence, given the requirement of ROS for beta-cell mass expansion, antioxidant therapies should be applied with caution in diabetes.

MECHANISMS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY: Aging and anti-aging: a Combo-Endocrinology overview

Aging and its underlying pathophysiological background has always attracted the attention of the scientific society. Defined as the gradual, time-dependent, heterogeneous decline of physiological functions, aging is orchestrated by a plethora of molecular mechanisms, which vividly interact to alter body homeostasis. The ability of an organism to adjust to these alterations, in conjunction with the dynamic effect of various environmental stimuli across lifespan, promotes longevity, frailty or disease. Endocrine function undergoes major changes during aging, as well. Specifically, alterations in hormonal networks and concomitant hormonal deficits/excess, augmented by poor sensitivity of tissues to their action, take place. As hypothalamic-pituitary unit is the central regulator of crucial body functions, these alterations can be translated in significant clinical sequelae that can impair the quality of life and promote frailty and disease. Delineating the hormonal signaling alterations that occur across lifespan and exploring possible remedial interventions could possibly help us improve the quality of life of the elderly and promote longevity.

The Role of Oxidative Stress and Hypoxia in Pancreatic Beta-Cell Dysfunction in Diabetes Mellitus

SIGNIFICANCE

Metabolic syndrome is a frequent precursor of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D), a disease that currently affects ∼8% of the adult population worldwide. Pancreatic beta-cell dysfunction and loss are central to the disease process, although understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms is still fragmentary. Recent Advances: Oversupply of nutrients, including glucose and fatty acids, and the subsequent overstimulation of beta cells, are believed to be an important contributor to insulin secretory failure in T2D. Hypoxia has also recently been implicated in beta-cell damage. Accumulating evidence points to a role for oxidative stress in both processes. Although the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) results from enhanced mitochondrial respiration during stimulation with glucose and other fuels, the expression of antioxidant defense genes is unusually low (or disallowed) in beta cells.

CRITICAL ISSUES

Not all subjects with metabolic syndrome and hyperglycemia go on to develop full-blown diabetes, implying an important role in disease risk for gene-environment interactions. Possession of common risk alleles at the SLC30A8 locus, encoding the beta-cell granule zinc transporter ZnT8, may affect cytosolic Zn2+ concentrations and thus susceptibility to hypoxia and oxidative stress.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS

Loss of normal beta-cell function, rather than total mass, is increasingly considered to be the major driver for impaired insulin secretion in diabetes. Better understanding of the role of oxidative changes, its modulation by genes involved in disease risk, and effects on beta-cell identity may facilitate the development of new therapeutic strategies to this disease. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 26, 501-518.

The Nrf2/Keap1/ARE Pathway and Oxidative Stress as a Therapeutic Target in Type II Diabetes Mellitus

Despite improvements in awareness and treatment of type II diabetes mellitus (TIIDM), this disease remains a major source of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and prevalence continues to rise. Oxidative damage caused by free radicals has long been known to contribute to the pathogenesis and progression of TIIDM and its complications. Only recently, however, has the role of the Nrf2/Keap1/ARE master antioxidant pathway in diabetic dysfunction begun to be elucidated. There is accumulating evidence that this pathway is implicated in diabetic damage to the pancreas, heart, and skin, among other cell types and tissues. Animal studies and clinical trials have shown promising results suggesting that activation of this pathway can delay or reverse some of these impairments in TIIDM. In this review, we outline the role of oxidative damage and the Nrf2/Keap1/ARE pathway in TIIDM, focusing on current and future efforts to utilize this relationship as a therapeutic target for prevention, prognosis, and treatment of TIID.

Pancreatic β Cell Mass Death

Type two diabetes (T2D) is a challenging metabolic disorder for which a cure has not yet been found. Its etiology is associated with several phenomena, including significant loss of insulin-producing, beta cell (β cell) mass via progressive programmed cell death and disrupted cellular autophagy. In diabetes, the etiology of β cell death and the role of mitochondria are complex and involve several layers of mechanisms. Understanding the dynamics of those mechanisms could permit researchers to develop an intervention for the progressive loss of β cells. Currently, diabetes research has shifted toward rejuvenation and plasticity technology and away from the simplified approach of hormonal compensation. Diabetes research is currently challenged by questions such as how to enhance cell survival, decrease apoptosis and replenish β cell mass in diabetic patients. In this review, we discuss evidence that β cell development and mass formation are guided by specific signaling systems, particularly hormones, transcription factors, and growth factors, all of which could be manipulated to enhance mass growth. There is also strong evidence that β cells are dynamically active cells, which, under specific conditions such as obesity, can increase in size and subsequently increase insulin secretion. In certain cases of aggressive or advanced forms of T2D, β cells become markedly impaired, and the only alternatives for maintaining glucose homeostasis are through partial or complete cell grafting (the Edmonton protocol). In these cases, the harvesting of an enriched population of viable β cells is required for transplantation. This task necessitates a deep understanding of the pharmacological agents that affect β cell survival, mass, and function. The aim of this review is to initiate discussion about the important signals in pancreatic β cell development and mass formation and to highlight the process by which cell death occurs in diabetes. This review also examines the attempts that have been made to recover or increase cell mass in diabetic patients by using various pharmacological agents.

The insulin-signaling pathway of the pancreatic islet is impaired in adult mice offspring of mothers fed a high-fat diet

OBJECTIVE

Mothers fed a high-fat (HF) diet can cause different adverse alterations in their offspring. The study aimed to verify the pancreatic islet structure and insulin-signaling pathway in adulthood of offspring of mothers fed a HF diet during the pregnancy.

METHODS

Female mice (mothers) were randomly assigned to receive either standard chow (Mo-SC) or a HF diet (Mo-HF) ad libitum. After 2 mo on the experimental diets, 3-mo-old female mice were mated with male C57 BL/6 mice that were fed a SC diet. The male offspring was evaluated at 6 mo old.

RESULTS

At 6 mo of age, Mo-HF offspring had an increment in body mass and adiposity, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertriacylglycerolemia, higher levels of insulin, and leptin with a concomitant decrease in adiponectin levels. In the islet, we observed an alteration in the structure characterized by the migration of some alpha cells from the edge to the core of the islet in association with an increase in the masses of the islet, beta cell, and alpha cell, featuring a pancreatic islet remodeling. Additionally, the Mo-HF offspring demonstrated a decrease in IRS1, PI3 k p-Akt, Pd-1, and Glut2 protein expressions compared to Mo-SC offspring. However, an increase was observed in FOXO1 and insulin protein expressions in Mo-HF offspring compared to Mo-SC offspring.

CONCLUSION

The present study demonstrated that a maternal HF diet is responsible for remodeling the islet structure coupled with an adverse carbohydrate metabolism and impairment of the insulin-signaling pathway in adult male mice offspring.

Altered Plasma Profile of Antioxidant Proteins as an Early Correlate of Pancreatic β Cell Dysfunction

Insulin resistance and β cell dysfunction contribute to the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. Unlike insulin resistance, β cell dysfunction remains difficult to predict and monitor, because of the inaccessibility of the endocrine pancreas, the integrated relationship with insulin sensitivity, and the paracrine effects of incretins. The goal of our study was to survey the plasma response to a metabolic challenge in order to identify factors predictive of β cell dysfunction. To this end, we combined (i) the power of unbiased iTRAQ (isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantification) mass spectrometry with (ii) direct sampling of the portal vein following an intravenous glucose/arginine challenge (IVGATT) in (iii) mice with a genetic β cell defect. By so doing, we excluded the effects of peripheral insulin sensitivity as well as those of incretins on β cells, and focused on the first phase of insulin secretion to capture the early pathophysiology of β cell dysfunction. We compared plasma protein profiles with ex vivo islet secretome and transcriptome analyses. We detected changes to 418 plasma proteins in vivo, and detected changes to 262 proteins ex vivo The impairment of insulin secretion was associated with greater overall changes in the plasma response to IVGATT, possibly reflecting metabolic instability. Reduced levels of proteins regulating redox state and neuronal stress markers, as well as increased levels of coagulation factors, antedated the loss of insulin secretion in diabetic mice. These results suggest that a reduced complement of antioxidants in response to a mixed secretagogue challenge is an early correlate of future β cell failure.

Paradoxical Roles of Antioxidant Enzymes: Basic Mechanisms and Health Implications

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) are generated from aerobic metabolism, as a result of accidental electron leakage as well as regulated enzymatic processes. Because ROS/RNS can induce oxidative injury and act in redox signaling, enzymes metabolizing them will inherently promote either health or disease, depending on the physiological context. It is thus misleading to consider conventionally called antioxidant enzymes to be largely, if not exclusively, health protective. Because such a notion is nonetheless common, we herein attempt to rationalize why this simplistic view should be avoided. First we give an updated summary of physiological phenotypes triggered in mouse models of overexpression or knockout of major antioxidant enzymes. Subsequently, we focus on a series of striking cases that demonstrate "paradoxical" outcomes, i.e., increased fitness upon deletion of antioxidant enzymes or disease triggered by their overexpression. We elaborate mechanisms by which these phenotypes are mediated via chemical, biological, and metabolic interactions of the antioxidant enzymes with their substrates, downstream events, and cellular context. Furthermore, we propose that novel treatments of antioxidant enzyme-related human diseases may be enabled by deliberate targeting of dual roles of the pertaining enzymes. We also discuss the potential of "antioxidant" nutrients and phytochemicals, via regulating the expression or function of antioxidant enzymes, in preventing, treating, or aggravating chronic diseases. We conclude that "paradoxical" roles of antioxidant enzymes in physiology, health, and disease derive from sophisticated molecular mechanisms of redox biology and metabolic homeostasis. Simply viewing antioxidant enzymes as always being beneficial is not only conceptually misleading but also clinically hazardous if such notions underpin medical treatment protocols based on modulation of redox pathways.

Anti-hyperglycemic activity of selenium nanoparticles in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

The study was designed to investigate the anti-hyperglycemic activity of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Fifty-five mg/kg of streptozotocin was injected in rats to induce diabetes. Animals either treated with SeNPs alone or with insulin (6 U/kg) showed significantly decreased fasting blood glucose levels after 28 days of treatment. The serum insulin concentration in untreated diabetic animals was also enhanced by SeNPs. The results demonstrated that SeNPs could significantly decrease hepatic and renal function markers, total lipid, total cholesterol, triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, and glucose-6-phosphatase activity. At the same time, SeNPs increased malic enzyme, hexokinase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity, liver and kidney glycogen contents, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. In addition, SeNPs were able to prevent the histological injury in the hepatic and renal tissues of rats. However, insulin injection also exhibited a significant improvement in diabetic animals after 28 days of treatment. This study suggests that SeNPs can alleviate hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, possibly by eliciting insulin-mimetic activity.

Dual Opposing Roles of Metallothionein Overexpression in C57BL/6J Mouse Pancreatic β-Cells

Background

Growing evidence indicates that oxidative stress (OS), a persistent state of excess amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) along with reactive nitrogen species (RNS), plays an important role in insulin resistance, diabetic complications, and dysfunction of pancreatic β-cells. Pancreatic β-cells contain exceptionally low levels of antioxidant enzymes, rendering them susceptible to ROS-induced damage. Induction of antioxidants has been proposed to be a way for protecting β-cells against oxidative stress. Compared to other antioxidants that act against particular β-cell damages, metallothionein (MT) is the most effective in protecting β-cells from several oxidative stressors including nitric oxide, peroxynitrite, hydrogen peroxide, superoxide and streptozotocin (STZ). We hypothesized that MT overexpression in pancreatic β-cells would preserve β-cell function in C57BL/6J mice, an animal model susceptible to high fat diet-induced obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Research Design and Methods

The pancreatic β-cell specific MT overexpression was transferred to C57BL/6J background by backcrossing. We studied transgenic MT (MT-tg) mice and wild-type (WT) littermates at 8 weeks and 18 weeks of age. Several tests were performed to evaluate the function of islets, including STZ in vivo treatment, intraperitoneal glucose tolerance tests (IPGTT) and plasma insulin levels during IPGTT, pancreatic and islet insulin content measurement, insulin secretion, and islet morphology assessment. Gene expression in islets was performed by quantitative real-time PCR and PCR array analysis. Protein levels in pancreatic sections were evaluated by using immunohistochemistry.

Results

The transgenic MT protein was highly expressed in pancreatic islets. MT-tg overexpression significantly protected mice from acute STZ-induced ROS at 8 weeks of age; unexpectedly, however, MT-tg impaired glucose stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) and promoted the development of diabetes. Pancreatic β-cell function was significantly impaired, and islet morphology was also abnormal in MT-tg mice, and more severe damage was detected in males. The unique gene expression pattern and abnormal protein levels were observed in MT-tg islets.

Conclusions

MT overexpression protected β-cells from acute STZ-induced ROS damages at young age, whereas it impaired GSIS and promoted the development of diabetes in adult C57BL/6J mice, and more severe damage was found in males.

Pancreatic islet cell development and regeneration

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review will discuss recent advances in understanding mouse and human pancreatic islet cell development, novel concepts related to β cell dysfunction and improved approaches for replenishing β cells to treat diabetes.

RECENT FINDINGS

Considerable knowledge about pancreatic islet development and function has been gained using model systems with subsequent validation in human tissues. Recently, several rodent studies have revealed that differentiated adult islet cells retain remarkable plasticity and can be converted to other islet cell types by perturbing their transcription factor profiles. Furthermore, significant advances have been made in the generation of β-like cells from stem cell populations. Therefore, the generation of functionally mature β cells by the in-situ conversion of non-β cell populations or by the directed differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells could represent novel mechanisms for replenishing β cells in diabetic patients.

SUMMARY

The overall conservation between mouse and human pancreatic development, islet physiology and etiology of diabetes encourages the translation of novel β cell replacement therapies to humans. Further deciphering the molecular mechanisms that direct islet cell regeneration, plasticity and function could improve and expand the β cell replacement strategies for treating diabetes.

Antioxidants Complement the Requirement for Protein Chaperone Function to Maintain β-Cell Function and Glucose Homeostasis

Proinsulin misfolding in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) initiates a cell death response, although the mechanism(s) remains unknown. To provide insight into how protein misfolding may cause β-cell failure, we analyzed mice with the deletion of P58(IPK)/DnajC3, an ER luminal co-chaperone. P58(IPK-/-) mice become diabetic as a result of decreased β-cell function and mass accompanied by induction of oxidative stress and cell death. Treatment with a chemical chaperone, as well as deletion of Chop, improved β-cell function and ameliorated the diabetic phenotype in P58(IPK-/-) mice, suggesting P58(IPK) deletion causes β-cell death through ER stress. Significantly, a diet of chow supplemented with antioxidant dramatically and rapidly restored β-cell function in P58(IPK-/-) mice and corrected abnormal localization of MafA, a critical transcription factor for β-cell function. Antioxidant feeding also preserved β-cell function in Akita mice that express mutant misfolded proinsulin. Therefore defective protein folding in the β-cell causes oxidative stress as an essential proximal signal required for apoptosis in response to ER stress. Remarkably, these findings demonstrate that antioxidant feeding restores cell function upon deletion of an ER molecular chaperone. Therefore antioxidant or chemical chaperone treatment may be a promising therapeutic approach for type 2 diabetes.

The glutathione mimic ebselen inhibits oxidative stress but not endoplasmic reticulum stress in endothelial cells

AIMS

Reactive oxygen species are associated with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and atherosclerosis, yet the use of antioxidants in clinical trials has been ineffective at improving outcomes. In endothelial cells, high-dextrose-induced oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress promote endothelial dysfunction leading to the recruitment and activation of peripheral blood lymphocytes and the breakdown of barrier function. Ebselen, a glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1) mimic, has been shown to improve β-cell function in diabetes and prevent atherosclerosis.

MAIN METHODS

To determine if ebselen inhibits both oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in endothelial cells, we examined its effects in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAEC) with and without high-dextrose. Oxidative stress and ER stress were measured by 2-methyl-6-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3,7-dihydroimidazo[1,2-A]pyrazin-3-one hydrochloride chemiluminescence and ER stress alkaline phosphatase assays, respectively. GPX1 over-expression and knockdown were performed by transfecting cells with a GPX1 expression construct or a GPX1-specific siRNA, respectively.

KEY FINDINGS

Ebselen inhibited dextrose-induced oxidative stress but not ER stress in both HUVEC and HCAEC. Ebselen also had no effect on tunicamycin-induced ER stress in HCAEC. Furthermore, augmentation of GPX1 activity directly by sodium selenite supplementation or transfection of a GPX1 expression plasmid decreased dextrose-induced oxidative stress but not ER stress, while GPX1 knockout enhanced oxidative stress but had no effect on ER stress.

SIGNIFICANCE

These results suggest that ebselen targets only oxidative stress but not ER stress.

High-fat diet induced insulin resistance in pregnant rats through pancreatic pax6 signaling pathway

OBJECTIVE

To explore the changes in pancreas islet function of pregnant rats after consumption of high-fat diet and the underlying mechanism.

METHODS

Thirty pregnant Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups: high-fat diet group and normal control group. Twenty days after gestation, fasting blood glucose concentration (FBG) and fasting serum insulin concentration (FINS) were measured. Then, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and insulin release test (IRT) were performed. Finally, all the rats were sacrificed and pancreas were harvested. Insulin sensitivity index (ISI) and insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) were calculated according to FBG and FINS. RT-PCR and Real-time PCR were performed to study the expression of paired box 6 transcription factor (Pax6) and its target genes in pancreatic tissues.

RESULTS

The body weight was significantly increased in the high-fat diet group compared with that of normal control rats (P<0.05). The fasting plasma glucose of rats in high-fat diet group was significantly increased compared with that of normal control rats (6.62 mmol/L vs. 4.96 mmol/L, P<0.05), however there was no significant difference in fasting serum insulin concentration between the two groups. OGTT and IRT were abnormal in the high-fat diet group. The high-fat diet rats were more prone to impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance. The level of the expression of Pax6 transcription factor and its target genes in pancreas, such as pancreatic and duodenal homeobox factor-1 (Pdx1), v-maf musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma oncogene homolog A (MafA) and glucose transporter 2 (Glut2) were decreased significantly compared with those of normal control group.

CONCLUSION

High-fat diet feeding during pregnancy may induce insulin resistance in maternal rats by inhibiting pancreatic Pax6 and its target genes expression.

IL-1 mediates amyloid-associated islet dysfunction and inflammation in human islet amyloid polypeptide transgenic mice

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

Aggregation of islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) to form amyloid contributes to beta cell dysfunction in type 2 diabetes. Human but not non-amyloidogenic rodent IAPP induces islet macrophage proIL-1β synthesis. We evaluated the effect of IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) on islet inflammation and dysfunction in a mouse model of type 2 diabetes with amyloid formation.

METHODS

Lean and obese male mice (A/a or A(vy)/A at the agouti locus, respectively) with or without beta cell human IAPP expression (hIAPP(Tg/0)) were treated with PBS or IL-1Ra (50 mg kg(-1) day(-1)) from 16 weeks of age. Intraperitoneal glucose and insulin tolerance tests were performed after 8 weeks. Pancreases were harvested for histology and gene expression analysis.

RESULTS

Aggregation of human IAPP was associated with marked upregulation of proinflammatory gene expression in islets of obese hIAPP(Tg/0) mice, together with amyloid deposition and fasting hyperglycaemia. IL-1Ra improved glucose tolerance and reduced plasma proinsulin:insulin in both lean and obese hIAPP(Tg/0) mice with no effect on insulin sensitivity. The severity and prevalence of islet amyloid was reduced by IL-1Ra in lean hIAPP (Tg/0) mice, suggesting a feed-forward mechanism by which islet inflammation promotes islet amyloid at the early stages of disease. IL-1Ra limited Il1a, Il1b, Tnf and Ccl2 expression in islets from obese hIAPP(Tg/0) mice, suggesting an altered islet inflammatory milieu.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

These data provide the first in vivo evidence—using a transgenic mouse model with amyloid deposits resembling those found in human islets—that IAPP-induced beta cell dysfunction in type 2 diabetes may be mediated by IL-1. Anti-IL-1 therapies may limit islet inflammation and dysfunction associated with amyloid formation.

Mitochondrial regulation of β-cell function: maintaining the momentum for insulin release

All forms of diabetes share the common etiology of insufficient pancreatic β-cell function to meet peripheral insulin demand. In pancreatic β-cells, mitochondria serve to integrate the metabolism of exogenous nutrients into energy output, which ultimately leads to insulin release. As such, mitochondrial dysfunction underlies β-cell failure and the development of diabetes. Mitochondrial regulation of β-cell function occurs through many diverse pathways, including metabolic coupling, generation of reactive oxygen species, maintenance of mitochondrial mass, and through interaction with other cellular organelles. In this chapter, we will focus on the importance of enzymatic regulators of mitochondrial fuel metabolism and control of mitochondrial mass to pancreatic β-cell function, describing how defects in these pathways ultimately lead to diabetes. Furthermore, we will examine the factors responsible for mitochondrial biogenesis and degradation and their roles in the balance of mitochondrial mass in β-cells. Clarifying the causes of β-cell mitochondrial dysfunction may inform new approaches to treat the underlying etiologies of diabetes.

Preserving Mafa expression in diabetic islet β-cells improves glycemic control in vivo

The murine Mafa transcription factor is a key regulator of postnatal islet β-cell activity, affecting insulin transcription, insulin secretion, and β-cell mass. Human MAFA expression is also markedly decreased in islet β-cells of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. Moreover, levels are profoundly reduced in db/db islet β-cells, a mouse model of T2DM. To examine the significance of this key islet β-cell-enriched protein to glycemic control under diabetic conditions, we generated transgenic mice that conditionally and specifically produced Mafa in db/db islet β-cells. Sustained expression of Mafa resulted in significantly lower plasma glucose levels, higher plasma insulin, and augmented islet β-cell mass. In addition, there was increased expression of insulin, Slc2a2, and newly identified Mafa-regulated genes involved in reducing β-cell stress, like Gsta1 and Gckr. Importantly, the levels of human GSTA1 were also compromised in T2DM islets. Collectively, these results illustrate how consequential the reduction in Mafa activity is to islet β-cell function under pathophysiological conditions.

Cocoa-rich diet attenuates beta cell mass loss and function in young Zucker diabetic fatty rats by preventing oxidative stress and beta cell apoptosis

We have recently shown that cocoa flavanols may have anti-diabetic potential by promoting survival and function of pancreatic beta-cells in vitro. In this work, we investigated if a cocoa-rich diet is able to preserve beta-cell mass and function in an animal model of type 2 diabetes and the mechanisms involved. Our results showed that cocoa feeding during the prediabetic state attenuates hyperglycaemia, reduces insulin resistant, and increases beta cell mass and function in obese Zucker diabetic rats. At the molecular level, cocoa-rich diet prevented beta-cell apoptosis by increasing the levels of Bcl-xL and decreasing Bax levels and caspase-3 activity. Cocoa diet enhanced the activity of endogenous antioxidant defenses, mainly glutathione peroxidase, preventing thus oxidative injury induced by the pre-diabetic condition and leading to apoptosis prevention. These findings provide the first in vivo evidence that a cocoa-rich diet may delay the loss of functional beta-cell mass and delay the progression of diabetes by preventing oxidative stress and beta-cell apoptosis.

Knowledge Gaps in Rodent Pancreas Biology: Taking Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Pancreatic Beta Cells into Our Own Hands

In the field of stem cell biology and diabetes, we and others seek to derive mature and functional human pancreatic β cells for disease modeling and cell replacement therapy. Traditionally, knowledge gathered from rodents is extended to human pancreas developmental biology research involving human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). While much has been learnt from rodent pancreas biology in the early steps toward Pdx1(+) pancreatic progenitors, much less is known about the transition toward Ngn3(+) pancreatic endocrine progenitors. Essentially, the later steps of pancreatic β cell development and maturation remain elusive to date. As a result, the most recent advances in the stem cell and diabetes field have relied upon combinatorial testing of numerous growth factors and chemical compounds in an arbitrary trial-and-error fashion to derive mature and functional human pancreatic β cells from hPSCs. Although this hit-or-miss approach appears to have made some headway in maturing human pancreatic β cells in vitro, its underlying biology is vaguely understood. Therefore, in this mini-review, we discuss some of these late-stage signaling pathways that are involved in human pancreatic β cell differentiation and highlight our current understanding of their relevance in rodent pancreas biology. Our efforts here unravel several novel signaling pathways that can be further studied to shed light on unexplored aspects of rodent pancreas biology. New investigations into these signaling pathways are expected to advance our knowledge in human pancreas developmental biology and to aid in the translation of stem cell biology in the context of diabetes treatments.

Enrichment of human embryonic stem cell-derived NKX6.1-expressing pancreatic progenitor cells accelerates the maturation of insulin-secreting cells in vivo

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are considered a potential alternative to cadaveric islets as a source of transplantable cells for treating patients with diabetes. We previously described a differentiation protocol to generate pancreatic progenitor cells from hESCs, composed of mainly pancreatic endoderm (PDX1/NKX6.1-positive), endocrine precursors (NKX2.2/synaptophysin-positive, hormone/NKX6.1-negative), and polyhormonal cells (insulin/glucagon-positive, NKX6.1-negative). However, the relative contributions of NKX6.1-negative versus NKX6.1-positive cell fractions to the maturation of functional β-cells remained unclear. To address this question, we generated two distinct pancreatic progenitor cell populations using modified differentiation protocols. Prior to transplant, both populations contained a high proportion of PDX1-expressing cells (~85%-90%) but were distinguished by their relatively high (~80%) or low (~25%) expression of NKX6.1. NKX6.1-high and NKX6.1-low progenitor populations were transplanted subcutaneously within macroencapsulation devices into diabetic mice. Mice transplanted with NKX6.1-low cells remained hyperglycemic throughout the 5-month post-transplant period whereas diabetes was reversed in NKX6.1-high recipients within 3 months. Fasting human C-peptide levels were similar between groups throughout the study, but only NKX6.1-high grafts displayed robust meal-, glucose- and arginine-responsive insulin secretion as early as 3 months post-transplant. NKX6.1-low recipients displayed elevated fasting glucagon levels. Theracyte devices from both groups contained almost exclusively pancreatic endocrine tissue, but NKX6.1-high grafts contained a greater proportion of insulin-positive and somatostatin-positive cells, whereas NKX6.1-low grafts contained mainly glucagon-expressing cells. Insulin-positive cells in NKX6.1-high, but not NKX6.1-low grafts expressed nuclear MAFA. Collectively, this study demonstrates that a pancreatic endoderm-enriched population can mature into highly functional β-cells with only a minor contribution from the endocrine subpopulation.

Reversal of diabetes with insulin-producing cells derived in vitro from human pluripotent stem cells

Transplantation of pancreatic progenitors or insulin-secreting cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) has been proposed as a therapy for diabetes. We describe a seven-stage protocol that efficiently converts hESCs into insulin-producing cells. Stage (S) 7 cells expressed key markers of mature pancreatic beta cells, including MAFA, and displayed glucose-stimulated insulin secretion similar to that of human islets during static incubations in vitro. Additional characterization using single-cell imaging and dynamic glucose stimulation assays revealed similarities but also notable differences between S7 insulin-secreting cells and primary human beta cells. Nevertheless, S7 cells rapidly reversed diabetes in mice within 40 days, roughly four times faster than pancreatic progenitors. Therefore, although S7 cells are not fully equivalent to mature beta cells, their capacity for glucose-responsive insulin secretion and rapid reversal of diabetes in vivo makes them a promising alternative to pancreatic progenitor cells or cadaveric islets for the treatment of diabetes.