Real-time detection of acetylcholine release from the human endocrine pancreas

Effects of Vincamine on Testicular Dysfunction in Alloxan-induced Diabetic Male Rats

Background

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is frequently linked with problems of several organ systems, including retinopathy, neuropathy, and nephropathy. Additionally, patients have changes in sexual functioning, such as decreased libido and fertility. Vincamine, a monoterpenoid indole alkaloid, has hypoglycemic and antioxidant effects.

Objectives

This research assessed the impact of vincamine on testicular dysfunction in alloxan-induced male rats by measuring fasting blood glucose, oxidative stress, seminal analysis, and histological examination of the testis.

Methods

Wister-albino male rats were randomized into the following groups at random: Untreated-healthy, untreated-DM, vincamine-treated (20 mg/kg) DM, vincamine-treated (40 mg/kg) DM, and clomiphene-treated DM (5 mg/kg). On day 14, rats were sacrificed, and semen/blood samples were collected. Sperm count, motility, and morphological abnormalities were noted by microscopic examination. The testis was examined histopathologically and assessed using Johnsen's score.

Results

Compared with the untreated diabetic group, a dosage of 40 mg/kg vincamine generate a significant reduction in fasting blood sugar (FBG). Compared with the untreated diabetic group, the vincamine-treated rats produced greater plasma testosterone levels and Johnsen scores. In the vincamine 20 mg/kg group, sperm concentration was higher than in the vincamine 40 mg/kg group.

Conclusions

It is possible that vincamine has a potential preventive effect against diabetes-related reproductive problems attributable to its antioxidant activity and capacity to restore testicular steroidogenesis.

The Foundation for Engineering a Pancreatic Islet Niche

Progress in diabetes research is hindered, in part, by deficiencies in current experimental systems to accurately model human pathophysiology and/or predict clinical outcomes. Engineering human-centric platforms that more closely mimic in vivo physiology, however, requires thoughtful and informed design. Summarizing our contemporary understanding of the unique and critical features of the pancreatic islet can inform engineering design criteria. Furthermore, a broad understanding of conventional experimental practices and their current advantages and limitations ensures that new models address key gaps. Improving beyond traditional cell culture, emerging platforms are combining diabetes-relevant cells within three-dimensional niches containing dynamic matrices and controlled fluidic flow. While highly promising, islet-on-a-chip prototypes must evolve their utility, adaptability, and adoptability to ensure broad and reproducible use. Here we propose a roadmap for engineers to craft biorelevant and accessible diabetes models. Concurrently, we seek to inspire biologists to leverage such tools to ask complex and nuanced questions. The progenies of such diabetes models should ultimately enable investigators to translate ambitious research expeditions from benchtop to the clinic.

Alpha cell regulation of beta cell function

The islet of Langerhans is a complex endocrine micro-organ consisting of a multitude of endocrine and non-endocrine cell types. The two most abundant and prominent endocrine cell types, the beta and the alpha cells, are essential for the maintenance of blood glucose homeostasis. While the beta cell produces insulin, the only blood glucose-lowering hormone of the body, the alpha cell releases glucagon, which elevates blood glucose. Under physiological conditions, these two cell types affect each other in a paracrine manner. While the release products of the beta cell inhibit alpha cell function, the alpha cell releases factors that are stimulatory for beta cell function and increase glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of recent research into the regulation of beta cell function by alpha cells, focusing on the effect of alpha cell-secreted factors, such as glucagon and acetylcholine. The consequences of differences in islet architecture between species on the interplay between alpha and beta cells is also discussed. Finally, we give a perspective on the possibility of using an in vivo imaging approach to study the interactions between human alpha and beta cells under in vivo conditions. Graphical abstract.

The Local Paracrine Actions of the Pancreatic α-Cell

Secretion of glucagon from the pancreatic α-cells is conventionally seen as the first and most important defense against hypoglycemia. Recent findings, however, show that α-cell signals stimulate insulin secretion from the neighboring β-cell. This article focuses on these seemingly counterintuitive local actions of α-cells and describes how they impact islet biology and glucose metabolism. It is mostly based on studies published in the last decade on the physiology of α-cells in human islets and incorporates results from rodents where appropriate. As this and the accompanying articles show, the emerging picture of α-cell function is one of increased complexity that needs to be considered when developing new therapies aimed at promoting islet function in the context of diabetes.

Mechanism and effects of pulsatile GABA secretion from cytosolic pools in the human beta cell

Pancreatic beta cells synthesize and secrete the neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) as a paracrine and autocrine signal to help regulate hormone secretion and islet homeostasis. Islet GABA release has classically been described as a secretory vesicle-mediated event. Yet, a limitation of the hypothesized vesicular GABA release from islets is the lack of expression of a vesicular GABA transporter in beta cells. Consequentially, GABA accumulates in the cytosol. Here we provide evidence that the human beta cell effluxes GABA from a cytosolic pool in a pulsatile manner, imposing a synchronizing rhythm on pulsatile insulin secretion. The volume regulatory anion channel (VRAC), functionally encoded by LRRC8A or Swell1, is critical for pulsatile GABA secretion. GABA content in beta cells is depleted and secretion is disrupted in islets from type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients, suggesting that loss of GABA as a synchronizing signal for hormone output may correlate with diabetes pathogenesis.

Vincamine as a GPR40 agonist improves glucose homeostasis in type 2 diabetic mice

Vincamine, a monoterpenoid indole alkaloid extracted from the Madagascar periwinkle, is clinically used for the treatment of cardio-cerebrovascular diseases, while also treated as a dietary supplement with nootropic function. Given the neuronal protection of vincamine and the potency of β-cell amelioration in treating type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), we investigated the potential of vincamine in protecting β-cells and ameliorating glucose homeostasis in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, we found that vincamine could protect INS-832/13 cells function by regulating G-protein-coupled receptor 40 (GPR40)/cAMP/Ca2+/IRS2/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, while increasing glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) by modulating GPR40/cAMP/Ca2+/CaMKII pathway, which reveals a novel mechanism underlying GPR40-mediated cell protection and GSIS in INS-832/13 cells. Moreover, administration of vincamine effectively ameliorated glucose homeostasis in either HFD/STZ or db/db type 2 diabetic mice. To our knowledge, our current work might be the first report on vincamine targeting GPR40 and its potential in the treatment of T2DM.

Pancreatic β-Cell Electrical Activity and Insulin Secretion: Of Mice and Men

The pancreatic β-cell plays a key role in glucose homeostasis by secreting insulin, the only hormone capable of lowering the blood glucose concentration. Impaired insulin secretion results in the chronic hyperglycemia that characterizes type 2 diabetes (T2DM), which currently afflicts >450 million people worldwide. The healthy β-cell acts as a glucose sensor matching its output to the circulating glucose concentration. It does so via metabolically induced changes in electrical activity, which culminate in an increase in the cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration and initiation of Ca2+-dependent exocytosis of insulin-containing secretory granules. Here, we review recent advances in our understanding of the β-cell transcriptome, electrical activity, and insulin exocytosis. We highlight salient differences between mouse and human β-cells, provide models of how the different ion channels contribute to their electrical activity and insulin secretion, and conclude by discussing how these processes become perturbed in T2DM.

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.

Inhibition of cholinergic potentiation of insulin secretion from pancreatic islets by chronic elevation of glucose and fatty acids: Protection by casein kinase 2 inhibitor

Objectives

Chronic hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia are characteristic features of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) that are thought to cause or contribute to β-cell dysfunction by “glucolipotoxicity.” Previously we have shown that acute treatment of pancreatic islets with fatty acids (FA) decreases acetylcholine-potentiated insulin secretion. This acetylcholine response is mediated by M3 muscarinic receptors, which play a key role in regulating β-cell function. Here we examine whether chronic FA exposure also inhibits acetylcholine-potentiated insulin secretion using mouse and human islets.

Methods

Islets were cultured for 3 or 4 days at different glucose concentration with 0.5 mM palmitic acid (PA) or a 2:1 mixture of PA and oleic acid (OA) at 1% albumin (PA/BSA molar ratio 3.3). Afterwards, the response to glucose and acetylcholine were studied in perifusion experiments.

Results

FA-induced impairment of insulin secretion and Ca²⁺ signaling depended strongly on the glucose concentrations of the culture medium. PA and OA in combination reduced acetylcholine potentiation of insulin secretion more than PA alone, both in mouse and human islets, with no evidence of a protective role of OA. In contrast, lipotoxicity was not observed with islets cultured for 3 days in medium containing less than 1 mM glucose and a mixture of glutamine and leucine (7 mM each). High glucose and FAs reduced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca²⁺ storage capacity; however, preserving ER Ca²⁺ by blocking the IP3 receptor with xestospongin C did not protect islets from glucolipotoxic effects on insulin secretion. In contrast, an inhibitor of casein kinase 2 (CK2) protected the glucose dependent acetylcholine potentiation of insulin secretion in mouse and human islets against glucolipotoxicity.

Conclusions

These results show that chronic FA treatment decreases acetylcholine potentiation of insulin secretion and that this effect is strictly glucose dependent and might involve CK2 phosphorylation of β-cell M3 muscarinic receptors.

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Glucolipotoxicity impairs acetylcholine-potentiation of insulin secretion.

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Glucose amplification of insulin secretion rather than triggering is damaged by FA.

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Inhibitor of casein kinase 2 preserved islet function against glucolipotoxicity.

The Different Faces of the Pancreatic Islet

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) patients who receive pancreatic islet transplant experience significant improvement in their quality-of-life. This comes primarily through improved control of blood sugar levels, restored awareness of hypoglycemia, and prevention of serious and potentially life-threatening diabetes-associated complications, such as kidney failure, heart and vascular disease, stroke, nerve damage, and blindness. Therefore, beta cell replacement through transplantation of isolated islets is an important option in the treatment of T1D. However, lasting success of this promising therapy depends on durable survival and efficacy of the transplanted islets, which are directly influenced by the islet isolation procedures. Thus, isolating pancreatic islets with consistent and reliable quality is critical in the clinical application of islet transplantation.Quality of isolated islets is important in pre-clinical studies as well, as efforts to advance and improve clinical outcomes of islet transplant therapy have relied heavily on animal models ranging from rodents, to pigs, to nonhuman primates. As a result, pancreatic islets have been isolated from these and other species and used in a variety of in vitro or in vivo applications for this and other research purposes. Protocols for islet isolation have been somewhat similar across species, especially, in mammals. However, given the increasing evidence about the distinct structural and functional features of human and mouse islets, using similar methods of islet isolation may contribute to inconsistencies in the islet quality, immunogenicity, and experimental outcomes. This may also contribute to the discrepancies commonly observed between pre-clinical findings and clinical outcomes. Therefore, it is prudent to consider the particular features of pancreatic islets from different species when optimizing islet isolation protocols.In this chapter, we explore the structural and functional features of pancreatic islets from mice, pigs, nonhuman primates, and humans because of their prevalent use in nonclinical, preclinical, and clinical applications.

An excessive increase in glutamate contributes to glucose-toxicity in β-cells via activation of pancreatic NMDA receptors in rodent diabetes

In the nervous system, excessive activation of NMDA receptors causes neuronal injury. Although activation of NMDARs has been proposed to contribute to the progress of diabetes, little is known about the effect of excessive long-term activation of NMDARs on β-cells, especially under the challenge of hyperglycemia. Here we thoroughly investigated whether endogenous glutamate aggravated β-cell dysfunction under chronic exposure to high-glucose via activation of NMDARs. The glutamate level was increased in plasma of diabetic mice or patients and in the supernatant of β-cell lines after treatment with high-glucose for 72 h. Decomposing the released glutamate improved GSIS of β-cells under chronic high-glucose exposure. Long-term treatment of β-cells with NMDA inhibited cell viability and decreased GSIS. These effects were eliminated by GluN1 knockout. The NMDAR antagonist MK-801 or GluN1 knockout prevented high-glucose-induced dysfunction in β-cells. MK-801 also decreased the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and inhibited I-κB degradation, ROS generation and NLRP3 inflammasome expression in β-cells exposed to high-glucose. Furthermore, another NMDAR antagonist, Memantine, improved β-cells function in diabetic mice. Taken together, these findings indicate that an increase of glutamate may contribute to the development of diabetes through excessive activation of NMDARs in β-cells, accelerating β-cells dysfunction and apoptosis induced by hyperglycemia.

Resealable, optically accessible, PDMS-free fluidic platform for ex vivo interrogation of pancreatic islets

We report the design and fabrication of a robust fluidic platform built out of inert plastic materials and micromachined features that promote optimized convective fluid transport. The platform is tested for perfusion interrogation of rodent and human pancreatic islets, dynamic secretion of hormones, concomitant live-cell imaging, and optogenetic stimulation of genetically engineered islets. A coupled quantitative fluid dynamics computational model of glucose stimulated insulin secretion and fluid dynamics was first utilized to design device geometries that are optimal for complete perfusion of three-dimensional islets, effective collection of secreted insulin, and minimization of system volumes and associated delays. Fluidic devices were then fabricated through rapid prototyping techniques, such as micromilling and laser engraving, as two interlocking parts from materials that are non-absorbent and inert. Finally, the assembly was tested for performance using both rodent and human islets with multiple assays conducted in parallel, such as dynamic perfusion, staining and optogenetics on standard microscopes, as well as for integration with commercial perfusion machines. The optimized design of convective fluid flows, use of bio-inert and non-absorbent materials, reversible assembly, manual access for loading and unloading of islets, and straightforward integration with commercial imaging and fluid handling systems proved to be critical for perfusion assay, and particularly suited for time-resolved optogenetics studies.

Probes for monitoring regulated exocytosis

Regulated secretion is a fundamental cellular process that serves diverse functions in neurobiology, endocrinology, immunology, and numerous other aspects of animal physiology. In response to environmental or biological cues, cells release contents of secretory granules into an extracellular medium to communicate with or impact neighboring or distant cells through paracrine or endocrine signaling. To investigate mechanisms governing stimulus-secretion coupling, to better understand how cells maintain or regulate their secretory activity, and to characterize secretion defects in human diseases, probes for tracking various exocytotic events at the cellular or sub-cellular level have been developed over the years. This review summarizes different strategies and recent progress in developing optical probes for monitoring regulated secretion in mammalian cells.

Biosensor cell assay for measuring real-time aldosterone-induced release of histamine from mesenteric arteries

AIMS

The aims were to develop a method for real-time detection of histamine release and to test whether incubation with aldosterone induces histamine release from isolated, perfused mice mesenteric arteries.

METHODS

Fura-2-loaded HEK-293 cells transfected with the histamine H1 receptor was used as a sensitive biosensor assay for histamine release from isolated mouse mesenteric arteries. Activation of the H1 receptor by histamine was measured as an increased number of intracellular Ca²⁺ transient peaks using fluorescence imaging.

RESULTS

The developed biosensor was sensitive to histamine in physiological relevant concentrations and responded to substances released by the artery preparation. Aldosterone treatment of mesenteric arteries from wild-type mice for 50 min resulted in an increased number of intracellular Ca²⁺ transient peaks in the biosensor cells, which was significantly inhibited by the histamine H1 blocker pyrilamine. Mesenteric arteries from mast cell-deficient SASH mice induced similar pyrilamine-sensitive Ca²⁺ transient response in the biosensor cells. Mesenteric arteries from wild-type and SASH mice expressed histamine decarboxylase mRNA, indicating that mast cells are not the only source of histamine release.

CONCLUSION

The developed biosensor assay can measure release of substances from vascular preparations. Histamine is released from the vessel preparation in response to aldosterone treatment independently of mast cells. The assay enables us to study a new signaling mechanism for vascular responses induced by aldosterone.

Human Beta Cells Produce and Release Serotonin to Inhibit Glucagon Secretion from Alpha Cells

In the pancreatic islet, serotonin is an autocrine signal increasing beta cell mass during metabolic challenges such as those associated with pregnancy or high-fat diet. It is still unclear whether serotonin is relevant for regular islet physiology and hormone secretion. Here, we show that human beta cells produce and secrete serotonin when stimulated with increases in glucose concentration. Serotonin secretion from beta cells decreases cyclic AMP (cAMP) levels in neighboring alpha cells via 5-HT1F receptors and inhibits glucagon secretion. Without serotonergic input, alpha cells lose their ability to regulate glucagon secretion in response to changes in glucose concentration, suggesting that diminished serotonergic control of alpha cells can cause glucose blindness and the uncontrolled glucagon secretion associated with diabetes. Supporting this model, pharmacological activation of 5-HT1F receptors reduces glucagon secretion and has hypoglycemic effects in diabetic mice. Thus, modulation of serotonin signaling in the islet represents a drug intervention opportunity.

Characterization of pancreatic NMDA receptors as possible drug targets for diabetes treatment

In the nervous system, NMDA receptors (NMDARs) participate in neurotransmission and modulate the viability of neurons. In contrast, little is known about the role of NMDARs in pancreatic islets and the insulin-secreting beta cells whose functional impairment contributes to diabetes mellitus. Here we found that inhibition of NMDARs in mouse and human islets enhanced their glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) and survival of islet cells. Further, NMDAR inhibition prolonged the amount of time that glucose-stimulated beta cells spent in a depolarized state with high cytosolic Ca(2+) concentrations. We also noticed that, in vivo, the NMDAR antagonist dextromethorphan (DXM) enhanced glucose tolerance in mice, and that in vitro dextrorphan, the main metabolite of DXM, amplified the stimulatory effect of exendin-4 on GSIS. In a mouse model of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), long-term treatment with DXM improved islet insulin content, islet cell mass and blood glucose control. Further, in a small clinical trial we found that individuals with T2DM treated with DXM showed enhanced serum insulin concentrations and glucose tolerance. Our data highlight the possibility that antagonists of NMDARs may provide a useful adjunct treatment for diabetes.

A NATURAL BODY WINDOW TO STUDY HUMAN PANCREATIC ISLET CELL FUNCTION AND SURVIVAL

The World Health Organization projects diabetes prevalence worldwide to be at 4.4% in 2030 compared to 2.8% in the year 2000. These alarming predictions come amid vigorous efforts in diabetes research which have failed so far to deliver effective therapies. Our incomplete understanding of the pathogenesis of diabetes is likely to contribute to the "disconnect" between our research efforts and their translation into successful therapies. Technically, studying the pathophysiology of the pancreatic islets is hindered by the anatomical location of the pancreas, which is deeply embedded in the body, and by lack of experimental tools that enable comprehensive interrogation of the pancreatic islets with sufficient resolution in the context of the natural in vivo environment non-invasively and longitudinally. Emerging evidence also indicates that challenges in successful translation of findings in animal models to the human setting are complicated by some inherent structural and functional differences between the mouse and human islets. In this review, we briefly describe the advantages and shortcomings of existing intravital imaging approaches used to study the pancreatic islet biology in vivo, and we contrast such techniques with a recently established intravital approach using pancreatic islet transplantation into the anterior chamber of the eye. We also provide a summary of recent structure-function studies in the human pancreas to reveal distinctive features of human islets compared with mouse islets. We finally touch on a recently renewed discussion of the validity of animal models in studying human health and disease, and we highlight the potential utility of "humanized" animal models in studying different aspects of human islet biology and improving our understanding of diabetes.

Highly selective and sensitive detection of neurotransmitters using receptor-modified single-walled carbon nanotube sensors

We present receptor-modified carbon nanotube sensors for the highly selective and sensitive detection of acetylcholine (ACh), one kind of neurotransmitter. Here, we successfully expressed the M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (M1 mAChR), a family of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), in E. coli and coated single-walled carbon nanotube (swCNT)-field effect transistors (FETs) with lipid membrane including the receptor, enabling highly selective and sensitive ACh detection. Using this sensor, we could detect ACh at 100 pM concentration. Moreover, we showed that this sensor could selectively detect ACh among other neurotransmitters. This is the first demonstration of the real-time detection of ACh using specific binding between ACh and M1 mAChR, and it may lead to breakthroughs for various applications such as disease diagnosis and drug screening.