Ultrastructural localization of insulin-like growth factor-2 (IGF-2) to the secretory granules of insulin cells: a study in normal and diabetic (GK) rats

Biogenesis of the Insulin Secretory Granule in Health and Disease

The secretory granules of pancreatic beta cells are specialized organelles responsible for the packaging, storage and secretion of the vital hormone insulin. The insulin secretory granules also contain more than 100 other proteins including the proteases involved in proinsulin-to insulin conversion, other precursor proteins, minor co-secreted peptides, membrane proteins involved in cell trafficking and ion translocation proteins essential for regulation of the intragranular environment. The synthesis, transport and packaging of these proteins into nascent granules must be carried out in a co-ordinated manner to ensure correct functioning of the granule. The process is regulated by many circulating nutrients such as glucose and can change under different physiological states. This chapter discusses the various processes involved in insulin granule biogenesis with a focus on the granule composition in health and disease.

Asiatic acid mitigates hyperglycemia and reduces islet fibrosis in Goto-Kakizaki rat, a spontaneous type 2 diabetic animal model

The Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rat is a spontaneous type 2 diabetic animal model, which is characterized by a progressive loss of beta islet cells with fibrosis. In the present study, the hypoglycemic effect of asiatic acid (AA) in GK rats was examined. GK rats receiving AA at a daily dose of 25 mg·kg(-1) for four weeks showed a significant reduction in blood glucose levels. Age-matched normal Wistar rats were given 0.5% sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC-Na) solution for the same periods and used as control. Compared to the normal Wistar rats, GK rats treated with AA showed improvement in insulin resistance partially through decreasing glucose level (P < 0.01) and insulin level (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the results of immunohistochemistry indicate that AA treatment reduced islet fibrosis in GK rats. Fibronectin, a key protein related to islet fibrosis, was over-expressed in GK rats, which was reversed significantly by AA treatment (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that AA has a beneficial effect on lowering blood glucose levels in GK rats and improves fibrosis of islets in diabetes, which may play a role in the prevention of islets dysfunction.

PYY-Dependent Restoration of Impaired Insulin and Glucagon Secretion in Type 2 Diabetes following Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is a weight-reduction procedure resulting in rapid resolution of type 2 diabetes (T2D). The role of pancreatic islet function in this restoration of normoglycemia has not been fully elucidated. Using the diabetic Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rat model, we demonstrate that RYGB restores normal glucose regulation of glucagon and insulin secretion and normalizes islet morphology. Culture of isolated islets with serum from RYGB animals mimicked these effects, implicating a humoral factor. These latter effects were reversed following neutralization of the gut hormone peptide tyrosine tyrosine (PYY) but persisted in the presence of a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor antagonist. The effects of RYGB on secretion were replicated by chronic exposure of diabetic rat islets to PYY in vitro. These findings indicate that the mechanism underlying T2D remission may be mediated by PYY and suggest that drugs promoting PYY release or action may restore pancreatic islet function in T2D.

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Roux-en-Y gastric bypass rapidly restores islet function and morphology in diabetic GK rats

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The effects of RYGB on islet function are mediated by the gut hormone PYY and not GLP-1

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In vitro PYY application to diabetic islets restores insulin and glucagon secretion

Acylated and desacylated ghrelin, preptin, leptin, and nesfatin-1 Peptide changes related to the body mass index

This study examines the levels of acylated and desacylated ghrelin, preptin, leptin, and nesfatin-1 peptide changes related to the body mass index (BMI). The subjects were allocated to 5 groups depending on their BMIs as follows: Group I (BMI <18.5 kg/m(2)); Group II (BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m(2)); Group III (BMI 25-29.9 kg/m(2)); Group IV (BMI 30-39.9 kg/m(2)); Group V (BMI >40 kg/m(2)). Serum acylated and desacylated ghrelin, preptin, and leptin levels were measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and nesfatin-1 was measured by the enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Desacylated ghrelin levels showed a gradual and statistically significant drop from Group I to Group V, while preptin and leptin levels exhibited a gradual and significant increase from Group I to Group IV. Serum nesfatin-1 levels gradually, but not significantly, increased from Group I to Group III and showed a significant decrease in Groups IV and V. In conclusion, leptin, preptin, and acylated ghrelin (AG) levels increased with higher BMI, whereas desacylated ghrelin (DAG) decreased and nesfatin-1 showed no clear relationship to BMI.

A novel two-chain IGF-II-derived peptide from purified β-cell granules

OBJECTIVE

Insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) is a potent mitogen that regulates prenatal growth and development in both humans and rodents. Its role in post-natal life is less clear although immunohistochemical studies have observed IGF-II-like immunoreactivity (IGF-II-LI) associated with insulin-producing pancreatic β-cells. Here we isolated secretory granules from a β-cell line, βTC6-F7, and characterized the nature of the IGF-II-LI located therein.

DESIGN

Secretory granules were isolated from cultured mouse βTC6-F7 cells by ultracentrifugation. Granule protein content was separated by reversed-phase HPLC, and assayed for IGF-II (radioimmunoassay) prior to identification by gas-phase NH(2)-terminal sequencing and MALDI-TOF MS. Effects of glucose incorporation into muscle glycogen were determined by incubating with isolated rat soleus muscle strips.

RESULTS

βTC6-F7 cells contained 60 ± 8 pmol of IGF-II-LI per 10⁶ cells compared to 340 ± 44 pmol insulin-LI per 10⁶ cells. IGF-II immunoreactive fractions were found to contain an IGF-II-like molecule with a molecular mass of 6847.6 Da. The protein was found to be a two-chain insulin-like product of Igf2 that corresponds to mouse des(37-40)IGF-II, which we termed 'vesiculin'. This molecule was also detectable in βTC6-F7 cells by intact-cell mass spectrometry. Mouse vesiculin evoked concentration-dependent stimulation of muscle glycogen synthesis ex vivo with an EC(50) value of 131 nM ± 1.35.

CONCLUSIONS

Vesiculin, des(37-40)IGF-II, is a novel two-chain insulin-like hormone and the major "IGF-II-like" peptide found in purified mouse βTC6-F7 secretory granules. It stimulated ex vivo muscle glycogen synthesis with an efficacy greater than or equal to the intrinsic potency of IGF-II when compared to insulin derived from the same species.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 increases beta-cell glucose competence and proliferation by translational induction of insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor expression

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) protects beta-cells against apoptosis, increases their glucose competence, and induces their proliferation. We previously demonstrated that the anti-apoptotic effect was mediated by an increase in insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) expression and signaling, which was dependent on autocrine secretion of insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF-2). Here, we further investigated how GLP-1 induces IGF-1R expression and whether the IGF-2/IGF-1R autocrine loop is also involved in mediating GLP-1-increase in glucose competence and proliferation. We show that GLP-1 up-regulated IGF-1R expression by a protein kinase A-dependent translational control mechanism, whereas isobutylmethylxanthine, which led to higher intracellular accumulation of cAMP than GLP-1, increased both IGF-1R transcription and translation. We then demonstrated, using MIN6 cells and primary islets, that the glucose competence of these cells was dependent on the level of IGF-1R expression and on IGF-2 secretion. We showed that GLP-1-induced primary beta-cell proliferation was suppressed by Igf-1r gene inactivation and by IGF-2 immunoneutralization or knockdown. Together our data show that regulation of beta-cell number and function by GLP-1 depends on the cAMP/protein kinase A mediated-induction of IGF-1R expression and the increased activity of an IGF-2/IGF-1R autocrine loop.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 protects beta-cells against apoptosis by increasing the activity of an IGF-2/IGF-1 receptor autocrine loop

OBJECTIVE

The gluco-incretin hormones glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 and gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP) protect beta-cells against cytokine-induced apoptosis. Their action is initiated by binding to specific receptors that activate the cAMP signaling pathway, but the downstream events are not fully elucidated. Here we searched for mechanisms that may underlie this protective effect.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We performed comparative transcriptomic analysis of islets from control and GipR(-/-);Glp-1-R(-/-) mice, which have increased sensitivity to cytokine-induced apoptosis. We found that IGF-1 receptor expression was markedly reduced in the mutant islets. Because the IGF-1 receptor signaling pathway is known for its antiapoptotic effect, we explored the relationship between gluco-incretin action, IGF-1 receptor expression and signaling, and apoptosis.

RESULTS

We found that GLP-1 robustly stimulated IGF-1 receptor expression and Akt phosphorylation and that increased Akt phosphorylation was dependent on IGF-1 but not insulin receptor expression. We demonstrated that GLP-1-induced Akt phosphorylation required active secretion, indicating the presence of an autocrine activation mechanism; we showed that activation of IGF-1 receptor signaling was dependent on the secretion of IGF-2. We demonstrated, both in MIN6 cell line and primary beta-cells, that reducing IGF-1 receptor or IGF-2 expression or neutralizing secreted IGF-2 suppressed GLP-1-induced protection against apoptosis.

CONCLUSIONS

An IGF-2/IGF-1 receptor autocrine loop operates in beta-cells. GLP-1 increases its activity by augmenting IGF-1 receptor expression and by stimulating secretion; this mechanism is required for GLP-1-induced protection against apoptosis. These findings may lead to novel ways of preventing beta-cell loss in the pathogenesis of diabetes.

A review of islet of Langerhans degeneration in rodent models of type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (TTDM) is characterized by progressive loss of glucose control through multifactorial mechanisms. The search for an understanding of TTDM has relied on animal models since the realization of the importance of the pancreas in controlling plasma glucose concentration. Rodent models of TTDM are developed to express hyperglycemia and not islet degeneration per se. Degeneration of the islets of Langerhans with beta-cell loss is secondary to insulin resistance and is regarded as the more important lesion. Despite this, differences between models are seen in the development and progression of islet degeneration. Assessing the differences between the models is important to appreciate the various aspects of TTDM and understand their advantages as well as their deficiencies. Relevant animal models of TTDM provide opportunities to investigate important physiological and cell biological processes that may ultimately lead to development of targeted therapies. This article reviews the importance, advantages, and limitations of rodent models of TTDM in relation to the histopathological changes that characterize islet degeneration. Pathophysiological mechanisms that contribute to islet degeneration are also discussed and are placed into the context of changes in islet histological appearances.

Immunohistochemical and electron-microscopic observation of beta-cells in pancreatic islets of spontaneously diabetic Goto-Kakizaki rats

The Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rat offers a genetic model of type 2 diabetes and displays profoundly defective insulin secretion leading to basal hyperglycemia. This animal is widely used for studying type 2 diabetes. However, the morphological characteristics of the pancreatic islets of Langerhans in GK rats are not fully understood. The present study sought to clarify this issue using immunohistochemical and electron microscopic techniques. GK rats were killed at 7, 14, 21, and 35 weeks of age. Structural islet changes were not observed at 7 weeks old. At 14 and 21 weeks of age, GK rats displayed histopathological islet changes. The general shape of islets became irregular, and immunoreaction of beta-cells against antiinsulin appeared diffusely weakened. Electron microscopy revealed that the numbers of so-called beta-granules decreased and the numbers of immature granules increased. The Golgi apparatus of beta-cells was developed and the cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum were often dilated, indicating hyperfunction of the cells. However, at 35 weeks old, immunoreactivities of dispersed beta-cells into the exocrine portion recovered, and numbers of secretory granules increased again and features of the cell organelles did not display hyperfunction. These results suggest that insulin deficiency in GK rats is not caused by simple dysfunction and/or degeneration of beta-cells but rather by more complicated events within cells.

Islet inflammation and fibrosis in a spontaneous model of type 2 diabetes, the GK rat

The molecular pathways leading to islet fibrosis in diabetes are unknown. Therefore, we studied gene expression in islets of 4-month-old Goto-Kakizaki (GK) and Wistar control rats. Of 71 genes found to be overexpressed in GK islets, 24% belong to extracellular matrix (ECM)/cell adhesion and 34% to inflammatory/immune response families. Based on gene data, we selected several antibodies to study fibrosis development during progression of hyperglycemia by immunohistochemistry. One-month-old GK and Wistar islets appeared to be similar. Two-month-old GK islets were strongly heterogenous in terms of ECM accumulation compared with Wistar islets. GK islet vascularization, labeled by von Willebrand factor, was altered after 1 month of mild hyperglycemia. Numerous macrophages (major histocompatibility complex class II(+) and CD68(+)) and granulocytes were found in/around GK islets. These data demonstrate that marked inflammatory reaction accompanies GK islet fibrosis and suggest that islet alterations in this nonobese model of type 2 diabetes develop in a way reminiscent of microangiopathy.

Cyclin-dependent kinase (cdk6) and p16 in pancreatic endocrine neoplasms

AIMS

p16 and p27, the inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases, have been reportedly decreased in certain human tumours, including a few endocrine tumours. The current study used immunocytochemical staining to compare the staining intensity of cdk6 and its inhibitor, p16, in pancreatic endocrine neoplasms with normal pancreatic islets.

METHODS

Twenty-four primary pancreatic endocrine neoplasms, consisting of 12 insulinomas, one glucagomoma, three pancreatic polypeptide (PP)-omas, five gastgrinomas and three non-fuctioning tumours, were immunocytochemically studied for cdk6 and p16 compared with the adjacent non-neoplastic islets.

RESULTS

In the normal islets, cdk6 staining was strongly positive for islet cell nuclei and cytoplasms, whereas p16 was strongly positively stained for islet cell cytoplasms. Insulinomas, glucagonoma, PP-omas and non-functioning tumours were weakly stained for cdk6 and p16. Among five gastrinomas, three tumours were moderately stained and two tumours were more weakly stained for cdk6 and p16. Thus, tumour cells were weaker stained for cdk6 and p16 compared with the strong staining of normal islet cells. No distinct immunostaining difference was observed among five kinds of pancreatic endocrine neoplasms.

CONCLUSIONS

The decreased immunocytochemical staining for cdk6 and p16 is consistently observed in five kinds of pancreatic endocrine neoplasms. This decreased cdk6 and p16 in pancreatic endocrine neoplasms may be a part of the cell cycle event in tumour transformation and progression, and the same process may involve other endocrine tumours.

New markers for pancreatic islets and islet cell tumors

Islets of Langerhans account for 2 g of endocrine tissue in the pancreas, comprising approximately one million islets, with each containing 1000 endocrine cells. The major hormone secreted from the islets is insulin, which regulates blood glucose, the main fuel of the body. Islets also secrete glucagon, somatostatin and pancreatic polypeptide and all are involved in the paracrine mechanism. Islet cells can be stained immunohistochemically for the general endocrine markers, chromogranin A, synaptophysin, neuron-specific enolase and Leu7. Beta islet cells are well equipped with glucose transporter 2, which binds to glucose and regulates diffusion of glucose through the beta cell membrane. As all four islet hormones are initially synthesized as prohormones, all islet cells are equipped with prohormone convertase 1/3 and 2. In addition, islet cells also contain zinc-containing matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors, metallothionein, cyclin-dependent kinases and insulin-like growth factors, and many more hormones, peptides and enzymes. Thus, islets not only secrete insulin and other pancreatic hormones but are a complex organ whose major function is glucose homeostasis.

Fetal insulin-like growth factor-2 production is impaired in the GK rat model of type 2 diabetes

At late fetal age (21.5 days postcoitum [dpc]), GK rats present a severely reduced beta-cell mass compared with Wistar rats. This anomaly largely antedates the onset of hyperglycemia in GK rats. Thus, the beta-cell mass deficit could represent the primary defect leading to type 2 diabetes in the adult. The aim of this work was to investigate, in GK fetuses at the end of fetal age (21.5 dpc), whether impaired availability of growth factors such as insulin, growth hormone, and IGFs and their IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs) could be instrumental in this anomaly. Although it confirms that GK fetuses are hypoinsulinemic despite enhanced plasma glucose level due to maternal hyperglycemia, the present study shows for the first time that IGF-2 expression in the liver and pancreas and IGF-2 serum levels are decreased in GK fetuses. Serum level as well as liver and pancreatic mRNA expression of IGFBP-2 were found to be normal in GK fetuses, whereas serum level and liver mRNA expression of IGFBP-1 were increased. Finally, we found that the maximal beta-cell mitogenic response to IGFs in vitro is kept intact, therefore suggesting that the direct biological action of IGFs on fetal GK beta-cells is not grossly impaired. In conclusion, in GK fetuses at 21.5 dpc, the defective IGF-2 production appears to be an early landmark in the pathological sequence leading to retardation of beta-cell growth in the fetal GK rat.

Distinct and overlapping functions of insulin and IGF-I receptors

Targeted gene mutations have established distinct, yet overlapping, developmental roles for receptors of the insulin/IGF family. IGF-I receptor mediates IGF-I and IGF-II action on prenatal growth and IGF-I action on postnatal growth. Insulin receptor mediates prenatal growth in response to IGF-II and postnatal metabolism in response to insulin. In rodents, unlike humans, insulin does not participate in embryonic growth until late gestation. The ability of the insulin receptor to act as a bona fide IGF-II-dependent growth promoter is underscored by its rescue of double knockout Igf1r/Igf2r mice. Thus, IGF-II is a true bifunctional ligand that is able to stimulate both insulin and IGF-I receptor signaling, although with different potencies. In contrast, the IGF-II/cation-independent mannose-6-phosphate receptor regulates IGF-II clearance. The growth retardation of mice lacking IGF-I and/or insulin receptors is due to reduced cell number, resulting from decreased proliferation. Evidence from genetically engineered mice does not support the view that insulin and IGF receptors promote cellular differentiation in vivo or that they are required for early embryonic development. The phenotypes of insulin receptor gene mutations in humans and in mice indicate important differences between the developmental roles of insulin and its receptor in the two species.

Preptin derived from proinsulin-like growth factor II (proIGF-II) is secreted from pancreatic islet beta-cells and enhances insulin secretion

Pancreatic islet beta-cells secrete the hormones insulin, amylin and pancreastatin. To search for further beta-cell hormones, we purified peptides from secretory granules isolated from cultured murine beta TC6-F7 beta-cells. We identified a 34-amino-acid peptide (3948 Da), corresponding to Asp(69)-Leu(102) of the proinsulin-like growth factor II E-peptide, which we have termed 'preptin'. Preptin, is present in islet beta-cells and undergoes glucose-mediated co-secretion with insulin. Synthetic preptin increases insulin secretion from glucose-stimulated beta TC6-F7 cells in a concentration-dependent and saturable manner. Preptin infusion into the isolated, perfused rat pancreas increases the second phase of glucose-mediated insulin secretion by 30%, while anti-preptin immunoglobulin infusion decreases the first and second phases of insulin secretion by 29 and 26% respectively. These findings suggest that preptin is a physiological amplifier of glucose-mediated insulin secretion.

Transgenic mice overexpressing insulin-like growth factor-II in beta cells develop type 2 diabetes

During embryonic development, insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) participates in the regulation of islet growth and differentiation. We generated transgenic mice (C57BL6/SJL) expressing IGF-II in beta cells under control of the rat Insulin I promoter in order to study the role of islet hyperplasia and hyperinsulinemia in the development of type 2 diabetes. In contrast to islets from control mice, islets from transgenic mice displayed high levels of IGF-II mRNA and protein. Pancreases from transgenic mice showed an increase in beta-cell mass (about 3-fold) and in insulin mRNA levels. However, the organization of cells within transgenic islets was disrupted, with glucagon-producing cells randomly distributed throughout the core. We also observed enhanced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and glucose utilization in islets from transgenic mice. These mice displayed hyperinsulinemia, mild hyperglycemia, and altered glucose and insulin tolerance tests, and about 30% of these animals developed overt diabetes when fed a high-fat diet. Furthermore, transgenic mice obtained from the N1 backcross to C57KsJ mice showed high islet hyperplasia and insulin resistance, but they also developed fatty liver and obesity. These results indicate that local overexpression of IGF-II in islets might lead to type 2 diabetes and that islet hyperplasia and hypersecretion of insulin might occur early in the pathogenesis of this disease.