Correction to: Identification of an intracellular metabolic signature impairing beta cell function in the rat beta cell line INS-1E and human islets

As part of an institutional investigation by University of Bremen, the work carried out by Kathrin Maedler's laboratory has been reviewed.

Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Peptide Stimulates Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Production by Pancreatic Islets via Interleukin 6, Produced by α Cells

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP) induces production of interleukin 6 (IL6) by adipocytes. IL6 increases production of glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 by L cells and α cells, leading to secretion of insulin from β cells. We investigated whether GIP regulates GLP1 and glycemia via IL6.

METHODS

We obtained samples of human pancreatic islets and isolated islets from mice; human α cells and β cells were sorted by flow cytometry and incubated with GIP. Islets were analyzed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. BKS.Cg-Dock7m+/+ Leprdb/J db/db mice (diabetic mice) and db/+ mice, as well as C57BL/6J IL6-knockout mice (IL6-KO) and C57BL/6J mice with the full-length Il6 gene (controls), were fed a chow or a high-fat diet; some mice were given injections of recombinant GIP, IL6, GLP, a neutralizing antibody against IL6 (anti-IL6), lipopolysaccharide, and/or IL1B. Mice were given a glucose challenge and blood samples were collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

Incubation of mouse and human pancreatic α cells with GIP induced their production of IL6, leading to production of GLP1 and insulin secretion from pancreatic islets. This did not occur in islets from IL6-KO mice or in islets incubated with anti-IL6. Incubation of islets with IL1B resulted in IL6 production but directly reduced GLP1 production. Incubation of mouse islets with the sodium glucose transporter 2 inhibitor dapagliflozin induced production of GLP1 and IL6. Injection of control mice with GIP increased plasma levels of GLP1, insulin, and glucose tolerance; these effects were amplified in mice given lipopolysaccharide but reduced in IL6-KO mice or in mice given anti-IL6. Islets from diabetic mice had increased levels of IL1B and IL6, compared with db/+ mice, but injection of GIP did not lead to production of GLP1 or reduce glycemia.

CONCLUSIONS

In studies of pancreatic islets from human beings and mice, we found that GIP induces production of IL6 by α cells, leading to islet production of GLP1 and insulin. This process is regulated by inflammation, via IL1B, and by sodium glucose transporter 2. In diabetic mice, increased islet levels of IL6 and IL1B might increase or reduce the production of GLP1 and affect glycemia.

Angiotensin II induces interleukin-1β-mediated islet inflammation and β-cell dysfunction independently of vasoconstrictive effects

Pathological activation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is associated with the metabolic syndrome, and the new onset of type 2 diabetes can be delayed by RAS inhibition. In animal models of type 2 diabetes, inhibition of the RAS improves insulin secretion. However, the direct effects of angiotensin II on islet function and underlying mechanisms independent of changes in blood pressure remain unclear. Here we show that exposure of human and mouse islets to angiotensin II induces interleukin (IL)-1-dependent expression of IL-6 and MCP-1, enhances β-cell apoptosis, and impairs mitochondrial function and insulin secretion. In vivo, mice fed a high-fat diet and treated with angiotensin II and the vasodilator hydralazine to prevent hypertension showed defective glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and deteriorated glucose tolerance. Application of an anti-IL-1β antibody reduced the deleterious effects of angiotensin II on islet inflammation, restored insulin secretion, and improved glycemia. We conclude that angiotensin II leads to islet dysfunction via induction of inflammation and independent of vasoconstriction. Our findings reveal a novel role for the RAS and an additional rationale for the treatment of type 2 diabetic patients with an IL-1β antagonist.

Inflammation in obesity and diabetes: islet dysfunction and therapeutic opportunity

The role of the immune system is to restore functionality in response to stress. Increasing evidence shows that this function is not limited to insults by infection or injury and plays a role in response to overnutrition. Initially, this metabolic activation of the immune system is a physiological response, but it may become deleterious with time. Therefore, therapeutic interventions should aim at modulating the immune system rather than simply damping it. In this article, we describe the physiology and pathology of the immune system during obesity and diabetes with a focus on islet inflammation, the IL-1β pathway, and clinical translation.

Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide induces cytokine expression, lipolysis, and insulin resistance in human adipocytes

Obesity-related insulin resistance is linked to a chronic state of systemic and adipose tissue-derived inflammation. Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) is an incretin hormone also acting on adipocytes. We investigated whether GIP affects inflammation, lipolysis, and insulin resistance in human adipocytes. Human subcutaneous preadipocyte-derived adipocytes, differentiated in vitro, were treated with human GIP to analyze mRNA expression and protein secretion of cytokines, glycerol, and free fatty acid release and insulin-induced glucose uptake. GIP induced mRNA expression of IL-6, IL-1β, and the IL-1 receptor antagonist IL-1Ra, whereas TNFα, IL-8, and monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1 remained unchanged. Cytokine induction involved PKA and the NF-κB pathway as well as an autocrine IL-1 effect. Furthermore, GIP potentiated IL-6 and IL-1Ra secretion in the presence of LPS, IL-1β, and TNFα. GIP induced lipolysis via activation of hormone-sensitive lipase and was linked to NF-κB activation. Finally, chronic GIP treatment impaired insulin-induced glucose uptake possibly due to the observed impaired translocation of glucose transporter GLUT4. In conclusion, GIP induces an inflammatory and prolipolytic response via the PKA -NF-κB-IL-1 pathway and impairs insulin sensitivity of glucose uptake in human adipocytes.

In vitro proliferation of adult human beta-cells

A decrease in functional beta-cell mass is a key feature of type 2 diabetes. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) analogues induce proliferation of rodent beta-cells. However, the proliferative capacity of human beta-cells and its modulation by GLP-1 analogues remain to be fully investigated. We therefore sought to quantify adult human beta-cell proliferation in vitro and whether this is affected by the GLP-1 analogue liraglutide.

Human islets from 7 adult cadaveric organ donors were dispersed into single cells. Beta-cells were purified by FACS. Non-sorted cells and the beta-cell enriched (“beta-cells”) population were plated on extracellular matrix from rat (804G) and human bladder carcinoma cells (HTB9) or bovine corneal endothelial ECM (BCEC). Cells were maintained in culture+/−liraglutide for 4 days in the presence of BrdU.

Rare human beta-cell proliferation could be observed either in the purified beta-cell population (0.051±0.020%; 22 beta-cells proliferating out of 84'283 beta-cells counted) or in the non-sorted cell population (0.055±0.011%; 104 proliferating beta-cells out of 232'826 beta-cells counted), independently of the matrix or the culture conditions. Liraglutide increased human beta-cell proliferation on BCEC in the non-sorted cell population (0.082±0.034% proliferating beta-cells vs. 0.017±0.008% in control, p<0.05).

These results indicate that adult human beta-cell proliferation can occur in vitro but remains an extremely rare event with these donors and particular culture conditions. Liraglutide increases beta-cell proliferation only in the non-sorted cell population and only on BCEC. However, it cannot be excluded that human beta-cells may proliferate to a greater extent in situ in response to natural stimuli.

Identification of an intracellular metabolic signature impairing beta cell function in the rat beta cell line INS-1E and human islets

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

Chronic hyperglycaemia promotes the progressive failure of pancreatic beta cells in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, a clinically highly relevant phenomenon known as glucotoxicity. The intracellular metabolic consequences of a chronically high availability of glucose in beta cells are, as yet, poorly understood in its full complexity.

METHODS

An unbiased metabolite profiling analysis (GC-time-of-flight-MS) was used to identify the time course of core metabolite patterns in rat beta cell line INS-1E during exposure to high glucose concentrations and its relation to insulin expression.

RESULTS

We report here that pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) metabolites accumulate remarkably during chronic but not acute glucose treatment, indicating altered processing of glucose through the pentose phosphate pathway. Subsequent functional studies in INS-1E cells and human islets revealed that a disturbance in this pathway contributes to decreases in insulin gene expression and a lack of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. These effects were found to depend on the activation of extracellular-regulated-kinase (ERK1/2). Long-term inhibition of 6-phosphogluconic acid dehydrogenase resulted in accumulation of PPP metabolites, induced ERK1/2 activation independently of high glucose and impaired beta cell function. In turn, inhibition of ERK1/2 overstimulation during chronic glucose exposure partly inhibited metabolite accumulation and restored beta cell function.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

Based on unbiased metabolite analyses, the data presented here provide novel targets, namely the inhibition of PPP metabolite accumulation towards the therapeutic goal to preserve and potentially improve beta cell function in diabetes.

Neutralizing interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) induces beta-cell survival by maintaining PDX1 protein nuclear localization

The transcription factor PDX1 plays a critical role during β-cell development and in glucose-induced insulin gene transcription in adult β-cells. Acute glucose exposure leads to translocalization of PDX1 to the nucleoplasm, whereas under conditions of oxidative stress, PDX1 shuttles from the nucleus to the cytosol. Here we show that cytosolic PDX1 expression correlated with β-cell failure in diabetes. In isolated islets from patients with type 2 diabetes and from diabetic mice, we found opposite regulation of insulin and PDX1 mRNA; insulin was decreased in diabetes, but PDX1 was increased. This suggests that elevated PDX1 mRNA levels may be insufficient to regulate insulin. In diabetic islets, PDX1 protein was localized in the cytosol, whereas in non-diabetic controls, PDX1 was in the nucleus. In contrast, overexpression of either IL-1 receptor antagonist or shuttling-deficient PDX1 restored β-cell survival and function and PDX1 nuclear localization. Our results show that nuclear localization of PDX1 is essential for a functional β-cell and provides a novel mechanism of the protective effect of IL-1 receptor antagonist on β-cell survival and function.

Purinergic P2X7 receptors regulate secretion of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist and beta cell function and survival

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

In obesity, beta cells activate compensatory mechanisms to adapt to the higher insulin demand. Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) prevents obesity-induced hyperglycaemia and is a potent target for the treatment of diabetes, but the mechanisms of its secretion and regulation in obesity are unknown. In the present study, we hypothesise the regulation of IL-1Ra secretion by purinergic P2X(7) receptors in islets.

METHODS

Production and regulation of P2X(7) were studied in pancreatic sections from lean and obese diabetic patients, non-diabetic controls and in isolated islets. IL-1Ra, IL-1beta and insulin secretion, glucose tolerance and beta cell mass were studied in P2x7 (also known as P2Rx7)-knockout mice.

RESULTS

P2X(7) levels were elevated in beta cells of obese patients, but downregulated in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Elevated glucose and non-esterified fatty acids rapidly activated P2X(7) and IL-1Ra secretion in human islets, and this was inhibited by P2X(7) blockade. In line with our results in vitro, P2x7-knockout mice had a lower capacity to secrete IL-1Ra. They exhibited severe and rapid hyperglycaemia, glucose intolerance and impaired beta cell function in response to a high-fat/high-sucrose diet, were unable to compensate by increasing their beta cell mass in response to the diet and showed increased beta cell apoptosis.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

Our study shows a tight correlation of P2X(7) activation, IL-1Ra secretion and regulation of beta cell mass and function. The increase in P2X(7) production is one mechanism that may explain how beta cells compensate by adapting to the higher insulin demand. Disturbances within that system may result in the progression of diabetes.

CXCL10 impairs beta cell function and viability in diabetes through TLR4 signaling

In type 1 and type 2 diabetes (T1/T2DM), beta cell destruction by apoptosis results in decreased beta cell mass and progression of the disease. In this study, we found that the interferon gamma-inducible protein 10 plays an important role in triggering beta cell destruction. Islets isolated from patients with T2DM secreted CXCL10 and contained 33.5-fold more CXCL10 mRNA than islets from control patients. Pancreatic sections from obese nondiabetic individuals and patients with T2DM and T1DM expressed CXCL10 in beta cells. Treatment of human islets with CXCL10 decreased beta cell viability, impaired insulin secretion, and decreased insulin mRNA. CXCL10 induced sustained activation of Akt, JNK, and cleavage of p21-activated protein kinase 2 (PAK-2), switching Akt signals from proliferation to apoptosis. These effects were not mediated by the commonly known CXCL10 receptor CXCR3 but through TLR4. Our data suggest CXCL10 as a binding partner for TLR4 and as a signal toward beta cell failure in diabetes.

The antiinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1 receptor antagonist protects from high-fat diet-induced hyperglycemia

Subclinical inflammation is a recently discovered phenomenon in type 2 diabetes. Elevated cytokines impair beta-cell function and survival. A recent clinical trial shows that blocking IL-1beta signaling by IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) improves beta-cell secretory function in patients with type 2 diabetes. In the present study, we provide further mechanisms of the protective role of IL-1Ra on the beta-cell. IL-1Ra prevented diabetes in vivo in C57BL/6J mice fed a high-fat/high-sucrose diet (HFD) for 12 wk; it improved glucose tolerance and insulin secretion. High-fat diet treatment increased serum levels of free fatty acids and of the adipokines resistin and leptin, which were reduced by IL-1Ra treatment. In addition, IL-1Ra counteracted adiponectin levels, which were decreased by high-fat feeding. Studies on isolated islets revealed that IL-1Ra specifically acted on the beta-cell. IL-1Ra protected islets from HFD treated animals from beta-cell apoptosis, induced beta-cell proliferation, and improved glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Insulin mRNA was reduced in islets from mice fed a HFD but normalized in the IL-1Ra group. Our results show that IL-1Ra improves beta-cell survival and function, and support the potential role for IL-1Ra in the treatment of diabetes.

Transcription factor 7-like 2 regulates beta-cell survival and function in human pancreatic islets

OBJECTIVE

Type 2 diabetes is characterized by impaired insulin secretion in response to increased metabolic demand. This defect in beta-cell compensation seems to result from the interplay between environmental factors and genetic predisposition. Genome-wide association studies reveal that common variants in transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) are associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes. The aim of the present study was to establish whether TCF7L2 plays a role in beta-cell function and/or survival.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

To investigate the effects of TCFL7L2 depletion, isolated islets were exposed to TCF7L2 small interfering RNA (siRNA) versus scrambled siRNA, and beta-cell survival and function were examined. For TCF7L2 overexpression, islets were cultured in glucose concentrations of 5.5-33.3 mmol/l and the cytokine mix interleukin-1 beta/gamma-interferon with or without overexpression of TCF7L2. Subsequently, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS), beta-cell apoptosis [by transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling assay and Western blotting for poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase and Caspase-3 cleavage], and beta-cell proliferation (by Ki67 immunostaining) were analyzed.

RESULTS

Depleting TCF7L2 by siRNA resulted in a 5.1-fold increase in beta-cell apoptosis, 2.2-fold decrease in beta-cell proliferation (P < 0.001), and 2.6-fold decrease in GSIS (P < 0.01) in human islets. Similarly, loss of TCF7L2 resulted in impaired beta-cell function in mouse islets. In contrast, overexpression of TCF7L2 protected islets from glucose and cytokine-induced apoptosis and impaired function.

CONCLUSIONS

TCF7L2 is required for maintaining GSIS and beta-cell survival. Changes in the level of active TCF7L2 in beta-cells from carriers of at-risk allele may be the reason for defective insulin secretion and progression of type 2 diabetes.