Glucose exerts opposite effects on muscarinic receptor binding to A and B cells of the endocrine pancreas

Ambient glucose stimulates insulin but inhibits glucagon secretion. We investigated whether mirror-image regulation pertains also to glucose effects on muscarinic receptor binding to B and A cells. We compared binding of [3H]methylscopolamine to islets from normal guinea pigs and to A-cell rich islets from streptozotocin-treated animals. Binding was assessed in intact islets at 37 C after previous culture for 72 h in 3.3, 5.5, or 11 mM glucose. For both types of islets, specific binding was observed after 1 min and reached a plateau after 10 min of incubation. Half-maximal displacement of 2.8 X 10(-9) M [3H] methylscopolamine occurred with 10(-9) - 10(-8) M unlabeled methylscopolamine. In normal islets, specific binding was significantly higher after culture in 11 mM than after 3.3 or 5.5 mM glucose. Conversely, in A-cell rich islets, binding was significantly higher at 3.3 or 5.5 than at 11 mM glucose. Glucagon release induced by acetylcholine (10(-5) M) was half-maximally suppressed by methylscopolamine at a concentration of 10(-9) - 10(-8) M. Acetylcholine-stimulated glucagon release was higher from A-cell rich islets when cultured at 3.3 mM than when cultured at 11 mM glucose. It is concluded: 1) that both A and B cells appear to contain muscarinic receptors, 2) that long term glucose environment exerts opposite effects on binding of methylscopolamine to A and B cells, and 3) that inhibition of binding to A cells is correlated with reduction of acetylcholine-induced glucagon release.     

Regulation of glucagon release: Effects of insulin on the pancreatic A2-cell of the guinea pig

Summary The effect of exogenous insulin on glucagon release by guinea pig A₂-cells of isolated islets from normal and streptozotocin treated animals has been studied to test the hypothesis that insulin directly affects glucagon secretion. Glucose utilization and ATP concentration were also measured. In addition, the effects of exogenous somatostatin on glucagon release and glucose utilization of these cells have been investigated. In the A₂-cell rich islets from streptozotocin treated guinea pigs glucagon release was 76.9±7.8 pg/g islet dry weight/h in 1.7 mmol/l glucose, not being significantly inhibited when the glucose concentration was increased up to 16.7 mmol/l. Glucagon release was, however, strongly suppressed by 30 mU/ml insulin independent of the glucose concentration, while release from the normal islets was unaffected by exogenous insulin. Glucose utilization increased four-fold in the A₂cell rich islets when the glucose level was raised from 1.7 to 16.7 mmol/l, but was nevertheless at all times less than 70 per cent of that of the normal islets. Addition of exogenous insulin caused a further significant stimulation (40–100 per cent) in the A₂-cell rich islets, but not in the normal islets. The ATP concentration of the A₂-cell rich islets increased in parallel with the glucose concentration. Addition of insulin effected the highest ATP levels, about 15 mmol/kg islet dry weight, irrespective of the glucose concentration. Somatostatin (2.5 g/ml) strongly inhibited glucagon release, but failed to affect glucose utilization. The present observations support the view that the A₂-cell is sensitive to insulin, and suggest that the suppressive effect of insulin on glucagon release is mediated via an increased intracellular ATP concentration generated by stimulated glucose metabolism.This work was supported by grants from the Swedish Medical Research Council (B79-12X-001-15B and B79-12X-0229712C), the Swedish Diabetes Association, the Medical Faculty of the University of Uppsala and the Swedish Society for Medical Research.     

Rapid depletion of somatostatin in isolated mouse pancreatic islets after treatment with cysteamine

Cysteamine (CSH; beta-mercaptoethylamine) is known to deplete pancreatic somatostatin without affecting the insulin or glucagon content. It may therefore be useful for studies of intra-islet regulation of hormone release. In the present study injection of CSH (60 mg/kg body weight) to mice decreased the somatostatin content of their isolated pancreatic islets to 50% in 1 h and 30% in 4 h as compared to islets of non-injected controls. Exposure of isolated mouse islets to CSH (100 micrograms/ml) for either 0.5 h followed by incubation in control medium for 3.5 h, or continuously for 4 h, decreased the somatostatin content to about 40% of the controls. There was no change in the islet content of insulin or glucagon. Islets pretreated with CSH (100 micrograms/ml) for 1 h in vitro showed a decreased glucose stimulation of both oxygen consumption and glucose oxidation. Measurements of insulin release after a similar preincubation of the islets indicated an increased basal release and an attenuated glucose stimulation. It is concluded that CSH rapidly decreases islet somatostatin both in vivo and in vitro. This depletion may lead to a loss of tonic inhibition by islet somatostatin on basal insulin release. It is, however, more plausible that the increased basal insulin release reflected a direct effect of CSH on the islet beta-cells.     

Paradoxical reduction in pancreatic glucagon with normalization of somatostatin and decrease in insulin in normoglycemic alloxan-diabetic dogs: a putative mechanism of glucagon irresponsiveness to hypoglycemia

In alloxan-diabetic (A-D) dogs, plasma glucagon does not increase when glycemia is decreased by insulin. Therefore, as in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), increased glucose utilization is not matched by an increase in hepatic production. To explore further the abnormal effects of insulin on regulation of pancreatic glucagon, we studied content and morphology of pancreatic hormones in six normal (N) dogs, five hyperglycemic A-D (HD) dogs, and in four A-D dogs where normoglycemia was maintained by insulin (ND). Morphometric measurement of islets and of immunocytochemically localized A cells (glucagon) were performed by an image analysis system. In normal pancreas, islets of tail and body were bigger in size (tail = 4850 +/- 376 microns 2, body = 3256 +/- 198 microns 2), than the head (2009 +/- 207 microns 2). Glucagon content was 331 +/- 50 micrograms with a mean concentration of 8.5 +/- 0.9 micrograms/g in N dogs, and did not change in HD dogs (422 +/- 34 micrograms, 9.3 +/- 0.4 micrograms/g). With normoglycemia, glucagon content decreased by 5-fold (p less than 0.001). Morphometry indicated that, although A cell area per islet increased (2.7-fold), islet number decreased (70%), explaining the unchanged glucagon content in HD dogs. This decrease in islet number can also justify the dramatic glucagon decrease in ND dogs. Despite the 70% decrease in islet numbers in HD dogs, pancreatic somatostatin increased 3-fold (9.93 +/- 3.3 to 30.6 +/- 7.2 micrograms), indicating that its islet content was augmented 10-fold. Somatostatin content returned to normal with normoglycemia. Pancreatic insulin content in HD dogs was negligible (55 +/- 23 micrograms) when compared with that in N dogs (5500 micrograms) and it did not increase with normoglycemia. The distinct but markedly diminished insulin and proinsulin peaks in HD dogs nearly disappeared in ND dogs. Thus, in alloxan-diabetic HD dogs, 70% of islets are destroyed. A marked increase in glucagon in residual islets can explain the unchanged islet size despite the absence of B cells; however, the percent increase of somatostatin is larger than that of glucagon. Normoglycemia 1) normalizes somatostatin content, 2) further diminishes insulin and proinsulin synthesis presumably due to lack of hyperglycemic stimulus, and 3) paradoxically decreases pancreatic glucagon content 5-fold below its normal level. We hypothesize that with normalization of plasma insulin, glucagon content in each islet normalizes, but because of destruction of most islets, pancreatic glucagon content becomes extremely low.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Interleukin-6 affects insulin secretion and glucose metabolism of rat pancreatic islets in vitro

Recently it has been postulated that interleukin-1 (IL-1) locally released by infiltrating mononuclear cells may destroy the pancreatic B cells during the development of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Since IL-1 is a potent inducer of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in various cells, it is conceivable that IL-6 is a second mediator of the IL-1 action. In the present study the effects of IL-6 alone or in combination with IL-1 were studied on pancreatic islet function in vitro after tissue culture and compared with the effects observed after exposure to IL-1 only. Rat pancreatic islets were cultured in medium RPMI 1640 + 10% calf serum with or without the addition of human recombinant IL-6 (500-5000 pg/ml) for 48 h. The medium insulin accumulation was increased by 40-50% after culture with 500-2000 pg/ml IL-6, but was similar to the controls at 5000 pg/ml. When islets were cultured for 18 h only, also 5000 pg/ml IL-6 stimulated the medium insulin accumulation. IL-6 did not affect the islet insulin content and the rates of islet (pro)insulin and total protein biosynthesis. It inconsistently decreased the islet DNA content. In short-term experiments after 48-h culture with IL-6, there was a dose-dependent inhibition of the glucose-stimulated insulin release. On the other hand, islets cultured with IL-6 (5000 pg/ml) exhibited an elevated glucose oxidation and oxygen uptake, but a lower ATP content at 16.7 mM glucose and an unaffected glucose utilization and glutamine oxidation compared to the controls. This raises the possibility that IL-6 had induced a condition with an increased energy expenditure, resulting in an enhanced mitochondrial metabolism of glucose. Islets cultured with human recombinant IL-1 beta (25 units/ml) showed a strong inhibition of the insulin accumulation in the culture medium and of glucose-stimulated insulin release and a marked decrease in the islet DNA and insulin content. A combination of IL-1 (25 U/ml) + IL-6 (1000 pg/ml) did not alter the inhibitory action of IL-1 alone. The present findings thus show that IL-6 induces a dissociation between insulin secretion and glucose oxidation in islets in vitro. This has not been observed in islets exposed to IL-1, which suggests that IL-6 does not solely mediate the inhibitory effects of IL-1 on islet function.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Glyburide and tolbutamide induce desensitization of insulin release in rat pancreatic islets by different mechanisms.

Insulin secretion was studied in rat pancreatic islets after 24-h exposure to various glyburide or tolbutamide concentrations. Glucose-induced insulin release was significantly (P < 0.05) reduced in islets cultured with 0.1 microM glyburide or 100 microM tolbutamide (2098 +/- 187, 832 +/- 93, and 989 +/- 88 pg/islet.h in control, glyburide-exposed, and tolbutamide-exposed islets, respectively). When glyburide-treated islets were stimulated with glyburide or tolbutamide, insulin release was also impaired compared to that in control islets (P < 0.05). In contrast, tolbutamide-exposed islets showed an impaired response to tolbutamide, but a normal response to glyburide. To investigate the mechanism of the sulfonylurea-induced impairment of insulin secretion, we measured insulin release and Rb+ efflux (a marker of the K+ channel activity) in a perifusion system and islet Ca2+ uptake under static conditions. Insulin release in response to 16.7 mM glucose increased in control islets from 9.4 +/- 1.1 to 131 +/- 19 pg/islet.min (first phase secretion peak). Simultaneously, the fractional 86Rb+ efflux declined from 0.015 +/- 0.002% to 0.006 +/- 0.001% (change in decrement, -63.5%). Glucose-induced insulin release in glyburide- and tolbutamide-treated islets was significantly reduced (first phase peak, 22.1 +/- 5 and 39.7 +/- 8 pg/islet.min, respectively; P < 0.05), and the fractional 86Rb+ efflux decrement was -21 +/- 6% for glyburide (P < 0.005 vs. control islets) and -65 +/- 4% (not different from control) for tolbutamide. When glyburide- or tolbutamide-exposed islets were stimulated with the corresponding sulfonylurea, insulin release was impaired compared to that in control islets (P < 0.05), but, again, 86Rb+ efflux was impaired (P < 0.05) only in glyburide-exposed islets. When 45Ca2+ uptake was studied, the increase in glucose concentration from 2.8 to 16.7 mM increased calcium uptake in control islets from 1.76 +/- 0.58 to 7.27 +/- 1.36 pmol/islet.2 min (n = 4). Preexposure to 0.1 microM glyburide did not change calcium uptake at a glucose concentration of 2.8 mM (1.44 +/- 0.45 pmol/islet.2 min) but significantly reduced calcium uptake stimulated by 16.7 mM glucose (3.21 +/- 0.35 pmol/islet.2 min; n = 4; P < 0.005 compared to control islets). In contrast, preexposure to 100 microM tolbutamide did not change either basal or glucose-stimulated calcium uptake (1.44 +/- 0.45 and 6.90 +/- 0.81 pmol/islet.2 min, respectively; n = 4). These data show that in vitro chronic exposure of pancreatic islets to the sulfonylureas glyburide and tolbutamide impairs their ability to respond to a subsequent glucose or sulfonylurea stimulation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Effect of low temperatures on glucose-induced insulin secretion and glucose metabolism in isolated pancreatic islets of the rat

The direct effect of hypothermia on the inhibition of insulin secretion may result from inhibition of the availability of energetic substrates and/or the lack of metabolic signals. In order to verify this hypothesis, the insulin secretion and the main metabolic glucose pathways were measured during the incubation of rat islets. In the presence of 16.7 mmol glucose/l and at 37 degrees C, insulin secretion was 925 +/- 119 microU/2 h per ten islets. With the same experimental conditions, glucose utilization, determined as the formation of 3H2O from [5-3H]glucose was 2225 +/- 184 pmol/2 h per ten islets, glucose oxidation measured as the formation of 14CO2 from [U-14C]glucose was 673 +/- 51 pmol/2 h per ten islets, pentose cycle determined as the formation of 14CO2 from either [1-14C]glucose or [6-14C]glucose was 37 +/- 5 pmol/2 h per ten islets; glucose oxidation by the tricarboxilic acid cycle, calculated to be the difference between glucose oxidation and pentose cycle values, was 636 pmol/2 h per ten islets. Hypothermia highly inhibited glucose-induced insulin secretion and glucose utilization. Inhibition of insulin secretion was partial at 27 degrees C since it was 2.5 times lower than that at 37 degrees C, and it was complete at 17 degrees C. Glucose oxidation in the tricarboxilic acid cycle was markedly inhibited by hypothermia since the inhibition coefficient (Q10) between 37 and 27 degrees C was 5. In contrast, glucose oxidation in the pentose phosphate shunt was enhanced at 27 degrees C, reaching 92 +/- 17 pmol/2 h per ten islets, and it was inhibited relatively little at 17 degrees C.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Diminished A-cell secretion in the early phase of type I diabetes mellitus

The A-cell function in "true pre-type I diabetes" or in early phase of type I diabetes has not been reported. We studied A-cell reserve in response to intravenous arginine infusion in six individuals characterized by type I diabetes-associated immunologic defects and absent first-phase insulin secretory response to intravenous glucose prior to development of diabetes. The peak glucagon response in these patients was markedly impaired (153 +/- 39 pg/mL, mean +/- SEM) compared to a group of 23 normal, healthy controls (301 +/- 18; P less than 0.01) and a group of 11 healthy, discordant monozygotic twins of type I diabetic patients (250 +/- 25, P less than 0.05). The glucagon concentrations in response to oral glucose were completely suppressed to undetectable levels in three of the patients studied. In view of the well-known observations of insulitis in the prediabetic phase in man and in experimental models of type I diabetes and anti-islet cytoplasmic antibodies directed against all islet cells, our observations suggest an impairment of A-cells during the evolution of type I diabetes.     

Effect of a hypoglycaemic sulphonylurea (HB419) and a non-metabolizable amino acid (BCH) on the insulin release and endogenous substrate metabolism of rat pancreatic islets

The effects of the hypoglycaemia sulphonylurea glibenclamide (HB419) and the non-metabolizable leucine analogue beta-2-aminobicyclo(2.2.1)heptane-2-carboxylic acid (BCH) on insulin release and endogenous substrate metabolism were studied in isolated rat islets. Pre-labelling of the endogenous islet substrate was performed with [14C]glucose (20 mM) or [14C]glutamine (10 mM) during a 24 h tissue culture period before measurements of insulin release or 14CO2 production in short-term incubations. Both HB419 and BCH stimulated the insulin release of the cultured islets, although BCH only after culture of islets with glutamine. The rate of labelling of the islets with [14C]glucose reached an apparent plateau after 16 h in culture and the total islet accumulation of glucose carbon over the 24 h period averaged 12.9 +/- 3.0 nmol/25 islets. Less than 0.5% of the glucose residues was converted to glycogen whereas lipids represented about 2.5%. Fractionation of lipids showed 67% phospholipids, 18% triacylglycerols, 11% diacylglycerols and 6% non-esterified fatty acid. The islet accumulation of glutamine during 24 h corresponded to 11.5 +/- 1.5 nmol/25 islets. After pre-labelling of islets with [14C]glucose there was no effect on the 14CO2-evolution over a 30 min incubation period of either HB419 or BCH. There was also no effect of HB419 after pre-labelling with [14C]glutamine, whereas, in this latter situation, a significant stimulation was observed with BCH. It is concluded that the effects on the pancreatic B-cells by antidiabetic sulphonylureas are not mediated via nutrient receptors.     

Leptin increases circulating glucose, insulin and glucagon via sympathetic neural activation in fasted mice.

OBJECTIVE: A number of recent studies suggest that leptin has effects on glucose metabolism and pancreatic hormone secretion. Therefore, the effect of leptin administration on circulating glucose, insulin and glucagon in fed and fasted mice was investigated. The potential contribution of the sympathetic nervous system to the effects of leptin was also examined. DESIGN: Recombinant human or murine leptin was administered intraperitoneally (300 microg/mouse per 12 h over 24 h) to fed or fasted, normal or chemically sympathectomized NMRI mice. Blood samples were collected at baseline and after 24 h. MEASUREMENTS: Plasma concentrations of glucose, insulin and glucagon. RESULTS: In the fed state (n = 24), leptin administration did not affect glucose, insulin or glucagon concentrations after 24 h. Fasting (n = 24) reduced body weight by 2.2+/-0.4 g, plasma glucose by 3.7+/-0.4 mmol/l, plasma insulin by 138+/-35 pmol/l, and plasma glucagon by 32+/-7 pg/ml. In fasted mice, human leptin (n = 24) increased plasma glucose by 1.5+/-0.2 mmol/l (P = 0.041), plasma insulin by 95+/-22 pmol/l (P = 0.018), and plasma glucagon by 16+/-3 pg/ml (P = 0.025), relative to saline-injected control animals. Murine leptin exerted similar stimulating effects on circulating glucose (+1.0+/-0.2 mmol/l, P = 0.046), insulin (+58+/-17 pmol/l, P = 0.038) and glucagon (+24+/-9 pg/ml, P = 0.018) as human leptin in fasted mice (n = 12) with no significant effect in fed mice (n = 12). Human leptin did not affect circulating glucose, insulin or glucagon in fasted mice after chemical sympathectomy with 6-hydroxydopamine (40 mg/kg iv 48 h prior to fasting; n = 12). CONCLUSION: Leptin increases circulating glucose, insulin and glucagon in 24 h fasted mice by a mechanism requiring intact sympathetic nerves.     

Not all insulin secretagogues sensitize pancreatic islets to recombinant human interleukin 1 beta.

The purpose of this study was to test the influence of different insulin secretagogues on interleukin 1 beta mediated injury to isolated rat pancreatic islets. Islets were exposed to interleukin 1 beta for 6 days. During exposure, beta-cells were stimulated with glucose (11 mmol/l vs 3.3 mmol/l) or with non-nutrients as tolbutamide (250 mumols/l), iso-butyl 1-methyl-xanthine (50 mumols/l), or glucagon (10 mg/l). At 3.3 mmol/l of glucose, 60,000 U/l of interleukin 1 beta caused an inhibition of medium insulin accumulation to 62 +/- 5% of control from 48 h to 6 days of exposure, whereas islet DNA content was unaffected. At 11 mmol/l of glucose, interleukin 1 beta dose-dependently decreased medium insulin accumulation (e.g. 60,000 U/l of interleukin 1 beta, 12 +/- 3% of control) and islet content of DNA (60,000 U/l of interleukin 1 beta, 60 +/- 8% of control). During beta-cell stimulation with tolbutamide, interleukin 1 beta caused inhibition of insulin accumulation to 36 +/- 9% of control. In contrast, on islets stimulated with iso-butyl 1-methyl-xanthine or glucagon, the effects of interleukin 1 beta were equivalent to those on non-stimulated islets. These differences were paralleled by differences in the interleukin 1 beta effect on islet morphology. In conclusion, high beta-cell activity (as measured by islet insulin release) may increase islet susceptibility to interleukin 1 beta, however, depending upon the intracellular pathway through which insulin secretion is activated.     

Does enteral glutamine modulate whole-body leucine kinetics in hypercatabolic dogs in a fed state?

To determine whether enteral glutamine alters whole-body leucine metabolism in a state of hypercatabolism, 6 dogs adapted to a normocaloric, low-protein diet received intramuscular dexamethasone (0.44 mg. kg(-1). d(-1)) for 1 week, during 2 separate study periods. On the last day of each period, intravenous infusions of L-[1-(13)C]leucine and L-[2-(15)N]glutamine were performed to assess whole-body leucine and glutamine metabolism, and duodenal biopsies were obtained to determine gut protein fractional synthesis rate (FSR), while dogs were receiving enteral nutrition. The nutrient mixture supplied 6.2 kcal. h(-1) nonprotein energy per kg(0.75) of body weight (84% glucose, 16% fat) and 0.2 g amino acid per kg(-0.75). h(-1); the nutrient mixture was glutamine-free on the "control day," and supplemented with 1,150 micromol. kg(-1). h(-1) natural L-glutamine on the "glutamine day." Glutamine supplementation induced an approximately 56% rise in plasma glutamine appearance rate (P <.05), and was associated with an approximately 26% reduction in leucine oxidation (P <.05) with no change in leucine release from protein breakdown or nonoxidative leucine disposal, an index of whole-body protein synthesis. Glutamine supplementation improved net leucine balance (protein synthesis-protein breakdown) (-26 +/- 4 v -48 +/- 11 micromol. kg(-1). h(-1); P <.05). In addition, glutamine enhanced intestinal protein FSR by approximately 22% in the 4 dogs where it was assessed. We conclude that, in hypercatabolic adult dogs in the fed state, enteral glutamine supplementation acutely decreases leucine oxidation and improves net leucine balance, and may thus preserve body protein.     

Five new insulin-producing cell lines with differing secretory properties

Five cell lines have been derived from a rat transplantable islet cell tumour using two different methods. The lines differ in morphology and contain and release different amounts of insulin and glucagon (insulin content, 1-90 pmol/10(6) cells; insulin release, 6-250 pmol/10(6) cells per 24 h; glucagon content, less than 0.005-35 pmol/10(6) cells; glucagon release, less than 0.05-10 pmol/10(6) cells per 24 h). All the lines responded to the presence of the secretagogues leucine (20 mmol/l) plus theophylline (5 mmol/l) by increasing the rate of release of insulin approximately twofold. A high extracellular concentration of potassium (40 mmol/l) caused a three- to tenfold calcium-dependent increase in release of insulin and a parallel release of glucagon. Increasing the concentration of glucose from 2.8 to 16.7 mmol/l did not alter the rate of insulin release by any of the cell lines.     

Structure-function relationships in pancreatic islets: support for intraislet modulation of insulin secretion

Pancreatic islet B cell function was studied in vitro using three structurally different preparations of islet tissues: isolated, intact islets, dispersed islet cells attached singly to microcarrier beads, and reaggregated islet cells. Mechanisms of intercellular communication are eliminated with single cell preparations, whereas in aggregates cell to cell communications are reestablished and a defined microenvironment restored. Perifusion studies measured nonstimulated and glucose- and arginine-stimulated insulin release from the three islet tissues. Insulin secretion rates were expressed as a function of cellular DNA content, permitting direct comparison between tissues. During perifusion with low (2.8 or 5.5 mM) glucose concentrations, secretion rates of single islet cells were up to 6-fold greater (P less than 0.001) than those of intact islets. Perifusion of islet cells with 2.8 mM glucose and 100 or 500 pg glucagon/ml had no effect whereas GH-release-inhibiting factor (330 and 1000 pg/ml) decreased nonstimulated insulin secretion rates by 15% (P less than 0.05). After reaggregation, basal insulin secretion rates were restored toward those of intact islets. Glucose (5.5-30 mM) and L-arginine (5-20 mM) elicited first phase insulin responses from single islet cells that were not significantly different from those observed with intact islets; in contrast, second phase responses of single islets to glucose were approximately 50% those seen with intact islets, and their second phase responses to arginine were absent. Single islet cell first and second phase insulin responses to 5.5 mM glucose were enhanced 2.2-fold (P less than 0.01) and 2.8-fold (P less than 0.05), respectively, in the presence of exogenous glucagon, resulting in secretory profiles characteristic of intact islets. Reaggregation of single islet cells was associated with markedly increased first and second phase insulin responses to both glucose and arginine stimulation. These data show that disruption of the islet microanatomy results in alteration of insulin secretory responses and that these effects can be reversed, in part by exogenous glucagon and GH-release-inhibiting factor, and by reaggregation. Although different mechanisms appear important for nonstimulated, first and second phase insulin release, the findings support a role for both direct intercellular communication and hormonal secretion by islet A and D cells in the modulation of B cell function.     

Evidence that hyperglycemia increases muscarinic binding in pancreatic islets of the rat

We studied the effects of fasting and of diabetes on binding of [3H]methylscopolamine to pancreatic islets of the rat. In nondiabetic rats, fasting for 36 h decreased binding of the muscarinic antagonist by 33% (P less than 0.05). Fasting also abolished the insulin response to 10 microM acetylcholine. Diabetes was induced by injecting streptozotocin (STZ) neonatally in rats. At the time of the experiments (6-10 weeks of age) these rats exhibited hyperglycemia (12.6 +/- 1.0 vs. 7.1 +/- 0.3 mM blood glucose in nondiabetics) but had a normal weight. Relative to islets from age- and sex-matched nondiabetic rats, islets from STZ rats were smaller (0.7 +/- 0.1 vs. 1.9 +/- 0.2 nl islet volume) and contained less insulin (218 +/- 33 vs. 1390 +/- 71 microU/islet). When calculated per islet volume, binding of [3H]methylscopolamine to STZ islets was enhanced by 80% in comparison to binding to normal islets (P less than 0.001). Scatchard analysis indicated that enhanced binding was due to increased number of binding sites. Cholinergic-induced insulin release, as assessed by carbamylcholine, was 37% higher in STZ than in normal islets (P less than 0.05) when expressed per islet volume and 3- to 4-fold enhanced in STZ islets when expressed per islet insulin content. Insulin treatment of STZ rats for 3 days lowered blood glucose, diminished binding of [3H]methylscopolamine, and abolished carbamylcholine-induced insulin secretion. We conclude that the level of glycemia in vivo participates in the regulation of the number of muscarinic receptors in the pancreatic islet and that such regulation is associated with changes in cholinergic-induced insulin secretion.     

How does glucose regulate the human pancreatic A cell in vivo?

Summary To investigate the mechanism whereby changes in plasma glucose level alter human pancreatic A-cell activity in vivo, A-cell activity was determined during manipulation of plasma glucose and pancreatic B-cell activity by insulin and glucose infusions. A-cell activity (the acute immunoreactive glucagon response to intravenous arginine, 0–10 min) rose from 482±125 to 968±191 pg · ml^-1 · 10 min^-1 (mean±SEM) when the plasma C-peptide level (a measure of B-cell activity) was suppressed from 2164±365 to 872±162 pg/ml by an insulin infusion at euglycaemia (employing the glucose clamp technique) in six normal subjects. Raising plasma glucose to 6.7 mmol/l during the same insulin infusion returned mean C-peptide (2688±581 pg/ml) and the acute glucagon response to arginine (447±146 pg · ml^-1 · 10 min^-1) close to basal levels. Individual changes in the acute glucagon response to arginine followed the C-peptide changes. The mean change in the acute glucagon response to arginine per unit change in plasma glucose (-191±36) was similar to that seen when plasma glucose was raised to twice basal levels in six different subjects without an insulin infusion (-159±45). This suggests that, when plasma glucose is raised to about twice basal level in vivo, the major factor in suppressing A-cell activity is the concurrent change in B-cell activity rather than direct effects of glucose or circulating insulin on the A cell.     

Characterization and control of pulsatile secretion of insulin and glucagon

Periodic oscillation of insulin and glucagon by isolated mice islets has been studied. Pulsatile secretion of insulin and glucagon was observed at all glucose concentrations tested. The frequency of oscillation per 20 min for glucagon was 5.0 +/- 0.26 and for insulin 4.0 +/- 0.26 (n = 6), approximating to periodicities of 4 and 5 min, respectively. These did not change by increasing the glucose concentration to 11.1 or 22.2 mM from 5.5 mM (basal). The maximal amplitude of glucagon secretion was not altered by raising the glucose concentration to 11.1 mM from basal. However, 22.2 mM glucose significantly suppressed the amount of glucagon released when compared with glucagon secretion in the presence of 5.5 mM glucose. In contrast, the maximal amplitude of insulin increased from 444.2 +/- 37.7 to 777.2 +/- 61.4 and from 271.8 +/- 35 to 701 +/- 26.5 pg/min (p less than 0.01, n = 6) by switching from basal to 11.1 and 22.2 mM glucose, respectively. We conclude from this study that the pacemaker controlling pulsatile secretion of insulin and glucagon is within the islet. Although the amplitude of secretion of these hormones is regulated by the ambient glucose concentration, the frequency of their pulsatile secretion is not.     

Genetically obese rats with (SHR/N-cp) and without diabetes (LA/N-cp) share abnormal islet responses to glucose.

To assess the effect of hyperglycemia on the function of islets obtained from obese rats, the behavior of isolated islets from LA/N-corpulent (nondiabetic obese) and SHR/N-corpulent (diabetic obese) male rats was examined and compared. Islets from both genetic models showed a left-shifted glucose dose-response curve for insulin release (concentrations for half-maximal release, 5 to 6 mmol/L v 12 to 13 mmol/L in LA/N lean littermates and 3 mmol/L v 10 mmol/L in lean SHR/N). When insulin release was expressed per unit islet volume, the fourfold to fivefold enlarged islets from both obese diabetic and obese nondiabetic rats showed decreased insulin secretory response in high (16.5 to 28 mmol/L) glucose concentrations, although the decrease was more severe in the diabetic rats. Glucose-stimulated insulin release by islets from both models was relatively resistant to inhibition by 1.2 mmol/L mannoheptulose (eg, 82% +/- 3% inhibition in LA/N lean v 16% +/- 8% in LA/N obese), although nearly complete inhibition was observed with 16 mmol/L mannoheptulose (96% v 85%, NS). Islets of obese diabetic rats were also resistant to the calcium-channel blocker, verapamil, suggesting an abnormal pathway of stimulus-secretion coupling for glucose. Glucose oxidation to carbon dioxide was increased in both obese models at all glucose concentrations when expressed per islet. In data expressed per unit volume, the larger islets from the obese-nondiabetic rats showed a left-shifted dose-response curve with an unchanged maximum rate of glucose oxidation at high (16.5 mmol/L) glucose concentrations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Aromatic amino acids and pancreatic islet function: a comparison of L-tryptophan and L-5-hydroxytryptophan

L-Tryptophan (4 mM) did not affect insulin release at 3 mM glucose but strongly potentiated glucose-induced (10 mM) insulin release in microdissected ob/ob mouse islets. The effect was concentration dependent with half-maximum at about 5 mM. 10 mM L-glutamate also enhanced the effect of 10 mM D-glucose on insulin release but L-phenylalanine, L-tyrosine, L-alanine, glycine and L-glutamine did not. 0.1 mM benserazide and 0.1 mM alpha-monofluoromethyldopa did not inhibit the effect of L-tryptophan. 1 mM aminooxyacetate reduced the potentiating effect of L-tryptophan but not that of L-5-hydroxytryptophan. 10 mM indole pyruvate stimulated basal insulin release but inhibited the effect of glucose. 10 mM L-glutamine did not enhance the stimulatory effect of indole pyruvate. 10 mM L-5-hydroxytryptophan reduced the effect of 10 mM L-glutamine on glucose oxidation. L-5-Hydroxytryptophan did not influence 14CO2 production from islets preloaded with [14C]glutamine but reduced the oxidation rate when [14C]glutamine was present in the incubation medium. Both L-tryptophan and L-5-hydroxytryptophan potentiate insulin release. The underlying mechanisms probably differ but do not seem to involve transaminations. The effect of L-5-hydroxytryptophan may be coupled to the activity of aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase.     

L-谷氨酰胺对克隆的胰岛β细胞株INS-1E细胞和小鼠胰岛的急性刺激作用

目的探讨L-谷氨酰胺对INS-1E细胞和小鼠胰岛分泌胰岛素的作用。方法INS-1E细胞经传代培养2d后，在Krebs-Ringer缓冲液中37℃培养箱预培养30min，再用含有不同浓度葡萄糖和不同浓度L-谷氨酰胺的改良Krebs-Ringer缓冲液培养60min，然后留取上清液进行胰岛素测定。雌性NMRI小鼠，6～10周龄，苯巴比妥腹腔麻醉，应用胶原酶技术消化胰腺分离胰岛，置于RPMI1640培养皿中在37℃培养箱（5％CO2，95％空气）过夜培养。次日在Krebs-Ringer缓冲液中37℃水浴培养箱预培养30min，然后分别把单个胰岛小心放入100bd含有不同浓度葡萄糖和不同浓度L-谷氨酰胺的改良Krebs-Ringer缓冲液37℃水浴培养箱培养60min，然后留取50μ1上清液进行胰岛素测定。结果L-谷氨酰胺在0．1～5mmol／L范围不增加葡萄糖刺激的INS-1E细胞的胰岛素分泌，仅10～20mmol／L的L-谷氨酰胺促进葡萄糖诱导的胰岛素分泌。L-谷氨酰胺在0．1～10mmol／L范围不促进葡萄糖诱导的小鼠胰岛的胰岛素分泌，仅20mmol／L的L-谷氨酰胺促进葡萄糖诱导的胰岛素分泌。结论大剂量L-谷氨酰胺能增加葡萄糖诱导的INS-1E细胞和小鼠胰岛分泌胰岛素。