Function of microdissected pancreatic islets cultured in a chemically defined medium. I. Insulin content and release

Summary Microdissected pancreatic islets from non-inbredob/ob-mice, were cultured for 6 or 7 days in serum-free tissue culture medium 199. The insulin content of the islets decreased 60% during culture in 17 mM or 28 mM glucose and about 70% in the presence of 3.3 mM or 5.6 mM glucose. At the end of a culture period in high glucose, the sum of the insulin in the islet plus that in the culture medium was almost twice as high as the insulin content of fresh islets, indicating an active insulin biosynthesis. The maximal insulin response to glucose after culture in 17 mM or 28 mM glucose was about 40% of that in fresh islets; after culture in 3.3 mM glucose it was 10%. Half-maximal stimulation was observed at a glucose concentration of 5 mM for islets cultured with high glucose as compared to 9 mM for fresh islets. Like glucose, glibenclamide was a more effective insulin stimulator after culture with a high glucose concentration than with a low one. However, leucine-induced insulin release was not affected by the glucose concentration in the preceding culture medium. Whereas potentiation of glucose-stimulated release by arginine or dibutyryl-cAMP was independent of glucose concentration during the culture, theophylline released three times more insulin when the islets had been cultured with high glucose.     

Glucose enhances adenylyl cyclase responses in normal but not diabetic GK rat islets

In the GK rat model of type 2 diabetes, adenylyl cyclase (AC) expression and stimulation are increased. Whether the prevalent glucose level has any effects on AC responses is, however, unclear. We have studied concurrent insulin release and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) generation in response to 5 microM forskolin in islets cultured for 48 hours in 5.5 or 11 mM glucose. Insulin release was impaired in GK rat islets, irrespective of culture condition, in response to 3.3 and 16.7 mM glucose and was fully restored by forskolin through exaggerated insulin responses. Stimulation of normal islets with 5 microM forskolin elicited different islet cAMP responses, which were dependent on the dose of glucose in the culture medium. Thus in normal islets cultured in 11 mM glucose, forskolin increased cAMP levels fivefold to sixfold at 3.3 and 16.7 mM glucose, whereas forskolin increased cAMP levels only twofold in islets cultured at 5.5 mM glucose. In GK islets, forskolin induced a consistently exaggerated approximately eightfold increase in cAMP generation irrespective of glucose concentration in the culture medium. In conclusion, culturing normal islets at hyperglycemic glucose levels (11 mM) primed and markedly enhanced cAMP generation in response to forskolin.     

Studies on insulin degradation inside the pancreatic B-cell: evidence for a regulating role of glucose

The present study aimed at testing whether insulin degradation inside the pancreatic B-cell is regulated by insulin release or by glucose per se. Radioactively prelabelled isolated rat islets were cultured in unlabelled medium for 24 h. During that chase period the media contained (a) 50 or 300 mg glucose/dl alone or (b) together with 100 micrograms diazoxide/ml and (c) 50 mg glucose/dl without or with 10 mM L-leucine or 300 mg glucose/dl. The content of labelled (pro-)insulin in islets and media was measured and related to degradation. No degradation was found at the high glucose concentration, not even when insulin release was blocked by diazoxide. Degradation was also inhibited in the presence of leucine. The results suggest that glucose per se or its metabolism prevents insulin from being degraded inside the B-cell.     

Peptidergic regulation of maturation of the stimulus-secretion coupling in fetal islet beta cells

The stimulus-secretion coupling of the insulin-producing pancreatic islet beta cell is subject to functional maturation during fetal life. We studied the maturation of a glucose-responsive insulin release from fetal rat islets and specifically investigated the impact of peptidergic regulation. To this end, islets were isolated from 21-day-old fetal rats and maintained for 7 days in tissue culture at 3.3 or 11.1 mM glucose and various supplements. In islets cultured in low glucose, acutely raising the ambient glucose concentration to 16.7 mM evoked a modest stimulation of short-term insulin release that was more pronounced in islets maintained in high glucose. Moreover, the insulin content was much higher in islets cultured in high than in low glucose. Culture with growth hormone (GH) markedly amplified both basal and stimulated short-term insulin secretion from islets maintained in either low or high glucose. Additionally, GH significantly elevated the insulin content in islets maintained in low glucose. Transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha) increased basal, but not glucose-stimulated, insulin release and insulin content in islets cultured in low glucose. Gastrin, expressed in islets during fetal life, did not affect basal or glucose-stimulated insulin release, or insulin content, in islets maintained in either low or high glucose. The addition of gastrin to TGF-alpha did not affect the results obtained with the latter peptide. Gastrin-releasing peptide failed to influence basal or glucose-responsive insulin secretory rates, and insulin content, at either glucose concentration during culture. The somatostatin analog Sandostatin (octreotide acetate) neither influenced basal nor stimulated short-term insulin release at any glucose concentration present during culture, whereas the hormone significantly decreased the insulin content of islets cultured in high glucose. Pancreastatin, produced by porcine islet beta and delta cells, failed to influence basal or glucose-responsive insulin secretory rates, and islet insulin content, at either glucose concentration during culture. Culture with gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP) or glucagon-like peptide I (GLP-1), two proposed incretins, did not affect short-term insulin secretion in response to 3.3 or 16.7 mM glucose irrespective of the ambient glucose concentration during culture. To the contrary, GLP-1, but not GIP, increased the content of insulin in islets cultured in low glucose. We conclude that islet beta-cell differentiation and functional maturation of the stimulus-secretion coupling can be modulated in vitro in fetal rat pancreatic tissue by peptidergic regulation and glycemic stimulation. We suggest that GH and TGF-alpha stimulate, while somatostatin, through paracrine interaction, may inhibit, these processes. These effectors may be of regulatory significance in the in vivo development of glucose-sensitive beta cells, and defects in these mechanisms may result in glucose intolerance in adult subjects.     

Altered proinsulin conversion in rat pancreatic islets exposed long-term to various glucose concentrations or interleukin-1beta

In order to elucidate a possible relationship between beta-cell function and conversion of proinsulin to insulin, isolated rat pancreatic islets were maintained in tissue culture for 1 week at various glucose concentrations (5 x 6-56 mM). Studies were also conducted on islets cultured for 48 h with interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta). By pulse-chase labelling and immunoprecipitation, the relative contents of newly synthesized proinsulin and insulin were determined. ELISA was used to analyse insulin and proinsulin content in medium and within islets. Using real-time PCR, the mRNA levels of proinsulin converting enzymes (PC1 and PC2) were studied. Islets cultured at 56 mM glucose had an increased proportion of newly synthesized proinsulin when compared with islets cultured at 5 x 6 mM glucose after a 90-min chase periods, however, no difference was observed after culture at 11 and 28 mM glucose. ELISA measurements revealed that culture at increased glucose concentrations as well as islet exposure to IL-1beta increased proinsulin accumulation in the culture media. The mRNA expression of PC1 was increased after culture at 11 and 28 mM glucose. Treatment for 48 h with IL-1beta increased the proportion of proinsulin both at 45 and 90 min when compared with control islets. These islets also displayed a decreased mRNA level of PC1 as well as PC2. Calculations of the half-time for proinsulin demonstrated a significant prolongation after treatment with IL-1beta. We conclude that a sustained functional stimulation by glucose of islets is coupled to a decreased conversion of proinsulin which is also true for islets treated with IL-1beta. This may contribute to the elevated levels of proinsulin found both at the onset of type 1 diabetes as well as in type 2 diabetes.     

Can desensitization of the B-cell to D-glucose be simulated in cultured pancreatic islets?

Summary In order to investigate the phenomenon of B-cell desensitization to D-glucose, rat pancreatic islets were cultured for 20–44h in the presence of increasing concentrations of D-glucose in the 5.6 to 27.8 mM range, and then incubated for 30 to 120 min for measurement of secretory, metabolic and ionic variables. After culture in the presence of 5.6 mM D-glucose, the release of insulin evoked by D-glucose (16.7 mM) was less marked than that seen in islets cultured in the presence of 11.1 mM D-glucose. In the latter islets, the secretory response to D-glucose (8.3 mM or more) was still modest, especially over short periods of incubation, but was markedly enhanced by either theophylline or forskolin. The release of insulin evoked by D-glucose in the presence of theophylline was little affected by either Ca²⁺ concentration of the culture medium or length of culture period (20hvs 44h). The culture-induced alteration in the responsiveness to D-glucose coincided with a smaller relative increase of D-[5³H]glucose utilization, D-[U-¹⁴C]glucose oxidation or net⁴⁵Ca uptake at increasing concentrations of the hexose. It contrasted with a well-preserved secretory response to nonnutrient secretagogues. Although these findings could be interpreted as evidence of B-cell desensitization to D-glucose, the fact that the secretory behavior of the islets was not vastly different whether they were first cultured at physiological (8.3 mM) or higher (11.1 to 27.8 mM) concentrations of D-glucose suggests that this experimental design may not be an optimal model for the functional alteration of the B-cell in hyperglycemic non-insulin-dependent diabetic subjects.     

Changes of fatty acid composition in incubated rat pancreatic islets

OBJECTIVE: The hypothesis that changes in fatty acId composition of pancreatic islets occur during incubation was investigated. METHODS: The content and composition of fatty acIds (FA) from rat pancreatic islets and culture medium after incubation for 1 and 3 hours in the absence or in the presence of 5.6, 8.3, or 16.7 mM glucose were determined by HPLC analysis. RESULTS: The FA content of pancreatic islets was reduced after 1 hour incubation in the absence of glucose. However, the total FA content was restored by incubating in the presence of 5.6 mM glucose and exceeded by incubating in the presence of 8.3 mM or 16.7 mM glucose. Saturated FA contributed a substantially greater proportion of the total FA increase in comparison to unsaturated FA, being palmitic and stearic acIds the most important. The total lipId content of pancreatic islets was not increased if the period of incubation in the presence of glucose was extended to 3 hours. A substantial amount of FA was found in the medium after 1 hour incubation in the absence of glucose: 141 ng per 80 islets for saturated and 75 ng per 80 islets for unsaturated. The release of FA from islets is increased in the presence of glucose. CONCLUSION: The release of FA from islets is a novel finding and may be related to modulation of B-cell function.     

Prolactin regulates adenylyl cyclase and insulin secretion in rat pancreatic islets

A role for prolactin (PRL) in the regulation of adenylyl cyclase (AC), cyclic AMP (cAMP) formation and insulin secretion was studied in isolated rat pancreatic islets cultured for 4 days at 5.5 mM glucose in the absence (control) or presence of PRL (500 ng/ml). In PRL-treated islets, stimulation by glucose (8 mM), carbamylcholine chloride (CCh) and phorbol dibutyrate increased cAMP levels 40, 89, and 151%, respectively, above similarly stimulated control islets without PRL. Moreover, insulin secretion in PRL-treated islets was more than doubled in response to 8 mM glucose plus glucagon-like peptide 1 compared with control islets. PRL also increased protein kinase C (PKC) activity in cultured islets. When islets were cultured at an insulin secretion desensitizing concentration of glucose (11 mM) for 4 days, there was a decrease in forskolin-stimulated cAMP production. However, the presence of PRL with 11 mM glucose prevented the glucose-induced decrease in cAMP production. Insulin secretion in response to 17 mM glucose was also higher (P<0.02) in islets cultured with 11 mM glucose plus PRL compared with islets cultured with 11 mM glucose alone. Islet AC types -III, -V, and -VI mRNA levels increased relative to 18s rRNA following PRL treatment. In contrast, culture at 11 mM glucose decreased relative AC-III, -V and -VI mRNA levels by as much as 50%. Culture with PRL prevented the decrease in AC expression during islet culture with 11 mM glucose, and the mRNA levels remained similar to control islets cultured at 5.5 mM glucose. Thus, PRL not only increased islet AC expression and activity and insulin secretory responsiveness, but also protected islets from chronic glucose-induced inhibition of these beta-cell activation parameters.     

Fluorescence of oxidized flavoproteins from perifused isolated pancreatic islets

In perifused pancreatic islets, the fluorescence of oxidized flavoproteins (FAD) was recorded continuously. Elevation of glucose concentration in the medium form 0 or 5 mM to 20 mM led to decrease in FAD-fluorescence beginning 10 sec after change of medium. L-leucine (10 mM), (+/-)-B-BCH (20 mM) and alpha-ketoisocaproic acid (10 mM) caused typical kinetics of FAD-fluorescence decrease. The results are interpreted to indicate rapid changes of the functional state of B-cell mitochondria induced by the above-mentioned stimulators of insulin release.     

Long-term effects of glibenclamide on the insulin production,oxidative metabolism and quantitative ultrastructure of mouse pancreatic islets maintained in tissue culture at different glucose concentrations

Summary In order to evaluate long-term effects of sulphonylureas on pancreatic islet structure and function, isolated mouse islets were maintained in tissue culture for one week at various glucose concentrations, and in the absence or presence of glibenclamide. When the islets were cultured at 3.3 or 5.5 mmol/1, but not at 16.7 mmol/1 glucose, it was found that the drug stimulated insulin secretion into the culture medium during the initial 3 days of culture. During the remainder of the culture period no such enhancement of secretion was demonstrated. Insulin release due to glibenclamide apparently resulted in rapid depletion of intracellular insulin stores. The finding of an enlarged B-cell Golgi apparatus in the drug-treated islets was probably associated with granule discharge. The failure of glibenclamide to promote insulin secretion during the whole culture period could reflect the adverse effects of the drug on islet insulin biosynthesis as indicated by short-term experiments performed after culture. Similar experiments showed that the impaired insulin biosynthesis could not be restored by withdrawal of the drug from the culture medium for 3 days. Furthermore, the capacity for insulin release in response to an acute glucose challenge at the end of the culture period, was abolished by culture in the presence of glibenclamide. The drug effects on insulin biosynthesis and intracellular insulin stores, which were most pronounced at 5.5 mmol/1 glucose, possibly resulted from changes in B-cell metabolism as suggested by the diminished islet glucose-oxidation rate. The spatial characteristics of islet mitochondria indicated that these changes might involve an adaptation to substrates other than glucose. In conclusion, our findings suggest that sulphonylureas have an insulinotropic effect, which is however transient. Indeed, it rather seems as if long-term exposure of islet B-cells to sulphonylureasin vitro were accompanied by functional deficiency.     

Effect of stimulators such as GLP-1, PACAP,and nicotinamide on glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from porcine pancreatic endocrine cells in long-term culture

INTRODUCTION: Transplantation of glucose-responsive insulin-secreting cells has the potential to result in a cure for diabetes. AIM: To report the development of a model of adult porcine pancreatic endocrine cells (PE cells) exhibiting glucose-stimulated insulin secretion during a long-term culture period, in vitro. METHODOLOGY: The PE cells were prepared by non-enzymatic digestion and purified by modifying a technique developed in our laboratory. The cells were first cultured for 7 days in RPMI-1640 medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum and 10 mM nicotinamide. On adhesion to the culture flasks, cells were collected by trypsinization, and then cultured in tissue culture dishes in medium with or without stimulators such as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP), and nicotinamide. The ability of the cells to respond to glucose-stimulated insulin secretion was also observed with and without stimulators. The immunocytochemical studies demonstrated pancreatic islets with well-preserved insulin and glucagon-containing cells. The morphologic integrity of cultured porcine cells was observed for up to 5-6 weeks after the purification. RESULTS: At a concentration of 3.3 mM glucose, PACAP and nicotinamide did not affect glucose-dependent insulin secretion, whereas 10 nM GLP-1 stimulated insulin secretion significantly. However, when glucose concentration was increased to 20 mM, 10 nM GLP-1 had no effect on insulin secretion. We also demonstrated that GLP-1 and PACAP could maintain insulin secretion better than control in the culture up to 5 weeks. Also GLP-1 and PACAP increased the number of insulin-secreting cells in culture. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that GLP-1 and PACAP increased the number of pancreatic beta-cells in culture.     

Morphological and functional characteristics of islets neoformed during tissue culture of fetal rat pancreas

Cell suspensions prepared by collagenase digestion of the pancreas of rat fetuses (21.5 days) were cultured for 7-9 days in RPMI medium containing 10 mM glucose. Exocrine cells disappeared rapidly, whereas fibroblasts and endocrine cells proliferated. These latter were first arranged in monolayers but progressively reorganized in neoformed islets essentially composed of B-cells. Total insulin content of the culture dishes increased until day 9, and fractional insulin release was about 20% per day. After 1 week, islets incubated in glucose-free medium released less than 1% of their insulin content over 2 h. Glucose (16.7 mM) caused a slower and weaker (3-fold) stimulation than 10 mM leucine or arginine (3-5-fold). The effects of the three secretagogues were potentiated by theophylline, but only those of glucose and leucine were inhibited by diazoxide. These neoformed islets thus retain a fetal character (relatively low responsiveness to glucose), but the stimulus-specificity of the inhibition by diazoxide is the same as in adult islets. This technique may be useful for studying the mechanisms which govern the organization of pancreatic endocrine cells in islets, and which underlie their functional maturation during the perinatal period.     

Prevention by metformin of alterations induced by chronic exposure to high glucose in human islet beta cells is associated with preserved ATP/ADP ratio

Aim

We have explored whether the insulin secretory defects induced by glucotoxicity in human pancreatic islets could be prevented by metformin and investigated some of the possible mechanisms involved.

Methods

Human pancreatic islets and INS-1E cells were cultured for 24 h with or without high glucose (16.7 mM) concentration in the presence or absence of therapeutical concentration of metformin and then glucose-stimulated insulin release, adenine nucleotide levels and mitochondrial complex I and II activities were measured. Islet ultrastructure was analyzed by electron microscopy.

Results

Compared to control islets, human islets cultured with high glucose showed a reduced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion that was associated with lower ATP levels and a lower ATP/ADP ratio. These functional and biochemical defects were significantly prevented by the presence of metformin in the culture medium, that was also able to significantly inhibit the activity of mitochondrial complex I especially in beta cells exposed to high glucose. Ultrastructural observations showed that mitochondrial volume density was significantly increased in high glucose cultured islets. The critical involvement of mitochondria was further supported by the observation of remarkably swollen organelles with dispersed matrix and fragmented cristae. Metformin was able to efficiently prevent the appearance of all these ultrastructural alterations in human islets exposed to high glucose.

Conclusions

Our results show that the functional, biochemical and ultrastructural abnormalities observed in human islet cells exposed to glucotoxic condition can be significantly prevented by metformin, further highlighting a direct beneficial effect of this drug on the insulin secreting human pancreatic beta cells.     

Isolated mouse pancreatic islets in culture: Effects of serum and different culture media on the insulin production of the islets

Summary Various conditions for tissue culture of collagenase-isolated mouse pancreatic islets were studied in an attempt to optimize the maintenance of glucose stimulated insulin biosynthesis and release in the cultured specimens. Islets which had been cultured at a physiological glucose concentration (5.5 mmol/l) in the absence of serum had an impaired glucose-stimulated insulin biosynthesis and release as well as a reduced insulin content. Thus, insulin biosynthesis was three times higher after culture in a serum supplemented medium. Further, the insulin secretion of islets cultured in the presence of serum was markedly enhanced in acute incubations with high concentrations of glucose. This response was most pronounced in islets which had been cultured free-floating. A comparison between different culture media showed that islets cultured in RPMI 1640 had the highest insulin production. The present data suggest that the most favourable conditions for long-term storage of isolated islets in culture may be obtained when the islets are maintained as free-floating explants in a culture medium consisting of RPMI 1640 supplemented with serum.     

The desensitization of normal B-cells to glucose in vitro is transient and not related to high glucose levels

To examine the postulated phenomenon of glucotoxicity toward the B-cell, islets isolated from normal adult rats were cultured for 1-6 days in RPMI medium at various glucose concentrations. Insulin release and (pro)insulin biosynthesis by these islets were then measured in short term incubations. The 1-day cultured islets (at 9.7 mM glucose) displayed a deficient glucose-stimulated insulin release which was partially restored in the presence of forskolin (5 microM). By contrast they exhibited a consistent insulin release in response to ketoisocaproate (10 mM), 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (2 microM), or the combination of Ba2+ (2 mM) and theophylline (1.4 mM) in the absence of extracellular Ca2+. Desensitization of their B-cells was not specific for glucose, since glyceraldehyde (10 mM) or leucine (10 mM) also failed to stimulate insulin release. Desensitization was not related to glucose concentration (5.6, 9.7, or 16.7 mM) in the medium during the 1-day culture period and was restricted to the secretory function, with no impairment of the biosynthesis process. The desensitization to glucose was transient, and high glucose levels (9.7 and 16.7 mM) in the culture medium favored restoration of the subsequent secretory response to the hexose. Under conditions of recovery of B-cell sensitivity to glucose in vitro (5 days at 9.7 mM glucose), the secretory response to acute glucose was in fact significantly enhanced after an additional exposure (1 day) to very high glucose levels (22 or 55 mM). The present results argue against 1) the possibility that islets suffer from some unspecific decreased viability after a 1-day culture period; and 2) the hypothesis that glucose insensitivity in the 1-day cultured islets is primarily caused by a direct deleterious effect of high glucose concentrations on the B-cells. They, rather, reinforce the view that high glucose levels are actually crucial in the preservation of the insulin secretory response to glucose of islets maintained in tissue culture.     

Studies on the mechanisms causing inhibition of insulin secretion in rat pancreatic islets exposed to human interleukin-1 beta indicate a perturbation in the mitochondrial function

This study aimed at a more detailed characterization of the mechanisms by which interleukin 1 (IL-1) inhibits insulin secretion. For this purpose, isolated rat pancreatic islets were kept in tissue culture for 5 days in medium RPMI 1640 plus 10% calf serum. The islets were subsequently transferred to the same culture medium containing various test substances plus 1% human serum with or without 25 U/ml human recombinant IL-1 beta. After a culture period of 48 h the islet structure was examined in the electron microscope and the islet function studied in short term incubations in the absence of IL-1. Islets exposed to IL-1 showed ultrastructural signs of degeneration in 10-20% of the B cells while such changes were not found in other types of islet cells. An increased number of secondary lysosomes and occasional myelin figures were observed in the B cells exposed to IL-1. These ultrastructural alterations were, however, reversed in islets cultured in cytokine-free medium for 6 days after the IL-1 treatment. In islets cultured in the presence of 11.1 mM glucose only, or 11.1 mM glucose plus 10 mM nicotinamide, 61 mM dimethyl area, 2 micrograms/ml indomethacin, 10 microM 4-bromophenacyl bromide or 10 microM nordihydroguaiaretic acid, 10 microM phenantroline, and 0.1 or 1.0 microgram/ml cyclosporin A, IL-1 reduced the insulin release by 64-85%. Culture at 5.6 mM glucose did not modify the IL-1-induced inhibition of insulin release, whereas a significant protective effect was observed at 28 or 56 mM glucose. The DNA content in IL-1-exposed islets cultured at 11.1 mM glucose was decreased by about 20% but not in islets cultured at other glucose concentrations. The D-[5-3H]glucose utilization at 16.7 mM glucose was unaffected by IL-1, whereas the oxidation of D-[6-14C]glucose was reduced by 50%. The present results suggest that IL-1-induced inhibition of insulin secretion is related to a disturbed mitochondrial function. This effect is not counteracted by a poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase inhibitor, a hydroxyl radical scavenger, an iron chelator, a T lymphocyte-specific immunosuppressive drug, or inhibitors of phospholipase A2 or inhibitors of prostaglandin and leukotriene synthesis. Thus, IL-1-induced inhibition of insulin secretion seems not to be mediated by the same mechanisms as those causing alloxan- or streptozotocin-induced damage of B cells. Furthermore, the action of IL-1 does not appear to be mediated via arachidonic acid metabolism. Glucose affords some protection, probably by enhancing the B cell mitochondrial function.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Glucose affects in vitro maturation of fetal rat islets

Fetal pancreatic islets (21.5 days old) were cultured in RPMI 1640 containing either 2.8 or 11.1 mM glucose for 7 days. After the 7-day culture period, islets cultured in 2.8 mM glucose demonstrated a minimal first phase of insulin secretion in response to acute glucose stimulation, whereas islets cultured in 11.1 mM glucose demonstrated a biphasic insulin secretory pattern. Islets cultured in 11.1 mM glucose initiated insulin secretion at 4.4 +/- 0.1 mM glucose and plateaued at 11.6 mM glucose when exposed to a linear gradient. In addition, culture in 11.1 mM glucose increased DNA content (P less than 0.01) and [3H]thymidine incorporation (P less than 0.05) in fetal islets. However, ultrastructural morphometric analysis indicated that the actual number of beta-cells within islets cultured in either 2.8 or 11.1 mM glucose did not increase. The insulin contents of islets cultured in 2.8 and 11.1 mM glucose were 0.46 +/- 0.06 and 1.14 +/- 0.10 mU/islet, respectively. During subsequent glucose stimulation, islets cultured in 2.8 and 11.1 mM glucose released 3% and 5.6% of their total insulin content, respectively. Ultrastructural morphometric analysis indicated that 11.1 mM glucose stimulated an increase in the volume of individual beta-cells, i.e. hypertrophy. The hypertrophy of beta-cells within islets cultured in 11.1 mM glucose resulted in a concomitant increase in islet volume. Finally, the hypertrophy of beta-cells within islets cultured in 11.1 mM glucose was a result of increased volumes of mitochondria, secretory granules, and, to the greatest extent, endoplasmic reticulum. These findings indicate that glucose is a potent factor in the maturation of cultured fetal rat islets.     

Long-term effect of Ph on B-cell function in isolated islets of langerhans in tissue culture

Summary Collagenase isolated mouse pancreatic islets were maintained in tissue culture for up to 5 months in a culture medium buffered with Hepes and the pH varying between 6.8 and 7.6. The amount of insulin released into the medium and the insulin response to glucose and glucose plus theophylline were measured during the culture period. It was found that islets cultured at pH 7.2 maintained the ability to release insulin into the medium for at least 5 months, which was longer than islets cultured at the other pH values. During the first weeks, the islets cultured at pH 7.6 had a higher response to both glucose and glucose plus theophylline than islets cultured at the other pH values, but later they lost their insulin releasing ability.     

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.     

Specific glucose protection of pancreatic beta-cell function during culture in chemically defined medium.

Microdissected pancreatic islets from non-inbred ob/ob-mice were cultured for 7 days in modified tissue culture medium 199 lacking serum. When 3 mM glucose was present during culture little or no insulin response to glucose stimulation was observed during the following incubation. Culture with 18 mM glucose on the other hand resulted in good preservation of glucose-stimulated insulin release, especially if release into the culture medium had been inhibited by lack of Ca++. High concentrations of leucine or its non-metabolizable analogue, 2-aminobicyclo(2,2,1)heptane-2-carboxylic acid (BCH), stimulated insulin release into the culture medium but did not preserve glucose-stimulated insulin release. When compared to previously published fresh-islet levels, culture with 3 mM glucose alone or in combination with high concentrations of leucine or BCH resulted in a substantial loss of beta-cell insulin. This loss was less marked after culture with 18 mM glucose, and completely abolished if no Ca++ was included in the high glucose medium. The data indicate that glucose has a specific effect in protecting some glucoreceptor mechanism of the beta-cells during culture.