In vivo administration of interleukin-1 inhibits glucose-stimulated insulin release

Recombinant interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) was administered intraperitoneally for 3 days to normal C57BL/6ByJ (B6) mice. The islets from IL-1-treated and control animals were isolated and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion studied in the perifusion system. The total islet insulin content and the ultrastructure of the islets isolated from the animals treated with IL-1 did not differ from those seen in control animals. However, glucose-stimulated insulin release was significantly impaired after 3 days of in vivo administration of IL-1, either 3 micrograms/animal/day or 0.3 micrograms/animal/day. The administration of IL-1 inhibited an acute phase of glucose-induced insulin release, whereas neither basal insulin secretion nor insulin release from 10-30 min of perifusion with glucose was impaired. There was an only partial (27%) and non-significant restoration of the insulin secretory response to glucose stimulation 4 days after discontinuation of IL-1 treatment. We conclude that IL-1 administered in vivo is capable of adversely affecting pancreatic islet response to glucose stimulation. After 3 days of administration, these changes are confined to the process of insulin release, with the islet cell morphology and total insulin content being unaffected.     

Effects of substrates for aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase on insulin secretion

It has been shown that substrates for aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase potentiate glucose-induced insulin release. Microdissected islets of obese-hyperglycemic mice (Ume? ob/ob) have now been used in a study of the effects of decarboxylase substrates on insulin release induced by secretagogues other than glucose. L-5-hydroxytryptophan (L-5-HTP) at 4 mmol/l potentiated the effect of 1 mumol/l glibenclamide, 20 mmol/l D,L-glyceraldehyde or 20 mmol/l K+, but not that of 50 mumol/l chloromercuribenzene-p-sulphonic acid. The potentiating effect of 4 mmol/l L-5-HTP, 4 mmol/l D,L-m-tyrosine, or 4 mmol/l D,L-o-tyrosine on insulin release induced by 20 mmol/l L-leucine was inhibited by 0.1 mmol/l benserazide. Benserazide did not reduce the effect of 10 mmol/l L-glutamine on L-leucine-induced insulin release. L-dihydroxyphenylalanine inhibited glucose-induced insulin secretion at 0.1 mmol/l with a tendency towards a reduction also at lower concentrations. The findings support the hypothesis that increased activity of aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase can stimulate islet B cell function.     

Evidence for a role of the 5-HT1B receptor and its adaptor protein, p11, in L-DOPA treatment of an animal model of Parkinsonism

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by a progressive degeneration of substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons projecting to the striatum. Restoration of dopamine transmission by L-DOPA relieves symptoms of PD but causes prominent side effects. There is a strong serotonin innervation of the striatum by serotonergic neurons that remains relatively preserved in PD. The study of this innervation has been largely neglected. Here, we demonstrate that chronic L-DOPA administration to 6-OHDA-lesioned rodents increases, via D1 receptors, the levels of the 5-HT1B receptor and its adaptor protein, p11, in dopamine-denervated striatonigral neurons. Using unilaterally 6-OHDA-lesioned p11 WT and KO mice, it was found that administration of a selective 5-HT1B receptor agonist, CP94253, inhibited L-DOPA-induced rotational behavior and abnormal involuntary movements in a p11-dependent manner. These data reveal an L-DOPA-induced negative-feedback mechanism, whereby the serotonin system may influence the symptomatology of Parkinsonism.     

Insulin secretion and islet lysosomal enzyme activities in the mouse. Effects of suramin

To study the functional role of the lysosomes in islet physiology, we have in the present study investigated influences on insulin secretion induced by a primary inhibition of islet lysosomal enzyme activities by the use of the lysosomotropic drug suramin. First, we demonstrated that the activities of the three lysosomal enzymes, acid amyloglucosidase, acid alpha-glucosidase, and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase, were inhibited in mouse islet homogenates upon direct addition of suramin (p less than 0.001). Thereafter, we studied the influences of suramin on islet lysosomal enzyme activities at 24 h after an administration of suramin to mice. We thereby found that the islet lysosomal enzyme activities were not significantly altered compared to controls. However, after incubation of the islets at 3.3 mM glucose, the activities of acid amyloglucosidase and acid alpha-glucosidase were increased (p less than 0.05). The activity of N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase was, however, not affected. Hence, the direct inhibitory action on islet lysosomal enzyme activities by suramin seems to be counteracted in vivo. Concurrently with the increased enzyme activities in incubated islets, glucose-induced insulin secretion was significantly potentiated by suramin pretreatment (p less than 0.01). In contrast, suramin pretreatment did impair the glucose-induced insulin secretion in vivo (p less than 0.01). The direct effects on plasma insulin and glucose levels of acutely administered suramin were also studied. It was found that at a high dose level, suramin slightly reduced the basal plasma insulin levels (p less than 0.05). Suramin did not, however, affect the glucose-induced increase in plasma insulin levels. Conversely, at a low dose level, suramin potentiated glucose-induced increase in plasma insulin levels (p less than 0.01). A similar potentiated glucose-induced insulin secretion by suramin was also observed by a direct addition of the drug to islets in vitro. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that suramin inhibits lysosomal enzyme activities in islet homogenates, increases the activity of acid amyloglucosidase and acid alpha-glucosidase in incubated mouse islets after administration of the drug in vivo and potentiates glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from islets in vitro after administration of the drug in vivo. Thus, we suggest first, that in vivo, compensatory mechanisms may counteract the direct inhibitory influence of suramin on islet lysosomal enzyme activities, and second, that in vitro, islet lysosomal acid amyloglucosidase and acid alpha-glucosidase activities and glucose-induced insulin secretion are regulated in parallel.     

Pancreastatin and islet hormone release.

The effect of pancreastatin on the release of insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin was studied in the isolated perfused rat pancreas. After an initial equilibration period (-20 to 0 min) with a basal glucose concentration (3.3 mM), the pancreata were perfused with either 16.7 mM glucose (0-40 min) or with 20 mM arginine (0-20 min). Pancreastatin was introduced 10 min prior to and throughout the administration of the high glucose and arginine and continued during their perfusion. As expected, the glucose and the arginine augmented insulin and somatostatin release. Pancreastatin (1 and 10 nM) markedly suppressed the first phase of insulin release with both insulinogogues used, while the early somatostatin secretion was not significantly decreased. However, the peak incremental somatostatin response to arginine was reduced by 50% (P less than 0.05). Conversely, the peptide (10 nM) tended to augment arginine-induced glucagon release. Pancreastatin (100 nM) also suppressed glucose-stimulated insulin release from isolated rat islets. These pancreastatin-mediated alterations in islet hormone release are reminiscent of those known to characterize non-insulin-dependent diabetes. Therefore, the significance of pancreastatin in islet physiology and pathophysiology deserves special consideration.     

Calcium-binding proteins and insulin release. Differential effects of phenothiazines on first- and second-phase secretion and on islet cAMP response to glucose

Calcium and cAMP are interdependent regulators of glucose-induced insulin release. In the present study we investigated the importance of cAMP and calcium-binding proteins for biphasic insulin secretion by assessing the effects of two phenothiazines known to block such proteins, trifluoroperazine (TFP) and promethazine (PMZ). In isolated rat islets, during 60-min incubations with 16.7 mmol/l glucose both agents inhibited the insulin response with ID50 values of 15 mumol/l for TFP and 5 mumol/l for PMZ. Both agents decreased the maximal insulin response without gross changes in the islet sensitivity to glucose. TFP (15 mumol/l), whereas inducing 50% inhibition of second-phase insulin release, totally suppressed the cAMP response to glucose and the accompanying first-phase insulin secretion (5-min incubations); these effects of TFP could be partially reversed by isobutyl methylxanthine (IBMX). In contrast, 5 mumol/l PMZ, which produced 60% inhibition of second-phase insulin release, had no effect on first-phase insulin and cAMP responses to glucose. Furthermore, IBMX did not modify the inhibitory effect of PMZ on second-phase insulin secretion. The following is concluded: 1. TFP acts preferentially on first-phase insulin release and inhibits cAMP formation; this suggests that calmodulin plays a major role in mediating the initial glucose effect on secretion via stimulation of cAMP. 2. The islet probably contains calcium-sensitive proteins other than calmodulin, since the low concentrations of PMZ shown to inhibit second-phase insulin release lack effects on calmodulin. Synexin could be such a protein.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The relationship of islet amyloglucosidase activity and glucose-induced insulin secretion.

We have previously presented evidence for the involvement of islet acid amyloglucosidase, a lysosomal glycogen-hydrolyzing enzyme, in certain insulin secretory processes. In the present investigation, we studied whether differential changes in islet amyloglucosidase activity could be related to the insulin secretory response to glucose. It was observed that the dose-response curve for glucose-induced insulin response in vivo was shifted to the left by pretreatment of mice with purified fungal amyloglucosidase. In enzyme-pretreated mice, the ED50 was 2.1 mmol/kg glucose as compared with 5.7 mmol/kg in saline-pretreated controls (p less than 0.005). Also, the maximal insulin response to glucose was enhanced by amyloglucosidase pretreatment. Parenteral administration to mice (four injections during 2 days) of the pseudotetrasaccharide acarbose, a recognized inhibitor of intestinal alpha-glucosidases, surprisingly induced a marked increase in the activities of islet acid amyloglucosidase (+ 120%; p less than 0.001) and acid alpha-glucosidase (+ 45%; p less than 0.01) without affecting the activities of other lysosomal enzymes such as acid phosphatase and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase. No effect on the microsomal neutral alpha-glucosidase was recorded. Moreover, in these mice, the insulin secretory response to glucose was enhanced both at a maximal dose of glucose 11.1 mmol/kg and at a dose in the ED25-ED50 range, 3.3 mmol/kg (p less than 0.005). Direct addition of acarbose to islet homogenates strongly suppressed acid amyloglucosidase activity, the EC50 being approximately 1 microM. Acid alpha-glucosidase activity was also strongly inhibited, whereas the activities of acid phosphatase and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase were unaffected. Neutral alpha-glucosidase was slightly suppressed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Monoamines in pancreatic islets of guinea pig, hamster, rat, and mouse determined by high performance liquid chromatography

Previous studies on the occurrence of catecholamines and serotonin in pancreatic islets using various histochemical and chemical methods have given widely different results. We therefore performed a comparative analysis of these amines in whole pancreas and islet tissue from hamster, guinea pig, rat, and mouse by the use of high performance liquid chromatography. Whole pancreas of guinea pig, hamster, and rat had a norepinephrine concentration of approximately 1.1 mumol/kg of pancreatic wet weight. The mouse pancreas had less than one-half of that concentration. Epinephrine and dopamine concentrations were on the order of 0.02 mumol/kg of pancreatic wet weight in all four species. The serotonin concentration was 2.1 mumol/kg of pancreatic wet weight in the guinea pig pancreas and approximately 0.2 mumol/kg in the other three species studied. The catecholamine concentrations were much higher in the pancreatic islets than in the exocrine pancreas. Thus, the norepinephrine concentration was approximately 35 mumol/kg of islet wet weight in hamster islets and 5-10 mumol/kg in rat, guinea pig, and mouse islets. The epinephrine concentration in islet tissue ranged between 1 and 7 mumol/kg of islet wet weight and the dopamine concentration between 0.5 and 4 mumol/kg except for guinea pig islets (12 mumol/kg). The islet tissue in the mouse, rat, and guinea pig contained disproportionately more epinephrine and dopamine relative to norepinephrine than did the exocrine pancreas. Chemical sympathectomy (6-hydroxydopamine treatment) in the mouse reduced the norepinephrine and epinephrine concentrations in islet tissue to nondetectable levels, whereas the dopamine concentration was essentially unchanged, thus suggesting an extra-neuronal source of this amine in addition to its occurrence in adrenergic nerves.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Blocking effect of naloxone, dihydroergotamine and adrenalectomy in lithium-induced hyperglycaemia and glucose intolerance in the rat

The direct effect of lithium administration on plasma glucose levels and glucose-induced insulin release, and the role of opioid and amine systems in these effects were examined in rats. Naloxone, an opiate antagonist, and dihydroergotamine, an alpha-adrenergic blocking agent, reversed the hyperglycaemia as well as the inhibition of glucose-stimulated insulin release induced by lithium. In adrenalectomized rats, administration of lithium induced hypoglycaemia and not hyperglycaemia as in the intact rats. The results suggest that the interaction of secreted endorphins with the sympathetic nervous system is the likely cause of the hyperglycaemia and the inhibition of the glucose-stimulated insulin release induced by lithium.     

Beta-endorphin inhibits insulin secretion from isolated pancreatic islets

Intravenous administration of small doses of beta-endorphin causes immediate suppression of basal and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in normal rabbits. The purpose of the present study was to determine if beta-endorphin directly inhibits glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from rabbit pancreatic islets. Islets were isolated from male New Zealand White rabbits and perifused for 1 h with medium containing 100 mg/dl glucose (M100) followed by a 1-h challenge with medium containing 300 mg/dl glucose (M300) with or without beta-endorphin and/or the specific opioid antagonist naloxone. Samples were collected every 5 min during the last 30 min of the baseline perifusion with M100 and during the 1-h challenge with the stimulatory concentration of glucose (M300). Total insulin secretion for each 1-h period was calculated by adding the areas under the curves for twice the 30-min baseline period and for the 1-h challenge period. The mean +/- SE area for the control islets during perifusion with M100 was 5.9 +/- 0.8 microU/islet.h. M300 stimulated a 4.2-fold increase in the amount of insulin secreted (24.5 +/- 3.6 microU/islet.h). The stimulated rate of insulin release was sustained throughout the 1-h test period with M300, averaging 0.42 +/- 0.02 microU insulin/islet.min. beta-Endorphin inhibited glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in a concentration-dependent manner. Maximal suppression of insulin secretion to a level well below the baseline secretion rate was produced by 300 nM beta-endorphin (1.9 +/- 0.3 microU/islet.h). The first 15 min of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion was 6 times less sensitive to the inhibitory effect of beta-endorphin than was the next 45 min. The concentrations of beta-endorphin causing 50% inhibition of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (IC50) for the 5- to 15-, 20- to 60-, and 5- to 60-min intervals were 1.96, 0.35, and 0.57 nM, respectively. Naloxone (3 microM) had no effect on glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, but partially antagonized the inhibitory effect of 30 nM beta-endorphin (10.2 +/- 2.9 microU/islet.h naloxone plus beta-endorphin vs. 2.6 +/- 1.1 microU/islet.h beta-endorphin; P less than 0.05). These data demonstrate that beta-endorphin, at low concentrations, has a direct inhibitory effect on insulin secretion, and they support the idea that a naloxone-sensitive beta-endorphin-binding component is present in pancreatic islets.     

Insulin release from isolated mouse islets in vitro: No effect of physiological levels of melatonin or arginine vasotocin

Some data in the literature suggest that heightened activity of the pineal gland may be diabetogenic. The onset of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus is highest during the winter months and at puberty when melatonin levels are also greatest. To study the direct effects of pineal hormones on insulin release, hand-dissected ob/ob-mouse islets of Langerhans were incubated in vitro with melatonin (1 nmol/l to 100 mumol/l) or arginine vasotocin (1 pmol/l to 10 mumol/l) and D-glucose (3 or 20 mmol/l for 1 hr. Melatonin did not affect basal or glucose-stimulated insulin release. Arginine vasotocin (AVT) did not affect basal insulin release, but at presumably pharmacological levels (1 and 10 mumol/l) the peptide significantly increased glucose-stimulated insulin release. We conclude that melatonin and AVT at physiological concentrations have no direct effect on islet insulin release, and that any diabetogenic effect of the pineal gland must occur via suppression of insulin action or via production of a metabolite or hormone that suppresses insulin release.     

Effects of yohimbine and nicotinic acid on insulin secretion in islet transplanted streptozotocin-diabetic rats

Whether insulin secretion from transplanted islets is normally regulated has not been established. We have studied the effects of either alpha-adrenoceptor antagonism or induction of insulin resistance on glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in streptozotocin (70 mg/kg)-diabetic rats transplanted with 1000 freshly isolated islets to the left kidney subcapsular space. The alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonist yohimbine (15 micrograms/min) increased basal and potentiated glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in control rats. In contrast, yohimbine did not affect basal or glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in transplanted rats. This suggests that the alpha-adrenoceptor islet tonus is lost following islet transplantation. Induction of insulin resistance by nicotinic acid (6 mg orally twice daily for 10 days) was followed by increased basal insulin levels without any effect on basal plasma glucose levels, both in control and islet transplanted rats, as an adaptation to insulin resistance. Furthermore, after nicotinic acid, the plasma insulin response during glucose infusion was adequate to maintain the normal hyperglycemic response, both in controls and in islet transplanted rats. This suggests that transplanted islets retain the capability to adapt to insulin resistance.     

Effects of drugs that modify brain biogenic amine concentrations on thyroid activation induced by exposure to cold.

L-Dihydroxphenylalanine (L-DOPA) significantly inhibited intrathyroidal colloid droplet formation induced by exposure to cold in the rat. Diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC) also inhibited colloid droplet formation in response to cold. The combined administration of L-DOPA and DDC produced an additive inhibition of the thyroidal endocytotic response to exposure to cold. Pretreatment with chlorpromazine (CPZ) ameliorated the inhibitory effect of L-DOPA. DL-alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine (alpha-MT) also signficantly depressed the thyroidal response. Inhibition of colloid droplet formation induced by alpha-MT was not altered by the administration of DL-dihydroxyphenylserine (DL-DOPS). On the other hand, treatment of the alpha-MT-treated rats with L-DOPA to normalize dopamine synthesis resulted in a dramatic recovery from the inhibition. Blockade of serotonin biosynthesis with p-chlorophenylalanine (p-CPA) failed to produce a significant inhibition of colloid droplet formation. However, 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) markedly inhibited the thyroidal response to cold. Brocresine phosphate (BP) was another inhibitor of the thyroidal endocytotic response to exposure to cold. Oxotremorine also markedly depressed the thyroidal response to cold. Since these drugs did not interfere with pituitary thyroid responsiveness to exogenous thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), it seems that the throidal endocytotic response to exposure to cold as a reflection of TSH secretion was directly influenced by alterations of brain biogenic amine concentrations or turnover rates.     

The role of Ca(2+)-related events in glucose-stimulated desensitization of insulin secretion

The spontaneous decline of insulin secretion (third phase) that occurs under a variety of secretory conditions is well documented and suggests a general impairment or desensitization of the secretory process. We have examined several aspects of Ca2+ flux as well as regulators of Ca-linked second messenger events in freshly isolated rat islets chronically stimulated with glucose over 24 h, a period that encompasses initial (hour 1), peak (hour 3), and subsequent impaired or desensitized (hour 20-22) secretion. In islets incubated for these periods in HB104 medium with 22 mM glucose, 45Ca2+ uptake did not vary (12.6 +/- 1.6 vs. 10.2 +/- 1.7 vs. 13.2 +/- 3.4 pmol Ca2+/islet.10 min at 1, 3, and 22 h, respectively). Chronic incubation in 2 mM glucose reduced total Ca2+ uptake at each of the time periods, but, again, uptake did not change with desensitization (9.8 +/- 1.4 vs. 6.6 +/- 2.1 vs. 7.8 +/- 2.3 pmol Ca2+/islet.10 min). In 11 mM glucose, the Ca channel antagonist verapamil (1-10 microM) reduced insulin secretion by 55-80% in a dose-dependent manner over 1-3 h; islets continuously exposed to verapamil escaped inhibition by 20 h even at the highest concentration. However, in islets first exposed to 10 microM verapamil only during 20-22 h, hourly insulin secretion was suppressed 25%, 45%, and 33% at 20, 21, and 22 h, respectively, indicating that glucose-desensitized islets were still sensitive to further inhibition of Ca channels. Staurosporine (1 microM), an inhibitor of protein kinase-C activity, progressively inhibited glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from 48% at 1 h to more than 80% by 3 h; again, this inhibitory effect was lost by 20 h of chronic staurosporine. When staurosporine was first administered at 20 h, insulin secretion was modestly suppressed and returned to control values in the next hour. With continuous glucose, the islet response to positive stimulation of endogenous C-kinase activity by carbachol was maintained. The Ca/calmodulin inhibitor trifluoroperazine also inhibited insulin secretion by 75-80% during 1-3 h and continued to exert inhibitory effects through 23 h of continuous administration. We conclude that even though insulin secretion has desensitized to glucose, 1) Ca2+ entry is unchanged and is still regulated by glucose, 2) voltage-dependent Ca channels are still sensitive to blockade by acute verapamil, but can desensitize to chronic verapamil; 3) stimulus-enhanced C-kinase activity may be especially labile during glucose-induced desensitization, while 4) possible Ca/calmodulin potentiation of secretion persists through the three secretory phases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Onset and reversibility of changes in secretory function and composition of isolated rat pancreatic islets following long-term administration of high or low tolbutamide doses

Chronic administration of a high tolbutamide dose to rats induces islet hypertrophy associated with a decreased insulin content per islet and with a diminished insulin release in response to a glucose or leucine stimulus. These changes are reversible after discontinuation of tolbutamide. Chronic administration of a low tolbutamide dose (effective dose 30%) has no effect on islet size, on insulin content per islet, or on leucine-induced insulin release. In contrast, the glucose-induced insulin release is impaired. However, glucose-induced insulin release is normal in the presence of glucagon (5 μg/ml) or theophylline (5 mM). Since islet hypertrophy occurs following admin-istration of high tolbutamide doses only and is associated with hypofunction rather than with hyperfunction, it seems hardly conceivable that the therapeutic principle of tolbutamide is based on a beta-cytotrophic effect. B-cell hypofunction seems to be due to at least three factors: the decrease in the insulin content per islet, an impairment in secretory signal recognition, and an interference with the process of signal transmission.     

Dysfunction of the islet lysosomal system conveys impairment of glucose-induced insulin release in the diabetic GK rat.

Accumulated evidence links an important signal involved in glucose-stimulated insulin release to the activation of the islet lysosomal glycogenolytic enzyme acid glucan-1,4-alpha-glucosidase. We have analyzed the function of the lysosomal system/lysosomal enzyme activities in pancreatic islets of young (6-8 weeks), spontaneously diabetic, GK (Goto-Kakizaki) rats and Wistar control rats in relation to glucose-induced insulin release. The insulin secretory response to glucose was markedly impaired in the GK rat, but was restored by the adenylate cyclase activator forskolin. Islet activities of classical lysosomal enzymes, e.g.. acid phosphatase, N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase, beta-glucuronidase, and cathepsin D, were reduced by 20-35% in the GK rat compared with those in Wistar controls. In contrast, the activities of the lysosomal alpha-glucosidehydrolases, i.e.. acid glucan-1,4-alpha-glucosidase and acid alpha-glucosidase, were increased by 40-50%. Neutral alpha-glucosidase (endoplasmic reticulum) was unaffected. Comparative analysis of liver tissue showed that lysosomal enzyme activities were of the same magnitude in GK and Wistar rats. Notably, in Wistar rats, the activities of acid glucan-1,4-alpha-glucosidase and acid alpha-glucosidase were approximately 15-fold higher in islets than in liver. Other lysosomal enzymes did not display such a difference. Normalization of glycemia in GK rats by phlorizin administered for 9 days did not influence either the lysosomal alpha-glucosidehydrolase activities or other lysosomal enzyme activities in GK islets. Finally, the pseudotetrasaccharide acarbose, which accumulates in the lysosomal system, inhibited acid glucan-1,4-alpha-glucosidase activity in parallel with its inhibitory action on glucose-induced insulin release in intact Wistar islets, whereas no effect was recorded for either parameter in intact GK islets. In contrast, acarbose inhibited the enzyme activity equally in islet homogenates from both GK and Wistar rats, showing that the catalytic activity of the enzyme itself in disrupted cells was unaffected. We propose that dysfunction of the islet lysosomal/vacuolar system is an important defect impairing the transduction mechanisms for glucose-induced insulin release in the GK rat.     

Effect of domperidone on the release of insulin after intravenous glucose load in man

To determine whether the blockade of the dopaminergic system is capable of modifying glucose-induced insulin release in man, the responses of insulin to an iv glucose load were measured at various domperidone infusion rates. The infusion of 5 micrograms/kg/min of domperidone increased significantly plasma insulin levels during the acute phase of glucose-induced insulin release and lowered plasma glucose values at 50 and 60 min; the k of glucose disappearance improved significantly. At lower domperidone infusion rates the acute increment of insulin after glucose load was indistinguishable from the response observed at 5 micrograms/kg/min until 0.5 microgram/kg/min, while similar responses in control and experimental tests were observed at 0.25 microgram/kg/min. A group of subjects was submitted to an arginine load in order to establish whether the effect observed with domperidone was specific for the glucose-induced insulin release; but, this time, we did not observe any significant effect during the domperidone-induced dopaminergic blockade. Furthermore, we also measured the plasma prolactin levels, to see whether the specific and well known effect of domperidone on prolactin release matches with the effect on beta-cell function. As far as prolactin is concerned, we observed a dose response effect of domperidone infusion, with a detectable elevation of prolactin at infusion rate of 0.25 microgram/kg/min. Since domperidone is a specific antagonist of dopamine D2-receptors, we propose that dopamine might exert a specific inhibiting effect on glucose-induced insulin release through this class of dopamine receptors.     

Effect of a specific serine protease inhibitor on the rat pancreas. II. Influence of camostate on the endocrine pancreas

Chronic oral administration of camostate, a specific serine protease inhibitor, is known to induce pancreas hypertrophy in rats. A possible influence of the protease inhibitor on the endocrine rat pancreas was studied using isolated perfused pancreas and islet incubations. The presence of camostate had no direct effect on the glucose-induced insulin release in vitro in concentrations from 1 microM to 1 mM, but enhanced the basal insulin release from islets cultured over 24 h in media containing the protease inhibitor (100 microM). Administration of camostate over 14 days to rats induced a remarkable hypertrophy of the pancreas without influencing plasma insulin or gastric inhibitory polypeptide levels and insulin concentration of the pancreas. Glucose-stimulated insulin release from the perfused pancreas was not increased despite significantly higher total insulin content. It is concluded that camostate exerts no direct effect on the glucose-stimulated insulin release and that chronic administration of the compound induces pancreas hypertrophy in vivo without influencing insulin release.     

Insulin release in the Atlantic hagfish Myxine glutinosa in vitro

By using a homologous radioimmunoassay, glucose-stimulated insulin release was studied in isolated islet organs from the Atlantic hagfish. At 16°, glucose (1–5 mM) induced insulin release with a half-maximal response at 3 mM. The efficacy of the glucose response was increased by the addition of the phosphodiesterase inhibitor, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxantine, at a concentration of 1 mM, and omission of Ca²⁺ from the medium decreased the secretory response. Glucose-induced insulin release was enhanced by lowering the temperature. In perifusion experiments, the time for onset of glucose-induced insulin release was 17 min. Epinephrine (1 mM) inhibited insulin release, whereas a cholinergic drug was without effect. The sulfhydryl reagent chloromercuribenzene-p-sulfonic acid was the most potent insulin secretagogue tested.Unlike the situation in most other investigated species, amino acids did not stimulate insulin release. This finding may be related to the lack of glucagon-producing cells in the hagfish islet parenchyma.Even though the pattern of insulin release in the Atlantic hagfish differs from that of higher animals in both quantitative and qualitative terms, the results indicate that a close connection between insulin release and glucose existed early in vertebrate evolution.     

Deficiency of proton-sensing ovarian cancer g protein-coupled receptor 1 attenuates glucose-stimulated insulin secretion

Ovarian cancer G protein-coupled receptor 1 (OGR1) has been shown as a receptor for protons. In the present study, we aimed to know whether OGR1 plays a role in insulin secretion and, if so, the manner in which it does. To this end, we created OGR1-deficient mice and examined insulin secretion activity in vivo and in vitro. OGR1 deficiency reduced insulin secretion induced by glucose administered ip, although it was not associated with glucose intolerance in vivo. Increased insulin sensitivity and reduced plasma glucagon level may explain, in part, the unusual normal glucose tolerance. In vitro islet experiments revealed that glucose-stimulated insulin secretion was dependent on extracellular pH and sensitive to OGR1; insulin secretion at pH 7.4 to 7.0, but not 8.0, was significantly suppressed by OGR1 deficiency and inhibition of G(q/11) proteins. Insulin secretion induced by KCl and tolbutamide was also significantly inhibited, whereas that induced by several insulin secretagogues, including vasopressin, a glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist, and forskolin, was not suppressed by OGR1 deficiency. The inhibition of insulin secretion was associated with the reduction of glucose-induced increase in intracellular Ca(2+) concentration. In conclusion, the OGR1/G(q/11) protein pathway is activated by extracellular protons existing under the physiological extracellular pH of 7.4 and further stimulated by acidification, resulting in the enhancement of insulin secretion in response to high glucose concentrations and KCl.