Porcine pancreastatin has no effect on endocrine secretion from the pig pancreas

Summary We investigated the effects of porcine pancreastatin on the endocrine and unstimulated exocrine secretion of isolated, perfused porcine pancreas. Pancreastatin in a concentration of 10^–8mol/l had no effect on basal secretion of insulin, glucagon and somatostatin at a perfusate glucose concentration of 5 mmol/l (n=4) and neither at 10^–8 nor 10^–7 mol/l influenced the hormone responses to acute elevations of perfusate glucose concentration from 3.5 to 11 mmol/l (n=7). This elevation strongly stimulated insulin secretion and inhibited glucagon secretion. Exocrine secretion was not affected by pancreastatin. The results suggest that pancreastatin does not directly influence pancreatic secretion.     

Inhibition of glucagon release by serotonin in mouse pancreatic islets

Summary In this work we have investigated the effect of serotonin on glucagon release in mouse pancreatic islets isolated by the collagenase technique.Incubation of the islets with serotonin (4 ×10^–3mol/l) was associated with an inhibition of glucagon output both in the basal medium (3.3 mmol/l glucose) and in the presence of arginine (10 mmol/l). The inhibitory effect of serotonin on basal glucagon release was also apparent at concentrations of 2×10^–3 mol/l, 10^–3 mol/l and 5×10^–4 mol/l. Addition of 5-hydroxytryptophan (4 ×10^–3 mol/l) to the incubation medium was without effect on basal glucagon output while it significantly reduced arginine-induced glucagon release. In contrast, tryptophan (4×10^–3 mol/l) provoked glucagon secretion. As inferred from our previous human studies, the present data indicate that serotonin is able to inhibit glucagon secretion. These findings provide further support for the participation of a serotoninergic mechanism in the control of A-cell function.     

Direct effect of insulin and insulin-like growth factor-I on the secretory activity of rat pancreatic beta cells

Summary Purified pancreatic Beta cells were labelled with ³H-tyrosine before studying their secretory activity in perifusion. At 1.4 mmol/l glucose, the cells released similar fractions (0.01% per min) of their contents in preformed and in newly formed insulin. At 20 mmol/l glucose plus 10^–8 mol/l glucagon, these fractional release rates increased by 16 and 40-fold respectively. The preferential release of newly synthesized as compared to stored insulin is attributable to a heterogeneity in individual cell responses. The secretory responsiveness to glucose plus glucagon was completely suppressed by 10^–7 mol/l clonidine. Insulin induced a 20% reduction at 10^–6 mol/l, but remained without effect at 10^–7 mol/l. Insulin-like growth factor-I provoked a 30% decrease at 5.10^–9 mol/l. It is concluded that the type-I insulin-like growth factor receptors on pancreatic Beta cells mediate a suppressive action on the insulin release process. Their high affinity for insulin-like growth factor-I allows physiologic levels of this peptide to participate in the regulation of insulin release. Their low affinity for insulin provides the basis for a minor feedback action by this hormone at concentrations exceeding the normal circulating levels.Part of this study has been presented at the 25th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, Lisbon, Portugal, 1989     

Properties of isolated human islets of langerhans: insulin secretion,glucose oxidation and protein phosphorylation

Summary In the present study, human islets were isolated by collagenase digestion from the pancreases of three kidney donors. Maintainance of the islets in tissue culture enabled insulin release, glucose oxidation and Ca²⁺-calmodulin-dependent protein phosphorylation to be determined using the same islets. Increasing glucose over a range 0–20 mmol/l resulted in a sigmoidal stimulation of insulin release (28.8±5.2 to 118.4±25.8 U-islet^–-h^–, n=10; threshold <4 mmol/l). There was a marked correlation between the insulin secretory response of the islets to glucose and their rate of glucose oxidation (5.9±0.3 at glucose 2 mmol/l up to 25.8±1.8 pmol-islet^–.h^– at 20 mmol/l, r = 0.98). N-acetylglucosamine (20 mmol/l) failed to elicit a secretory response from the islets. Stimulation of insulin secretion by glucose was dependent upon the presence of extracellular Ca²⁺. Extracts of the islets contained a Ca²⁺-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase which phosphorylated a 48-kdalton endogenous polypeptide. Myosin light-chain kinase activity was demonstrated in the presence of exogenous myosin light chains. This report demonstrates for the first time the sigmoidal nature of glucose-stimulated insulin release from isolated human islets, and its correlation with enhanced glucose oxidation. Furthermore, this is the first report of the presence of Ca²⁺-dependent protein kinases in human islets.     

Contribution of neural intrapancreatic non-cholinergic non-adrenergic mechanisms to glucose-induced insulin release in the isolated rat pancreas

Summary In the isolated rat pancreas the effect of intrapancreatic non-adrenergic non-cholinergic nerves was examined upon insulin, glucagon and somatostatin release during perturbations of perfusate glucose. Elevation of glucose from 1.6 to 8.3 mmol/l increased insulin and somatostatin secretion and inhibited glucagon release. The first phase of insulin secretion was significantly reduced by the neurotoxin tetrodotoxin to 55% of the controls (p<0.05). The somatostatin response was attenuated by tetrodotoxin while the change of glucagon remained unaffected. In contrast the combined adrenergic and cholinergic blockade with atropine, phentolamine and propranolol (10^–5mol/l) did not modify the insulin, glucagon and somatostatin response. When glucose was changed from 8.3 to 1.6 mmol/l, the reduction of insulin and somatostatin release was not modified by tetrodotoxin, but stimulation of glucagon was significantly attenuated by 60–70% (p<0.03), which was similar to the effect of combined adrenergic and cholinergic blockade. Subsequently, the effect of neural blockade was examined during more physiological perturbations of perfusate glucose levels. When glucose was changed from 3.9 to 7.2 mmol/l, tetrodotoxin also attenuated first phase insulin response by 40% while cholinergic and adrenergic blockade had no effect. The nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N^G-Nitro-l-arginine-methylester (l-NAME) did not alter the glucose-induced insulin response indicating that nitric oxide is not involved in this mechanism. It is concluded that neural non-adrenergic noncholinergic mechanisms contribute to the first, but not second phase of glucose-induced insulin release. Non-adrenergic non-cholinergic effects do not participate in regulation of glucagon and somatostatin secretion under the conditions employed. The non-adrenergic non-cholinergic effect is most likely of peptidergic nature and remains to be examined in greater detail.     

Possible role of endogenous prostaglandins in glucagon secretion by isolated guinea-pig islets

Summary Previous studies have demonstrated that prostaglandins stimulate glucagon secretionin vitro andin vivo. The present work was aimed at investigating the influence of two inhibitors of prostaglandin synthesis, isopropyl-2 nicotinoyl-3 indole (L8027) and indomethacin, on basal and arginine- or noradrenaline-stimulated glucagon release from isolated guinea-pig islets incubated in the absence of glucose. L8027 (10^–4 and 10^–5 mol/l) did not alter basal glucagon release, blocked almost completely the glucagon response to arginine (10^–2 mol/l), had no effect on the glucagon release induced by noradrenaline (10^–4H mol/l), but reduced the stimulatory effect of a lower concentration of noradrenaline (5.10^–7 mol/l). The kinetic study of this inhibitory effect demonstrated that (1) it necessitates preincubation of the islets with L8027 for 30 minutes before the addition of arginine, (2) after a short preincubation period (30 minutes) in the presence of L8027, removal of the inhibitor at the time of arginine stimulation resulted in enhanced glucagon response, (3) on the contrary, after a prolonged incubation period (75 min) with arginine and L8027, the inhibitory effect remained transiently detectable after removal of L8027. Indomethacin similarly blocked arginine- and noradrenaline-induced glucagon secretion. These results suggest that an intra-insular synthesis of prostaglandins is involved in the A cell response to arginine and noradrenaline.     

Glucagon,insulin and somatostatin secretion in response to sympathetic neural activation in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. A study with the isolated perfused rat pancreas in vitro

Summary Changes in glucagon, insulin and somatostatin secretion induced by electrical splanchnic nerve stimulation were examined in rats treated with streptozotocin as neonates and as adults. In order to study the direct neural effects we used the isolated perfused rat pancreas with intact left splanchnic nerve in vitro. In normal rats splanchnic nerve stimulation causes significant decreases in insulin (30–40%) and somatostatin (30–50%) secretion at both 16.7 mmol/l and 1 mmol/l glucose concentrations. In the neonatal streptozotocin-diabetic rats splanchnic nerve stimulation at 16.7 mmol/l glucose decreased insulin secretion (14%) further than in the control rats (30%), however, somatostatin secretion did not decrease to the same extent. Similar results were also observed at the low (1 mmol/l) glucose concentration. On the other hand, percent decreases of insulin and somatostatin secretion induced by splanchnic nerve stimulation in the streptozotocin-diabetic rats were similar to the values observed in the normal control rats. The glucagon secretion in response to splanchnic nerve stimulation at 16.7 mmol/l glucose from pancreatic Alpha cells in both types of induced diabetes is exaggerated, and the degree of exaggeration seems to parallel the severity of the hyperglycaemia. However, the splanchnic nerve stimulation-induced glucagon secretion at 1 mmol/l glucose was impaired in the streptozotocin-diabetic rats, but not in the neonatal streptozotocin-diabetic rats. These data suggest that the sensitivity of diabetic Alpha and Delta cells to sympathetic neural activation are blunted, whereas the sensitivity of Beta cells is enhanced in the diabetic animal model.     

Effects of galanin on the release of insulin, glucagon and somatostatin from the isolated, perfused dog pancreas

Galanin is a 29 amino acid peptide which has been found in intrapancreatic nerves. The effects of galanin, adrenergic and cholinergic blockade as well as somatostatin on the hormone release from the isolated perfused dog pancreas were studied. It was found that galanin dose-dependently inhibited insulin (P less than 0.001) and somatostatin (P less than 0.001) but not glucagon secretion at normal glucose levels. The lowest galanin concentration that caused a significant suppression of insulin and somatostatin secretion was 10(-11) and 10(-10) mol/l, respectively. Similar effects were evident during stimulation with 2.5 mmol/l arginine. Galanin (10(-9) mol/l) caused a more pronounced inhibition of insulin and somatostatin secretion at high (10 mmol/l) and normal (5 mmol/l) than at low glucose (1.3 mmol/l). In contrast, suppression of the glucagon secretion was only seen at low glucose (1.3 mmol/l). Perfusion of 10(-6) mol/l of atropine, phentolamine and propranolol had no effect on the galanin-mediated (10(-10) mol/l) inhibition of insulin and somatostatin secretion. Galanin (10(-12)-10(-10) mol/l) and somatostatin (10(-12)-10(-10) mol/l) were equipotent in inhibiting insulin secretion whereas only somatostatin exerted a suppression of the glucagon secretion at normal glucose. Thus, galanin exerts a differential effect on islet hormone secretion and may participate in the hormonal control of insulin, glucagon and somatostatin secretion.     

Effect of enkephalins and morphine on insulin secretion from isolated rat islets

Summary The direct effects of an enkephalin analogue, (D-Ala²/MePhe⁴/Met/(O)-ol) enkephalin (DAMME), on insulin release from isolated islets of Langerhans of the rat have been investigated. DAMME had a dose-dependent effect on insulin secretion: low concentrations (10^–10 to 10^–8 mol/l) were stimulatory while high concentrations (10^–5mol/l) were inhibitory in the presence of 8 mmol/l glucose. Similar effects were found with met-enkephalin, and with the longer acting alanine substituted metenkephalin. Morphine sulphate (5 sx 10^–7 mol/l) also stimulated insulin release. The effects of enkephalin and morphine were blocked by the specific opiate antagonist naloxone hydrochloride (1.2 × 10^–6 mol/l). The insulin secretory response of perifused islets to enkephalins and morphine was rapid, corresponding to the first phase of glucose induced insulin release. These observations suggest that there may be opiate receptors in islets, and that opioid peptides could modulate insulin release.     

Normalization of fasting hyperglycaemia by exogenous glucagon-like peptide 1 (7-36 amide) in Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetic patients

Summary Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) (7-36 amide) is a physiological incretin hormone that is released after nutrient intake from the lower gut and stimulates insulin secretion at elevated plasma glucose concentrations. Previous work has shown that even in Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetic patients GLP-1 (7-36 amide) retains much of its insulinotropic action. However, it is not known whether the magnitude of this response is sufficient to normalize plasma glucose in Type 2 diabetic patients with poor metabolic control. Therefore, in 10 Type 2 diabetic patients with unsatisfactory metabolic control (HbA_lc 11.6±1.7%) on diet and sulphonylurea therapy (in some patients supplemented by metformin or acarbose), 1.2 pmol ×kg^–1×min^–1 GLP-1 (7-36 amide) or placebo was infused intravenously in the fasting state (plasma glucose 13.1±0.6 mmol/l). In all patients, insulin (by 17.4±4.7 nmol ×1^–1×min; p=0.0157) and C-peptide (by 228.0±39.1 nmol×1^–1×min; p=0.0019) increased significantly over basal levels, glucagon was reduced (by -1418±308 pmol ×1^–1×min) and plasma glucose reached normal fasting concentrations (4.9±0.3 mmol/l) within 4 h of GLP-1 (7-36 amide) administration, but not with placebo. When normal fasting plasma glucose concentrations were reached insulin returned towards basal levels and plasma glucose concentrations remained stable despite the ongoing infusion of GLP-1 (7-36 amide). Therefore, exogenous GLP-1 (7-36 amide) is an effective means of normalizing fasting plasma glucose concentrations in poorly-controlled Type 2 diabetic patients. The glucose-dependence of insulinotropic actions of GLP-1 (7-36 amide) appears to be retained in such patients.     

Differential mechanisms of glucose and palmitate in augmentation of insulin secretion in mouse pancreatic islets

Aims/hypothesis. To assess the possible importance of saturated fatty acids in glucose amplification of K⁺ _ATP channel-independent insulin secretion. Methods. Insulin release from perifused pancreatic islets of NMRI mice was determined by radioimmunoassay. Results. In the presence of K⁺ (20 mmol/l) and diazoxide (250 μmol/l), which stimulates Ca²⁺ influx and opens K⁺ _ATP channels, palmitate (165 μmol/l total; 1.2 μmol/l free) increased insulin secretion at 3.3, 10 and 16.7 mmol/l glucose while glucose (10; 16.7 mmol/l) did not increase insulin secretion. In the presence of K⁺ (60 mmol/l) and diazoxide (250 μmol/l), glucose (10; 16.7 mmol/l) stimulation of K⁺ _ATP channel-independent insulin secretion increased, whereas the effectiveness of palmitate (165 μmol/l total; 1.2 μmol/l free) on insulin secretion at both 3.3, 10 or 16.7 mmol/l glucose was reduced. Palmitate thereby mimicked the stimulatory pattern of the protein kinase C activator, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (0.16 μmol/l), which also failed to increase insulin secretion at maximum depolarising concentrations of K⁺ (60 mmol/l). Furthermore, the protein kinase C inhibitor calphostin C (1 μmol/l), led to a complete suppression of the effects of both palmitate (165 μmol/l total; 1.2 μmol/l free) and myristate (165 μmol/l total; 2.4 μmol/l free) stimulation of glucose (16.7 mmol/l)-induced insulin secretion. Calphostin C (1 μmol/l), however, failed to affect insulin secretion induced by glucose (16.7 mmol/l). Conclusion/interpretation. These data suggest that glucose could increase insulin secretion independently of saturated fatty acids like palmitate and myristate, which amplify glucose-induced insulin secretion by activation of protein kinase C. [Diabetologia (2001) 44: 738–746] Received: 30 October 2001 and in revised form: 31 January 2001     

Effects of an enkephalin analogue (DAMME) on insulin release from cultured rat islets of langerhans

Summary Rat islets of Langerhans were maintained for 2 days in tissue culture. Following the culture period, the insulin secretory responses of the islets on incubation in bicarbonate medium were measured. The enkephalin analogue D-ala², MePhe⁴, Met(0)-ol (DAMME), 8.3×10^-8mol/l, augmented insulin release stimulated by glucose (5 or 7 mmol/l) by 76% and 47% respectively; increased insulin release stimulated by -ketoisocaproate (7.5 mmol/l) by 23%; and enhanced insulin release in the presence of glibenclamide (10 g/ml) plus glucose (3.3 mmol/l) by 38%. Insulin release in the presence of glucose at 2 or 12 mmol/l was not affected by DAMME (8.3×10^-8mol/l). The potentiatory effect of DAMME on insulin release in the presence of glucose (5 mmol/l) was blocked by naloxone (11 mol/l): naloxone alone did not affect glucose-stimulated insulin release. A high concentration (3.3×10^-6mol/l) of DAMME did not modify glucose-stimulated insulin release. Inhibition of glucose-stimulated insulin release by trifluoperazine, an inhibitor of calmodulin, was not overcome by DAMME. Insulin secretory responses were not enhanced by exposure of the islets to DAMME (8.3×10^-8mol/l) during the culture period. It is concluded that insulin release from isolated islets is capable of being influenced by an opioid peptide.     

Abnormal insulin secretion and glucose metabolism in pancreatic islets from the spontaneously diabetic GK rat

Summary Insulin secretion and islet glucose metabolism were compared in pancreatic islets isolated from GK/Wistar (GK) rats with spontaneous Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus and control Wistar rats. Islet insulin content was 24.5±3.1 U/ng islet DNA in GK rats and 28.8±2.5 U/ng islet DNA in control rats, with a mean (±SEM) islet DNA content of 17.3±1.7 and 26.5±3.4 ng (p < 0.05), respectively. Basal insulin secretion at 3.3 mmol/l glucose was 0.19±0.03 · ng islet DNA^–1· h^–1 in GK rat islets and 0.40±0.07 in control islets. Glucose (16.7 mmol/l) stimulated insulin release in GK rat islets only two-fold while in control islets five-fold. Glucose utilization at 16.7 mmol/l glucose, as measured by the formation of ³H₂O from [5-³ H]glucose, was 2.4 times higher in GK rat islets (3.1±0.7 pmol · ng islet DNA^–1 · h^–1) than in control islets (1.3±0.1 pmol · ng islet DNA^–1 · h^–1; p<0.05). In contrast, glucose oxidation, estimated as the production of ¹⁴CO₂ from [U-¹⁴C]glucose, was similar in both types of islets and corresponded to 15±2 and 30±3 % (p<0.001) of total glucose phosphorylated in GK and control islets, respectively. Glucose cycling, i. e. the rate of dephosphorylation of the total amount of glucose phosphorylated, (determined as production of labelled glucose from islets incubated with ³H₂O) was 16.4±3.4% in GK rat and 6.4±1.0% in control islets, respectively (p<0.01). We conclude that insulin secretion stimulated by glucose is markedly impaired in GK rat islets. Glucose metabolism is also altered in GK rat islets, with diminished ratio between oxidation and utilization of glucose, and increased glucose cycling, suggesting links between impaired glucose-induced insulin release and abnormal glucose metabolism.     

Irreversible loss of normal beta-cell regulation by glucose in neonatally streptozotocin diabetic rats

Summary Animals with NIDDM display abnormal glucose regulation of insulin secretion and biosynthesis. We tested reversibility of abnormal regulation by normoglycaemia using an islet transplantation technique. Inbred non-diabetic and neonatally STZ diabetic rats (n-STZ) were used. Transplantations insufficient to normalize the blood glucose levels (200 islets under kidney capsule) were performed from diabetic to normal (D-N) and from diabetic to diabetic (D-D), as well as from normal to normal (N-N) and from normal to diabetic (N-D) rats. Four weeks after transplantation, graft bearing kidneys were isolated and perfused with Krebs-Henseleit bicarbonate buffer to measure insulin secretion in response to 27.8 mmol/l glucose and 10 mmol/l arginine. Four weeks of normoglycaemia failed to restore glucose-induced insulin secretion from n-STZ islets (glucose induced increment:-1.7±2.5 fmol/min in D-N, 1.2±7.1 fmol/min in D-D). In contrast to normal islets, normoglycaemia reduced insulin mRNA contents (60±24 in D-N, 496±119 in D-D; O.D.-arbitrary units). However, arginine-induced secretion was markedly enhanced by diabetic environment in both normal and n-STZ islet grafts. These results indicate that selected aspects of glucose recognition are irreversibly damaged by a long-term diabetic state or, alternatively, by a lasting effect of STZ administration.Abbreviations NIDDM non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus - STZ streptozotocin - O.D. optical density - IRI immunoreactive insulin     

The effect of intraportal and peripheral infusions of glucagon on insulin and glucose concentrations and glucose tolerance in normal man

Summary The effect of peripheral and intraportal infusions of 0.86 pmol/kg · min^–1 of glucagon on plasma glucose, plasma insulin, and glucose tolerance was examined in four normal subjects. Peripheral glucagon concentrations increased by 60–90 pmol/l during intraportal and 70–180 pmol/l during peripheral infusions. The infusions caused increases in plasma glucose levels of approximately 1 mmol/l, and in plasma insulin levels of 75–100%, regardless of route of administration. Intravenous glucose tolerance tests carried out during the glucagon infusions showed that glucose tolerance remained within the normal range and was uninfluenced by the route of administration.     

Openers of ATP-dependent K<Superscript>+</Superscript>-channels protect against a signal-transduction-linked and not freely reversible defect of insulin secretion in a rat islet transplantation model of Type 2 diabetes

Aims/hypothesis We tested whether chronic overstimulation by levels of hyperglycaemia commonly found in Type 2 diabetes can irreversibly desensitise beta cells and, if so, whether desensitisation relates to the reduction of insulin content and/or the number of beta cells.Methods We transplanted islets from Wistar-Furth rats under the kidney capsule to neonatally streptozotocinised recipients. Recipients received daily vehicle, diazoxide (100 mg/kg) or the selective activator of beta cell type K⁺-ATP channels 6-chloro -3-(1-methylcyclopropyl) amino-4H-thienol [3,2-e]-1,2,4-thiadiazine 1,1-dioxide (NN414) (3 mg/kg) intragastrically for at least 9 weeks. Endpoint measurements were made exactly 7 days after cessation of treatment.Results Blood glucose did not differ between groups (mean of total: 13.2±1.4 mmol/l). C-peptide levels were significantly depressed in drug- versus vehicle-treated rats 3 to 4 hours after the last gastric tubing event, but not at endpoint. Insulin responses to 27 mmol/l glucose from perifused grafts were not significant after vehicle (median increment 18×10^–3 µU·islet^–1·min^–1) but were significant per se and versus vehicle in the diazoxide and NN414 groups (median 107 and 83×10^–3 respectively). Rising second-phase secretion was seen only in the drug-treated groups. Stimulation by 25 mmol/l KCl, together with 0.5 mmol/l 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine and 3.3 mmol/l glucose, was enhanced in the drug-treated groups (p<0.05 versus vehicle). Graft insulin content did not differ between groups, nor did percentage of beta cells (between 67 and 68% of endocrine cells).Conclusions/interpretation Chronic overstimulation by moderate hyperglycaemia damages signalling events including those required for glucose-induced insulin secretion. This signal transduction defect occurs in the absence of any effect on islet macro-morphometry or insulin stores.Abbreviations IBMX 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine - IHC immunohistochemical - K⁺-ATP channels ATP-sensitive potassium channels - NN414 6-chloro -3-(1-methylcyclopropyl) amino-4H-thienol [3,2-e]-1,2,4-thiadiazine 1,1-dioxide - PP cells pancreatic polypeptide cells     

Decreased hepatic glucagon responses in Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus

Summary The effect of glucagon infusion on hepatic glucose production during euglycaemia was evaluated in seven Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic patients and in ten control subjects. In the diabetic subjects normoglycaemia was maintained during the night preceding the study by a variable intravenous insulin and glucose infusion. During the study endogenous insulin secretion was suppressed by somatostatin (450 g/h) and replaced by insulin infusion (0.15 mU·kg^–1·min^–1). ³H-glucose was infused for isotopic determination of glucose turnover. Plasma glucose was clamped at 5 mmol/1 for 2 h 30 min and glucagon (1.5 ng· kg^–1·min^–1) was then infused for the following 3 h. Hepatic glucose production and glucose utilisation were measured during the first, second and third hour of the glucagon infusion. Basal hepatic glucose production (just prior to glucagon infusion) was similar in diabetic (1.2±0.3 mg·kg^–1·min^–1) and control (1.6±0.1 mg·kg^–1·min^–1) subjects. In diabetic patients hepatic glucose production rose slowly to 2.1±0.5 mg·kg^–1·min^–1 during the first hours of glucagon infusion and stabilized at this level (2.4±0.5 mg·kg^–1·min^–1) in the third hour. In control subjects hepatic glucose production increased sharply to higher levels than in the diabetic subjects (3.4±0.3 mg·kg^–1·min^–1) during the first and second hour of glucagon infusion (p<0.05) and then gradually fell (2.9±0.4 mg·kg^–1·min^–1) during the third hour. In conclusion, when stimulated with glucagon at a physiologic plasma concentration diabetic patients had 1) an overall reduced hepatic glucose production response and 2) an abnormal sluggish response pattern. These abnormalities may imply inappropriate counter-regulation following a hypoglycaemic episode.     

Glucose inhibits glucagon secretion by a direct effect on mouse pancreatic alpha cells

Aims/hypothesis The mechanisms by which glucose regulates glucagon release are poorly understood. The present study aimed to clarify the direct effects of glucose on the glucagon-releasing alpha cells and those effects mediated by paracrine islet factors. Materials and methods Glucagon, insulin and somatostatin release were measured from incubated mouse pancreatic islets and the cytoplasmic Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺]_i) recorded in isolated mouse alpha cells. Results Glucose inhibited glucagon release with maximal effect at 7 mmol/l. Since this concentration corresponded to threshold stimulation of insulin secretion, it is unlikely that inhibition of glucagon secretion is mediated by beta cell factors. Although somatostatin secretion data seemed consistent with a role of this hormone in glucose-inhibited glucagon release, a somatostatin receptor type 2 antagonist stimulated glucagon release without diminishing the inhibitory effect of glucose. In islets exposed to tolbutamide plus 8 mmol/l K⁺, glucose inhibited glucagon secretion without stimulating the release of insulin and somatostatin, indicating a direct inhibitory effect on the alpha cells that was independent of ATP-sensitive K⁺ channels. Glucose lowered [Ca²⁺]_i of individual alpha cells independently of somatostatin and beta cell factors (insulin, Zn²⁺ and γ-aminobutyric acid). Glucose suppression of glucagon release was prevented by inhibitors of the sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca²⁺-ATPase, which abolished the [Ca²⁺]_i-lowering effect of glucose on isolated alpha cells. Conclusions/interpretation Beta cell factors or somatostatin do not seem to mediate glucose inhibition of glucagon secretion. We instead propose that glucose has a direct inhibitory effect on mouse alpha cells by suppressing a depolarising Ca²⁺ store-operated current.     

Pancreatic beta cell line MIN6 exhibits characteristics of glucose metabolism and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion similar to those of normal islets

Summary Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, glucose transport, glucose phosphorylation and glucose utilization have been characterized in the insulinoma cell line MIN6, which is derived from a transgenic mouse expressing the large T-antigen of SV40 in pancreatic beta cells. Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion occurred progressively from 5 mmol/l glucose, reached the maximal level approximately seven-fold above the basal level at 25 mmol/l, and remained at this level up to 50 mmol/l. Glucose transport was very rapid with the half-maximal uptake of 3-O-methyl-d-glucose being reached within 15 s at 22 °C. Glucose phosphorylating activity in the cell homogenate was due mainly to glucokinase; the V_max value of glucokinase activity was estimated to be 255±37 nmol·h^–1·mg protein^–1, constituting approximately 80% of total phosphorylating activity, whereas hexokinase activity constituted less than 20%. MIN6 cells exhibited mainly the high K_m component of glucose utilization with a V_max of 289±18 nmol·h^–1·mg protein^–1. Thus, glucose utilization quantitatively and qualitatively reflected glucose phosphorylation in MIN6 cells. In contrast, MIN7 cells, which exhibited only a small increase in insulin secretion in response to glucose, had 4.7-fold greater hexokinase activity than MIN6 cells with a comparable activity of glucokinase. These characteristics in MIN6 cells are very similar to those of isolated islets, indicating that this cell line is an appropriate model for studying the mechanism of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in pancreatic beta cells.     

Effects of islet amyloid polypeptide on hepatic insulin resistance and glucose production in the isolated perfused rat liver

Summary The impact of (pancreatic) islet amyloid polypeptide on glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity was examined in isolated rat livers perfused in a non-recirculating system. Continuous infusion of 10^–7mol/l islet amyloid polypeptide affected neither basal nor glucagon (10^–9 mol/l)-stimulated glucose output by livers from fed rats, but it did increase the hepatic cyclic AMP release within 44 min (7.91±12.07 vs control: 0.07±0.03 pmol·100 g body weight^–1). The effect of the peptide on the ability of insulin to inhibit glucagon-induced hepatic glycogenolysis was measured in three experimental groups (n = 6). As expected glucagon (7×10^–11 mol/l) increased integral hepatic glucose release within 84 min (763.4±161.7 vs –25.7±73.2 mol · 100 g body weight^–1 in the control group, p<0.001), while insulin (100 mU/l) decreased the glucagon-stimulated glucose production (395.2±180.0 mol·100 g body weight^–1, p<0.01). Simultaneous infusion of 10^–7 mol/l islet amyloid polypeptide however, was not able to reverse insulin-dependent inhibition of glucagon-stimulated hepatic glucose output (370.0±102.5 mol·100 g body weight^–1, NS) or to enhance lactate-induced gluconeogenesis of livers from 24 h fasted rats (n = 8). The glucose production stimulated by 10^–9 mol/l glucagon was slightly greater in islet amyloid polypeptide-pre-treated livers than in a control group without addition of islet amyloid polypeptide (5 min: 3.60±3.36 vs 1.67±1.28 mol·min^–1·100 g body weight^–1). These results suggest that islet amyloid polypeptide neither directly affects hepatic glycogenolysis nor causes insulin resistance to hormone-sensitive glucose production, but may increase the size of the hepatic glycogen pool by enhancing gluconeogenesis.