Deletion of Fas in the pancreatic beta-cells leads to enhanced insulin secretion.

Fas/Fas ligand belongs to the tumor necrosis factor superfamily of receptors/ligands and is best known for its role in apoptosis. However, recent evidence supports its role in other cellular responses, including proliferation and survival. Although Fas has been implicated as an essential mediator of beta-cell death in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes, the essential role of Fas specifically in pancreatic beta-cells has been found to be controversial.

High beta-cell mass prevents streptozotocin-induced diabetes in thioredoxin-interacting protein-deficient mice.

Thioredoxin-interacting protein (TxNIP) is an endogenous inhibitor of thioredoxin, a ubiquitous thiol oxidoreductase, that regulates cellular redox status. Diabetic mice exhibit increased expression of TxNIP in pancreatic islets, and recent studies suggest that TxNIP is a proapoptotic factor in beta-cells that may contribute to the development of diabetes. Here, we examined the role of TxNIP deficiency in vivo in the development of insulin-deficient diabetes and whether it impacted on pancreatic beta-cell mass and/or insulin secretion.

Interaction between Munc13-1 and RIM is critical for glucagon-like peptide-1 mediated rescue of exocytotic defects in Munc13-1 deficient pancreatic beta-cells.

Objective: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) rescues insulin secretory deficiency in type 2 diabetes partly via cAMP actions on exchange protein directly activated by cAMP (Epac2) and protein kinase A (PKA)-activated Rab3A-interacting molecule 2 (Rim2). We had reported that haplodeficient Munc13-1(+/-) mouse islet beta-cells exhibited reduced insulin secretion, causing glucose intolerance. Munc13-1 binds Epac2 and Rim2, but their functional interactions remain unclear.

Distinct in vivo roles of caspase-8 in beta-cells in physiological and diabetes models.

Inadequate pancreatic beta-cell mass resulting from excessive beta-cell apoptosis is a key defect in type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Caspases are the major molecules involved in apoptosis; however, in vivo roles of specific caspases in diabetes are unclear. The purpose of this study is to examine the role of Caspase (Casp)8 in beta-cells in vivo.

Effects of palmitate on insulin secretion and exocytotic proteins in islets of diabetic Goto-Kakizaki rats.

Objectives: We examined how lipotoxicity contributes to pancreatic beta-cell secretory dysfunction.

Methods: Effects of palmitate (0.2 mmol/L) were assessed on insulin secretion and soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor exocytotic machinery in isolated pancreatic islets of type 2 diabetic Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats and control Wistar (W) rats.

Target soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (t-SNAREs) differently regulate activation and inactivation gating of Kv2.2 and Kv2.1: Implications on pancreatic islet cell Kv channels.

We have hypothesized that the plasma membrane protein components of the exocytotic soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein (SNAP) receptor (SNARE) complex, syntaxin 1A and SNAP-25, distinctly regulate different voltage-gated K+ (Kv) channels that are differentially distributed. Neuroendocrine islet cells (alpha, beta, delta) uniformly contain both syntaxin 1A and SNAP-25. However, using immunohistochemistry, we show that the different pancreatic islet cells contain distinct dominant Kv channels, including Kv2.

Two populations of pancreatic islet alpha-cells displaying distinct Ca2+ channel properties.

In low or absence of glucose, alpha-cells generate rhythmic action potentials and secrete glucagon. alpha-Cell T-type Ca(2+) channels are believed to be pacemaker channels, which are expected to open near the resting membrane potential (around -60 mV) to initiate a small depolarization. A previous publication, however, showed that alpha-cell T-type Ca(2+) channels have an activation threshold of -40 mV, which does not appear to fulfill their role as pacemakers.

Munc13-1 deficiency reduces insulin secretion and causes abnormal glucose tolerance.

Munc13-1 is a diacylglycerol (DAG) receptor that is essential for synaptic vesicle priming. We recently showed that Munc13-1 is expressed in rodent and human islet beta-cells and that its levels are reduced in islets of type 2 diabetic humans and rat models, suggesting that Munc13-1 deficiency contributes to the abnormal insulin secretion in diabetes. To unequivocally demonstrate the role of Munc13-1 in insulin secretion, we studied heterozygous Munc13-1 knockout mice (+/-), which exhibited elevated glucose levels during intraperitoneal glucose tolerance tests with corresponding lower serum insulin levels.

Insulin regulates islet alpha-cell function by reducing KATP channel sensitivity to adenosine 5'-triphosphate inhibition.

Glucose regulates pancreatic islet alpha-cell glucagon secretion directly by its metabolism to generate ATP in alpha-cells, and indirectly via stimulation of paracrine release of beta-cell secretory products, particularly insulin. How the cellular substrates of these pathways converge in the alpha-cell is not well known. We recently reported the use of the MIP-GFP (mouse insulin promoter-green fluorescent protein) mouse to reliably identify islet alpha- (non-green cells) and beta-cells (green cells), and characterized their ATP-sensitive K(+) (K(ATP)) channel properties, showing that alpha-cell K(ATP) channels exhibited a 5-fold higher sensitivity to ATP inhibition than beta-cell K(ATP) channels.

Impaired gene and protein expression of exocytotic soluble N-ethylmaleimide attachment protein receptor complex proteins in pancreatic islets of type 2 diabetic patients.

Exocytosis of insulin is dependent on the soluble N-ethylmaleimide attachment protein receptor (SNARE) complex proteins in the B-cells. We assessed insulin release as well as gene and protein expression of SNARE complex protein in isolated pancreatic islets of type 2 diabetic patients (n = 4) and nondiabetic control subjects (n = 4). In islets from the diabetic patients, insulin responses to 8.

Transgenic mouse overexpressing syntaxin-1A as a diabetes model.

Soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor (NSF) attachment protein receptor (SNARE) protein syntaxin-1A (STX-1A) plays a role not only in exocytosis, but also binds and regulates Ca(2+) and K(+) (voltage-gated K(+) and ATP-sensitive K(+) channels) to influence the sequence of events leading to secretion. Islet levels of STX-1A and cognate SNARE proteins are reduced in type 2 diabetic rodents, suggesting their role in dysregulated insulin secretion contributing to the abnormal glucose homeostasis. We investigated the specific role of STX-1A in pancreatic beta-cells by generating transgenic mice, which express a moderately increased level ( approximately 30% higher) of STX-1A in pancreatic islets (hereafter called STX-1A mice).

Electrophysiological characterization of pancreatic islet cells in the mouse insulin promoter-green fluorescent protein mouse.

We recently reported a transgenic [mouse insulin promoter (MIP)-green fluorescent protein (GFP)] mouse in which GFP expression is targeted to the pancreatic islet beta-cells to enable convenient identification of beta-cells as green cells. The GFP-expressing beta-cells of the MIP-GFP mouse were functionally indistinguishable from beta-cells of normal mice. Here we characterized the ionic channel properties and exocytosis of MIP-GFP mouse islet beta- and alpha-cells.

Caspase-3-dependent beta-cell apoptosis in the initiation of autoimmune diabetes mellitus.

beta-Cell apoptosis is a key event contributing to the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes mellitus. In addition to apoptosis being the main mechanism by which beta cells are destroyed, beta-cell apoptosis has been implicated in the initiation of type 1 diabetes mellitus through antigen cross-presentation mechanisms that lead to beta-cell-specific T-cell activation. Caspase-3 is the major effector caspase involved in apoptotic pathways.

Regional differences in cholinergic regulation of potassium current in feline esophageal circular smooth muscle.

Potassium channels are important contributors to membrane excitability in smooth muscles. There are regional differences in resting membrane potential and K(+)-channel density along the length of the feline circular smooth muscle esophagus. The aim of this study was to assess responses of K(+)-channel currents to cholinergic (ACh) stimulation along the length of the feline circular smooth muscle esophageal body.

Open form of syntaxin-1A is a more potent inhibitor than wild-type syntaxin-1A of Kv2.1 channels.

We have shown that SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion protein attachment protein receptor) proteins not only participate directly in exocytosis, but also regulate the dominant membrane-repolarizing Kv channels (voltage-gated K+ channels), such as Kv2.1, in pancreatic beta-cells. In a recent report, we demonstrated that WT (wild-type) Syn-1A (syntaxin-1A) inhibits Kv2.

H3 domain of syntaxin 1A inhibits KATP channels by its actions on the sulfonylurea receptor 1 nucleotide-binding folds-1 and -2.

The ATP-sensitive potassium (K(ATP)) channel in pancreatic islet beta cells consists of four pore-forming (Kir6.2) subunits and four regulatory sulfonylurea receptor (SUR1) subunits. In beta cells, the K(ATP) channel links intracellular metabolism to the dynamic regulation of the cell membrane potential that triggers insulin secretion.

Syntaxin-1A inhibits cardiac KATP channels by its actions on nucleotide binding folds 1 and 2 of sulfonylurea receptor 2A.

ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels couple the metabolic status of the cell to its membrane potential to regulate a number of cell actions, including secretion (neurons and neuroendocrine cells) and muscle contractility (skeletal, cardiac, and vascular smooth muscle). KATP channels consist of regulatory sulfonylurea receptors (SUR) and pore-forming (Kir6.X) subunits.

Alcoholic chronic pancreatitis involves displacement of Munc18c from the pancreatic acinar basal membrane surface.

The minimal machinery for fusion of secretory vesicles with the cell membrane is a cognate set of v- and t-SNAREs on opposing membranes. Spontaneous SNARE complex assembly leading to unregulated membrane fusion is prevented by Munc18 proteins that bind membrane SNAREs syntaxins. Munc18 blocks syntaxin interactions with cognate SNARE proteins and thereby act as an inhibitor of exocytosis.

Disruption of pancreatic beta-cell lipid rafts modifies Kv2.1 channel gating and insulin exocytosis.

In pancreatic beta-cells, the predominant voltage-gated Ca(2+) channel (Ca(V)1.2) and K(+) channel (K(V)2.1) are directly coupled to SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein (SNAP) receptor) proteins.

Syntaxin-1A binds the nucleotide-binding folds of sulphonylurea receptor 1 to regulate the KATP channel.

ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels in neuron and neuroendocrine cells consist of a pore-forming Kir6.2 and regulatory sulfonylurea receptor (SUR1) subunits, which are regulated by ATP and ADP. SNARE protein syntaxin 1A (Syn-1A) is known to mediate exocytic fusion, and more recently, to also bind and modulate membrane-repolarizing voltage-gated K+ channels.

Regulation of insulin exocytosis by Munc13-1.

The slower kinetics of insulin release from pancreatic islet beta cells, as compared with other regulated secretory processes such as chromaffin granule secretion, can in part be explained by the small number of the insulin granules that are docked to the plasma membrane and readily releasable. In type-2 diabetes, the kinetics of insulin secretion become grossly distorted, and, to therapeutically correct this, it is imperative to elucidate the mechanisms that regulate priming and secretion of insulin secretory granules. Munc13-1, a synaptic protein that regulates SNARE complex assembly, is the major protein determining the priming of synaptic vesicles.

Syntaxin 1A binds to the cytoplasmic C terminus of Kv2.1 to regulate channel gating and trafficking.

Voltage-gated K(+) (Kv) 2.1 is the dominant Kv channel that controls membrane repolarization in rat islet beta-cells and downstream insulin exocytosis. We recently showed that exocytotic SNARE protein SNAP-25 directly binds and modulates rat islet beta-cell Kv 2.

Effects of selective endocrine or exocrine induction of AR42J on SNARE and Munc18 protein expression.

Introduction And Aim: We used the amphicrine AR42J as an excellent model to study the differentiation of the secretory machinery of pancreatic endocrine and exocrine cells. Dexamethasone treatment induced the AR42J to differentiate towards the exocrine phenotype capable of secreting amylase in response to cholecystokinin. In contrast, activin A plus hepatocyte growth factor treatment of a subclone of AR42J, AR42J-B13, induced this cell to differentiate morphologically and functionally toward an insulin-containing and insulin-secreting endocrine phenotype.

Abnormal expression of pancreatic islet exocytotic soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors in Goto-Kakizaki rats is partially restored by phlorizin treatment and accentuated by high glucose treatment.

The role of glucotoxicity in dysregulation of islet exocytotic soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) complex proteins and insulin response was explored in the hyperglycemic Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rat. Syntaxin-1A and vesicle-associated membrane protein isoform 2, which drive insulin granule exocytotic fusion, and the associated nSec1, which modulates the SNARE complex assembly, were diminished in GK pancreatic islets to approximately 40% of the levels in control Wistar rat islets. Phlorizin treatment (12 d) induced normoglycemic control in GK rats, resulting in partial restoration of the insulin response to glucose.

Modulation of L-type Ca(2+) channels by distinct domains within SNAP-25.

Cognate soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins are now known to associate the secretory vesicle with both the target plasma membrane and Ca(2+) channels in order to mediate the sequence of events leading to exocytosis in neurons and neuroendocrine cells. Neuroendocrine cells, particularly insulin-secreting islet beta-cells, t-SNARE proteins, 25-kDa synaptosomal-associated protein (SNAP-25), and syntaxin 1A, independently inhibit the L-type Ca(2+) channel (L(Ca)). However, when both are present, they actually exhibit stimulatory actions on the L(Ca).