[The discovery of hypoglycemic sulfonamides].

In 1933 Auguste Loubatières started to work at the Physiological Laboratory of the Montpellier Medical School, famous for the scientific work of Emmanuel Hédon and then Louis Hédon on experimental diabetes mellitus. Auguste Loubatières was particularly interested in the study of a new preparation of long-lasting insulin (insulin-protamine-zinc: IPZ) in the totally pancreatectomized dog. In 1938, he observed that high doses of IPZ induced a severe and protracted hypoglycemia entailing convulsive attacks and even irreversible coma.

P2 receptor agonists stimulate insulin release from human pancreatic islets.

Although P2 receptors for adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) and/or adenosine 5'-diphosphate (ADP) have been characterized in mammalian pancreatic beta cells, no evidence for an insulin-secreting effect of P2 receptor agonists has been reported as yet in humans. The present study aimed at investigating whether P2 receptor agonists could stimulate insulin release in human pancreatic islets obtained from brain-dead organ donors. Experiments were performed using different glucose concentrations and insulin was measured by radioimmunoassay.

[Involvement of P2X and P2U receptors in the constrictor effect of ATP on the pancreatic vascular bed].

The effects of ATP on the pancreatic vascular bed were studied on the isolated rat pancreas perfused at a constant pressure so as any change in the vascular tone induces a modification in the flow rate. This study was performed in two different experimental conditions: 1) In the presence of indomethacin, inhibiting the cyclo-oxygenase and prostacyclin (PGI2) synthesis, ATP (which acts on vasodilatator P2Y receptors and vasoconstrictor P2X and P2U receptors) was used at a concentration (165 microM) which did not modify per se the vascular flow rate. With indomethacin, ATP induced a slight but significant and long lasting decrease in the flow rate.

Evidence for two different types of P2 receptors stimulating insulin secretion from pancreatic B cell.

Adenine nucleotides have been shown to stimulate insulin secretion by acting on P2 receptors of the P2Y type. Since there have been some discrepancies in the insulin response of different analogues of ATP and ADP, we investigated whether two different types of P2 receptors exist on pancreatic B cells. The effects of alpha,beta-methylene ATP, which is more specific for the P2X subtype, were studied in vitro in pancreatic islets and isolated perfused pancreas from rats, in comparison with the potent P2Y receptor agonist ADPbetaS.

Involvement of K+ channel permeability changes in the L-NAME and indomethacin resistant part of adenosine-5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate)-induced relaxation of pancreatic vascular bed.

1. We have previously demonstrated that adenosine-5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate) (ADPbetaS), a potent P2Y-purinoceptor agonist, relaxed pancreatic vasculature not only through prostacyclin (PGI2) and nitric oxide (NO) release from the endothelium but also through other mechanism(s). In this study, we investigated the effects of an inhibitor of the Na+/K+ pump, of ATP-sensitive K+ (K(ATP)) channels and of small (SK(Ca)) or large (BK(Ca)) conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels.

Effects of homocysteine on acetylcholine- and adenosine-induced vasodilatation of pancreatic vascular bed in rats.

1. Epidemiological and experimental data have shown that homocysteine may provoke vascular lesions and that moderate homocysteinaemia may constitute an independent risk factor for vascular disease. It is now documented that homocysteine damages human endothelial cells in culture, possibly by producing hydrogen peroxide in an oxygen-dependent reaction.

Antazoline increases insulin secretion and improves glucose tolerance in rats and dogs.

In vivo effects of an imidazoline devoid of alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonistic properties, antazoline, on insulin secretion and glycemia were investigated both in fasted rats and dogs. In both species, antazoline (1.5 mg/kg i.

Comparative effects of adenosine-5'-triphosphate and related analogues on insulin secretion from the rat pancreas.

Adenosine tri- and diphosphate (ATP and ADP) and their structural analogues stimulate insulin secretion from the isolated perfused rat pancreas, an effect mediated by P2Y-purinoceptor activation. Concerning the base moiety of the nucleotide, it was previously shown that purine but not pyrimidine nucleoside triphosphates were active and that substitution on purine C2 with the 2-methylthio group greatly enhanced the potency. In this study, we further analyze the consequences of ribose and polyphosphate chain modifications.

Agmatine is not a good candidate as endogenous ligand for imidazoline sites of pancreatic B cells and vascular bed.

In order to determine whether agmatine could be a putative endogenous ligand for imidazoline receptors mediating insulin secretion and vasoconstriction, we compared its effects with those of the imidazoline, efaroxan. Agmatine exhibited a much lower potency and efficacy than efaroxan on insulin secretion from rat pancreas perfused with 8.3 mM glucose.

Study of the mechanisms involved in adenosine-5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate) induced relaxation of rat thoracic aorta and pancreatic vascular bed.

1. The endothelium-dependent relaxation of blood vessels induced by P2Y-purinoceptor activation has often been shown to involve prostacyclin and/or nitric oxide (NO) release. In this work, we have investigated the mechanisms involved in the relaxant effect of the P2Y agonist, adenosine -5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate) (ADP beta S) using two complementary preparations: rat pancreatic vascular bed and aortic ring.

Adenosine inhibitory effect on enhanced growth of aortic smooth muscle cells from streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

1. There is evidence to suggest that adenosine may regulate arterial smooth muscle cell (SMC) growth and proliferation, which is a key event in atherogenesis. This regulation may be mediated via adenylate cyclase.

Comparative effects of PACAP and VIP on pancreatic endocrine secretions and vascular resistance in rat.

1. The effects of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and secretin on pancreatic endocrine secretions and vascular resistance were investigated and compared in the isolated perfused pancreas of the rat. The PACAP/VIP receptor types involved have been characterized.

Glutamate stimulates insulin secretion and improves glucose tolerance in rats.

We previously showed in vitro that glutamate stimulates insulin release via an alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor. Here we address a more physiological question concerning the in vivo effect of intravenously or orally administered glutamate on insulinemia and glycemia in fed and fasted rats. In anesthetized fed rats, the intravenous administration of glutamate at 9 and 30 mg/kg transiently increased insulinemia in a dose-dependent manner.

Evidence for two different imidazoline sites on pancreatic B cells and vascular bed in rat.

The relative potencies of imidazoline compounds to induce insulin secretion and vascular resistance were compared in the isolated perfused rat pancreas. On insulin secretion, only the two imidazolines, antazoline and efaroxan, induced a concentration-dependent response, antazoline being 10 times more potent than efaroxan. In contrast, idazoxan, a blocker of imidazoline I1 sites, at concentrations up to 30 microM, antagonized the insulin response to 10 microM efaroxan (IC50 approximately equal to 14 +/- 2 microM) without affecting that to 3 microM tolbutamide.

[Vasoconstrictor effect of uridine triphosphate on pancreatic vascular bed].

Purinoceptors have been classified according to their sensitivity to structural analogues of purines. In addition to the well established and widely distributed P2 purinoceptor subtypes (P2X and P2Y), the existence of "pyrimidine" or "nucleotide" receptors was proposed, which are sensitive to the pyrimidine nucleotide, uridine triphosphate (UTP). Recently, this class of receptor has been included in the P2 purinoceptor classification as a P2U subtype.

In vivo and in vitro effects of adenosine-5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate) on pancreatic hormones in dogs.

Adenosine-5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate) (ADP beta S), a P2y purinergic agonist, has been shown to be a potent insulin secretagogue on the isolated rat pancreas. In the present work the effects of ADP beta S on insulin somatostatin, and glucagon secretions were investigated in dogs. In vivo, in anesthetized fasted dogs, i.

Effects of imidazolines and derivatives on insulin secretion and vascular resistance in perfused rat pancreas.

The effects of imidazolines and derivatives were studied on insulin secretion and vascular resistance in the isolated perfused rat pancreas. On insulin secretion, two imidazoline alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonists, efaroxan (1-100 microM) and RX821002 (10 microM), had a stimulating response; however, idazoxan, like the non-imidazoline alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonist yohimbine, was ineffective at 10 microM. The oxazoline rilmenidine with alpha 2-adrenergic activity at 10 microM), an imidazoline devoid of alpha 2-adrenergic activity, also had an insulin-releasing effect.

Purinergic receptors on insulin-secreting cells.

The insulin secreting B cell is fitted with the two types of purinergic receptors: P2 (for ATP and/or ADP) and P1 (for adenosine). The activation of P2 purinoceptors by ATP or ADP evokes a biphasic stimulation of insulin secretion from isolated perfused rat pancreas; this stimulation is dose-dependent between 10(-6) and 10(-4) M. Non hydrolysable structural analogues are also effective, and the relative potency of various agonists (2-methylthio ATP >> ATP = ADP = alpha, beta-methylene ATP >> AMP) gave evidence for a P2y purinoceptor subtype.

Prior glucose deprivation increases the first phase of glucose-induced insulin response: possible involvement of endogenous ATP and (or) ADP.

A possible implication of endogenously released ATP and (or) ADP in insulin response to glucose stimulation was investigated in the isolated rat pancreas. The first phase of insulin response to the same glucose concentration (8.3 mM) was much higher in pancreas previously perfused in the absence of glucose than in pancreas previously perfused with 4.

Glutamate stimulates glucagon secretion via an excitatory amino acid receptor of the AMPA subtype in rat pancreas.

The effect of L-glutamate was studied on glucagon secretion from rat isolated pancreas perfused with 2.8 mM glucose. L-Glutamate (3.

Different mechanisms are involved in neuropeptide Y-induced pancreatic vasoconstriction and inhibition of insulin secretion.

We have studied the mechanisms whereby neuropeptide Y (NPY) inhibits insulin secretion and induces vasoconstriction in the isolated perfused rat pancreas. Neither prazosin (alpha 1-adrenoceptor antagonist; 6 microM) nor yohimbine (alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonist; 0.6 microM) affected the effects of neuropeptide Y (1 nM).

Stimulation of insulin secretion and improvement of glucose tolerance in rat and dog by the P2y-purinoceptor agonist, adenosine-5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate).

1. In vivo effect of a P2y-purinoceptor agonist, adenosine-5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate) (ADP beta S), on insulin secretion and glycaemia were studied both in rats and dogs. 2.

[Research of the mechanism of the inhibition of insulin secretion induced by a peripheral benzodiazepine: 4'-chlordiazepam].

We have previously shown that the selective peripheral-type benzodiazepine agonist 4'-chlordiazepam inhibited glucose-induced insulin secretion from rat pancreatic islets. The present work was designed to further investigate the mechanism of this effect. Since interactions have been described between benzodiazepines and purinergic modulators such as adenosine, we studied the effect of the adenosine receptor antagonist 8-phenyltheophylline.

Effects of a peripheral-type benzodiazepine on glucose-induced insulin secretion.

Benzodiazepines, besides interacting with central-type receptors which mediate their well-known pharmacological actions, bind to peripheral-type receptors that are distributed in a variety of peripheral tissues including numerous endocrine organs. The present work was designed to investigate the effects of a selective peripheral-type benzodiazepine, 4'-chlordiazepam (Ro 5-4864), on glucose-induced insulin secretion in vitro. In the rat isolated pancreas perfused with a Krebs-bicarbonate buffer containing 8.

Adrenergic inhibition of insulin secretion involves pertussis toxin-sensitive and -insensitive mechanisms.

We studied the involvement of Bordetella pertussis toxin (PTX)-sensitive G proteins in the inhibition by adrenaline of insulin secretion from the isolated rat pancreas. The -90% inhibition induced by adrenaline (0.05 microM) was partially abolished after in vivo PTX pretreatment.