ARHGAP21 Acts as an Inhibitor of the Glucose-Stimulated Insulin Secretion Process.

ARHGAP21 is a RhoGAP protein implicated in the modulation of insulin secretion and energy metabolism. ARHGAP21 transient-inhibition increase glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) in neonatal islets; however, ARHGAP21 heterozygote mice have a reduced insulin secretion. These discrepancies are not totally understood, and it might be related to functional maturation of beta cells and peripheral sensitivity. Here, we investigated the real ARHGAP21 role in the insulin secretion process using an adult mouse model of acute ARHGAP21 inhibition, induced by antisense. After ARHGAP21 knockdown induction by antisense injection in 60-day old male mice, we investigated glucose and insulin tolerance test, glucose-induced insulin secretion, glucose-induced intracellular calcium dynamics, and gene expression. Our results showed that ARHGAP21 acts negatively in the GSIS of adult islet. This effect seems to be due to the modulation of important points of insulin secretion process, such as the energy metabolism (PGC1α), Ca2+ signalization (SYTVII), granule-extrusion (SNAP25), and cell-cell interaction (CX36). Therefore, based on these finds, ARHGAP21 may be an important target in Diabetes Mellitus (DM) treatment.

Interleukin-6 increases the expression and activity of insulin-degrading enzyme.

Impairment of the insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) is associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Here, we used 4-mo-old male C57BL/6 interleukin-6 (IL-6) knockout mice (KO) to investigate the role of this cytokine on IDE expression and activity. IL-6 KO mice displayed lower insulin clearance in the liver and skeletal muscle, compared with wild type (WT), due to reduced IDE expression and activity. We also observed that after 3-h incubation, IL-6, 50 and 100 ng ml-1, increased the expression of IDE in HEPG2 and C2C12 cells, respectively. In addition, during acute exercise, the inhibition of IL-6 prevented an increase in insulin clearance and IDE expression and activity, mainly in the skeletal muscle. Finally, IL-6 and IDE concentrations were significantly increased in plasma from humans, after an acute exercise, compared to pre-exercise values. Although the increase in plasma IDE activity was only marginal, a positive correlation between IL-6 and IDE activity, and between IL-6 and IDE protein expression, was observed. Our outcomes indicate a novel function of IL-6 on the insulin metabolism expanding the possibilities for new potential therapeutic strategies, focused on insulin degradation, for the treatment and/or prevention of diseases related to hyperinsulinemia, such as obesity and T2DM.

Acute Exercise Improves Insulin Clearance and Increases the Expression of Insulin-Degrading Enzyme in the Liver and Skeletal Muscle of Swiss Mice.

The effects of exercise on insulin clearance and IDE expression are not yet fully elucidated. Here, we have explored the effect of acute exercise on insulin clearance and IDE expression in lean mice. Male Swiss mice were subjected to a single bout of exercise on a speed/angle controlled treadmill for 3-h at approximately 60-70% of maximum oxygen consumption. As expected, acute exercise reduced glycemia and insulinemia, and increased insulin tolerance. The activity of AMPK-ACC, but not of IR-Akt, pathway was increased in the liver and skeletal muscle of trained mice. In an apparent contrast to the reduced insulinemia, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion was increased in isolated islets of these mice. However, insulin clearance was increased after acute exercise and was accompanied by increased expression of the insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE), in the liver and skeletal muscle. Finally, C2C12, but not HEPG2 cells, incubated at different concentrations of 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-ß-d-ribofuranoside (AICAR) for 3-h, showed increased expression of IDE. In conclusion, acute exercise increases insulin clearance, probably due to an augmentation of IDE expression in the liver and skeletal muscle. The elevated IDE expression, in the skeletal muscle, seems to be mediated by activation of AMPK-ACC pathway, in response to exercise. We believe that the increase in the IDE expression, comprise a safety measure to maintain glycemia at or close to physiological levels, turning physical exercise more effective and safe.

Acute exercise restores insulin clearance in diet-induced obese mice.

The aim of this study was to investigate the insulin clearance in diet-induced obese (DIO) mice submitted to acute endurance exercise (3h of treadmill exercise at 60-70% VO2max). Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in isolated islets; ipGTT; ipITT; ipPTT; in vivo insulin clearance; protein expression in liver, skeletal muscle, and adipose tissue (insulin degrading enzyme (IDE), insulin receptor subunitß(IRß), phospho-Akt (p-Akt) and phospho-AMPK (p-AMPK)), and the activity of IDE in the liver and skeletal muscle were accessed. In DIO mice, acute exercise reduced fasting glycemia and insulinemia, improved glucose and insulin tolerance, reduced hepatic glucose production, and increased p-Akt protein levels in liver and skeletal muscle and p-AMPK protein levels in skeletal muscle. In addition, insulin secretion was reduced, whereas insulin clearance and the expression of IDE and IRß were increased in liver and skeletal muscle. Finally, IDE activity was increased only in skeletal muscle. In conclusion, we propose that the increased insulin clearance and IDE expression and activity, primarily, in skeletal muscle, constitute an additional mechanism, whereby physical exercise reduces insulinemia in DIO mice.

Endurance training inhibits insulin clearance and IDE expression in Swiss mice.

INTRODUCTION: Endurance training improves peripheral insulin sensitivity in the liver and the skeletal muscle, but the mechanism for this effect is poorly understood. Recently, it was proposed that insulin clearance plays a major role in both glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity. Therefore, our goal was to determine the mechanism by which endurance training improves insulin sensitivity and how it regulates insulin clearance in mice. METHODS: Mice were treadmill-trained for 4 weeks at 70-80% of maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max) for 60 min, 5 days a week. The glucose tolerance and the insulin resistance were determined using an IPGTT and an IPITT, respectively, and the insulin decay rate was calculated from the insulin clearance. Protein expression and phosphorylation in the liver and the skeletal muscle were ascertained by Western blot. RESULTS: Trained mice exhibited an increased VO2 max, time to exhaustion, glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. They had smaller fat pads and lower plasma concentrations of insulin and glucose. Endurance training inhibited insulin clearance and reduced expression of IDE in the liver, while also inhibiting insulin secretion by pancreatic islets. There was increased phosphorylation of both the canonical (IR-AKT) and the non-canonical (CaMKII-AMPK-ACC) insulin pathways in the liver of trained mice, whereas only the CaMKII-AMPK pathway was increased in the skeletal muscle. CONCLUSION: Endurance training improved glucose homeostasis not only by increasing peripheral insulin sensitivity but also by decreasing insulin clearance and reducing IDE expression in the liver.

ARHGAP21 prevents abnormal insulin release through actin rearrangement in pancreatic islets from neonatal mice.

AIMS: ARHGAP21 is a Rho GTPase-activating protein (RhoGAP) that associates with many proteins and modulates several cellular functions, including actin cytoskeleton rearrangement in different tissues. However, it is unknown whether ARHGAP21 is expressed in pancreatic beta cells and its function in these cells. Herein, we assess the participation of ARHGAP21 in insulin secretion. MAIN METHODS: Neonatal mice were treated with anti-sense oligonucleotide against ARHG AP21 (AS) for 2 days, resulting in a reduction of the protein's expression of about 60% in the islets. F-actin depolimerization, insulin secretion,mRNA level of genes involved in insulin secretion, maturation and proliferation were evaluated in islets from both control and AS-treated mice. KEY FINDINGS: ARHGAP21 co-localized with actin inMIN6 beta cells and with insulin in neonatal pancreatic islets. F-actin was reduced in AS-islets, as judged by lower phalloidin intensity. Insulin secretion was increased in islets from AS-treated mice, however no differences were observed in the GSIS (glucose-stimulated insulin secretion). In these islets, the pERK1/2 was increased, as well as the gene expressions of VAMP2 and SNAP25, proteins that are present in the secretory machinery. Maturation and cell proliferation were not affected in islets from AS-treated mice. SIGNIFICANCE: In conclusion, our data show, for the first time, that ARHGAP21 is expressed and participates in the secretory process of pancreatic beta cells. Its effect is probably via pERK1/2, which modulates the rearrangement of the cytoskeleton. ARHGAP21 also controls the expression of genes that encodes proteins of the secretory machinery.

Leucine supplementation does not affect protein turnover and impairs the beneficial effects of endurance training on glucose homeostasis in healthy mice.

Endurance exercise training as well as leucine supplementation modulates glucose homeostasis and protein turnover in mammals. Here, we analyze whether leucine supplementation alters the effects of endurance exercise on these parameters in healthy mice. Mice were distributed into sedentary (C) and exercise (T) groups. The exercise group performed a 12-week swimming protocol. Half of the C and T mice, designated as the CL and TL groups, were supplemented with leucine (1.5 % dissolved in the drinking water) throughout the experiment. As well known, endurance exercise training reduced body weight and the retroperitoneal fat pad, increased soleus mass, increased VO2max, decreased muscle proteolysis, and ameliorated peripheral insulin sensitivity. Leucine supplementation had no effect on any of these parameters and worsened glucose tolerance in both CL and TL mice. In the soleus muscle of the T group, AS-160(Thr-642) (AKT substrate of 160 kDa) and AMPK(Thr-172) (AMP-Activated Protein Kinase) phosphorylation was increased by exercise in both basal and insulin-stimulated conditions, but it was reduced in TL mice with insulin stimulation compared with the T group. Akt phosphorylation was not affected by exercise but was lower in the CL group compared with the other groups. Leucine supplementation increased mTOR phosphorylation at basal conditions, whereas exercise reduced it in the presence of insulin, despite no alterations in protein synthesis. In trained groups, the total FoxO3a protein content and the mRNA for the specific isoforms E2 and E3 ligases were reduced. In conclusion, leucine supplementation did not potentiate the effects of endurance training on protein turnover, and it also reduced its positive effects on glucose homeostasis.

Augmented ß-Cell Function and Mass in Glucocorticoid-Treated Rodents Are Associated with Increased Islet Ir-ß /AKT/mTOR and Decreased AMPK/ACC and AS160 Signaling.

Glucocorticoid (GC) therapies may adversely cause insulin resistance (IR) that lead to a compensatory hyperinsulinemia due to insulin hypersecretion. The increased ß-cell function is associated with increased insulin signaling that has the protein kinase B (AKT) substrate with 160 kDa (AS160) as an important downstream AKT effector. In muscle, both insulin and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling phosphorylate and inactivate AS160, which favors the glucose transporter (GLUT)-4 translocation to plasma membrane. Whether AS160 phosphorylation is modulated in islets from GC-treated subjects is unknown. For this, two animal models, Swiss mice and Wistar rats, were treated with dexamethasone (DEX) (1 mg/kg body weight) for 5 consecutive days. DEX treatment induced IR, hyperinsulinemia, and dyslipidemia in both species, but glucose intolerance and hyperglycemia only in rats. DEX treatment caused increased insulin secretion in response to glucose and augmented ß-cell mass in both species that were associated with increased islet content and increased phosphorylation of the AS160 protein. Protein AKT phosphorylation, but not AMPK phosphorylation, was found significantly enhanced in islets from DEX-treated animals. We conclude that the augmented ß-cell function developed in response to the GC-induced IR involves inhibition of the islet AS160 protein activity.

Reduced insulin clearance and lower insulin-degrading enzyme expression in the liver might contribute to the thrifty phenotype of protein-restricted mice.

Nutrient restriction during the early stages of life usually leads to alterations in glucose homeostasis, mainly insulin secretion and sensitivity, increasing the risk of metabolic disorders in adulthood. Despite growing evidence regarding the importance of insulin clearance during glucose homeostasis in health and disease, no information exists about this process in malnourished animals. Thus, in the present study, we aimed to determine the effect of a nutrient-restricted diet on insulin clearance using a model in which 30-d-old C57BL/6 mice were exposed to a protein-restricted diet for 14 weeks. After this period, we evaluated many metabolic variables and extracted pancreatic islet, liver, gastrocnemius muscle (GCK) and white adipose tissue samples from the control (normal-protein diet) and restricted (low-protein diet, LP) mice. Insulin concentrations were determined using RIA and protein expression and phosphorylation by Western blot analysis. The LP mice exhibited lower body weight, glycaemia, and insulinaemia, increased glucose tolerance and altered insulin dynamics after the glucose challenge. The improved glucose tolerance could partially be explained by an increase in insulin sensitivity through the phosphorylation of the insulin receptor/protein kinase B and AMP-activated protein kinase/acetyl-CoA carboxylase in the liver, whereas the changes in insulin dynamics could be attributed to reduced insulin secretion coupled with reduced insulin clearance and lower insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) expression in the liver and GCK. In summary, protein-restricted mice not only produce and secrete less insulin, but also remove and degrade less insulin. This phenomenon has the double benefit of sparing insulin while prolonging and potentiating its effects, probably due to the lower expression of IDE in the liver, possibly with long-term consequences.

Insulin-loaded poly(epsilon-caprolactone) nanoparticles: efficient, sustained and safe insulin delivery system.

The aim of this work was to develop an efficient, biodegradable, biocompatible and safe controlled release system using insulin-loaded poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) nanoparticles. The insulin-loaded PCL nanoparticles were prepared by double emulsion method (water-in-oil-in-water) using Pluronic F68 as emulsifier. Using the double emulsion method a high insulin encapsulation efficiency (90.6 +/-1.6%) with a zeta potential of -29 +/-2.7 mV and average particle size of 796 +/-10.5 nm was obtained. Insulin-loaded PCL nanoparticles showed no toxicity to MIN6 cells. Insulin nanoparticles administered subcutaneously and intraperitoneally in rats reduced glycaemia of basal levels after 15 minutes, and presented a sustainable hypoglycemic effect on insulin-dependent type 1 diabetic rats, showing to be more efficient than unencapsulated insulin. Furthermore, these nanoparticles were not hepatotoxic, as evaluated by the effect over liver cell-death and oxidative stress scavenger system in rats. These results suggest that insulin-loaded PCL nanoparticles prepared by water-in-oil-in-water emulsion method are biocompatible, efficient and safe insulin-delivering system with controlled insulin release, which indicates that it may be a powerful tool for insulin-dependent patients care.

Ciliary neurotrophic factor protects mice against streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetes through SOCS3: the role of STAT1/STAT3 ratio in ß-cell death.

Type 1 diabetes is characterized by a loss of islet ß-cells. Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) protects pancreatic islets against cytokine-induced apoptosis. For this reason, we assessed whether CNTF protects mice against streptozotocin-induced diabetes (a model of type 1 diabetes) and the mechanism for this protection. WT and SOCS3 knockdown C57BL6 mice were treated for 5 days with citrate buffer or 0.1 mg/kg CNTF before receiving 80 mg/kg streptozotocin. Glycemia in non-fasted mice was measured weekly from days 0-28 after streptozotocin administration. Diabetes was defined as a blood glucose > 11.2 mmol/liter. Wild-type (WT) and SOCS3 knockdown MIN6 cells were cultured with CNTF, IL1ß, or both. CNTF reduced diabetes incidence and islet apoptosis in WT but not in SOCS3kd mice. Likewise, CNTF inhibited apoptosis in WT but not in SOCS3kd MIN6 cells. CNTF increased STAT3 phosphorylation in WT and SOCS3kd mice and MIN6 cells but reduced STAT1 phosphorylation only in WT mice, in contrast to streptozotocin and IL1ß. Moreover, CNTF reduced NFκB activation and required down-regulation of inducible NO synthase expression to exert its protective effects. In conclusion, CNTF protects mice against streptozotocin-induced diabetes by increasing pancreatic islet survival, and this protection depends on SOCS3. In addition, SOCS3 expression and ß-cell fate are dependent on STAT1/STAT3 ratio.

CNTF protects MIN6 cells against apoptosis induced by Alloxan and IL-1ß through downregulation of the AMPK pathway.

Our group previously demonstrated that CNTF protects pancreatic islets against apoptosis induced by IL1ß. In addition, it is known that AMPK knockout protects beta cells from IL1ß-mediated apoptosis, however how AMPK activation leads to apoptosis remains unknown. The present study was designed to investigate the possible role of AMPK pathway modulation in CNTF protective effects against apoptosis induced by IL1ß or Alloxan and how AMPK activation leads to beta cells apoptosis. First, we observed that apoptosis of MIN6 cells, induced by Alloxan as well as IL-1ß, requires activation of the AMPK pathway, and also that CNTF protective effects are dependent on downregulation of AMPK. In addition, we found that Alloxan induces AMPK differently from IL1ß, as Alloxan acts mainly through CaMKII while IL1ß acts through LKB1 phosphorylation. Meanwhile, CNTF by itself inhibited the AMPK pathway and protected against AMPK activation induced by Alloxan or IL1ß via downregulation of CaMKII. Finally, AMPK-dependent MIN6 cell apoptosis, induced by IL1ß or Alloxan, required increased iNOS expression, an effect that was reversed by CNTF downregulation of AMPK pathway and iNOS expression. In conclusion, IL1ß upregulates the LKB1-AMPK-INOS pathway, while Alloxan acts through CaMKII-AMPK-INOS, both ultimately leading to beta cell death. In this context, CNTF protects beta cells against apoptosis, induced by either IL1ß or Alloxan, through downregulation of the CaMKII-AMPK-INOS pathway.

Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) signals through STAT3-SOCS3 pathway and protects rat pancreatic islets from cytokine-induced apoptosis.

CNTF is a cytokine that promotes survival and/or differentiation in many cell types, including rat pancreatic islets. In this work, we studied the mechanism of CNTF signal in neonatal rats pancreatic islets isolated by the collagenase method and cultured for 3 days in RPMI medium without (CTL) or with 1 nM of CNTF. The medium contained, when necessary, specific inhibitors of the PI3K, MAPK and JAK/STAT3 pathways. mRNA expression (RT-PCR) and protein phosphorylation (Western blot) of Akt, ERK1/2 and STAT3, and SOCS-3 (RT-PCR and Western blot), as well as glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) (Radioimmunoassay), were analyzed. Our results showed that Akt, ERK1 and STAT3 mRNA expression, as well as phosphorylated Akt and ERK1/2, was not affected by CNTF treatment. CNTF increased cytoplasmatic and nuclear phosphorylated STAT3, and the SOCS3 mRNA and protein expression. In addition, CNTF lowered apoptosis and impaired GSIS. These effects were blocked by the JAK inhibitor, AG490 and by the STAT3 inhibitor Curcumin, but not by the MAPK inhibitor, PD98059, nor by the PI3K inhibitor, Wortmannin. In conclusion, CNTF signals through the JAK2/STAT3 cascade, increases SOCS3 expression, impairs GSIS and protects neonatal pancreatic rat islets from cytokine-induced apoptosis. These findings indicate that CNTF may be a potential therapeutic tool against Type 1 and/or Type 2 diabetes.

Altered NAD(P)H production in neonatal rat islets resistant to H2O2.

AIMS: We determined the involvement of NAD(P)H generation ability on the resistance of pancreatic islets B-cells to oxidative stress caused by culture exposition to H2O2. MAIN METHODS: We cultured isolated neonatal Wistar rat islets for four days in medium containing 5.6 or 20 mM glucose, with or without H2O2 (200 microM), and analyzed several parameters associated with islet survival in different media. High glucose was used since it protects neonatal islets against the loss of GSIS. KEY FINDINGS: While none of the culture conditions increased the rate of NAD(P)H content at 16.7 mM glucose, the islets resistant to H2O2 and those exposed to 20 mM glucose showed a greater use of the pentose phosphate pathway and increased ATP synthesis from glucose. SIGNIFICANCE: Oxidative stress contributes to the loss of glucose-induced insulin secretion (GSIS) during the onset of diabetes mellitus. Although immature rat islets have reduced GSIS compared to mature islets, they adapt better to oxidative stress and are a good model for understanding the causes involved in the destruction or survival of islet cells. These data support the idea that GSIS and resistance against oxidative stress in immature islets rely on NADH shuttle activities, with little contribution of reduced equivalents from the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCAC).

Ciliary neurotrophic factor promotes survival of neonatal rat islets via the BCL-2 anti-apoptotic pathway.

Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) belongs to the cytokine family and increases neuron differentiation and/or survival. Pancreatic islets are richly innervated and express receptors for nerve growth factors (NGFs) and may undergo neurotypic responses. CNTF is found in pancreatic islets and exerts paracrine effects in neighboring cells. The aim of this study was to investigate possible effects of CNTF on neonatal rat pancreatic islet differentiation and/or survival. For this purpose, we isolated pancreatic islets from neonatal rats (1-2 days old) by the collagenase method and cultured for 3 days in RPMI medium with (CNTF) or without (CTL) 1 nM CNTF. Thereafter, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (RIA), general metabolism by (NAD(P)H production; MTS), glucose metabolism ((14)CO(2) production), gene (RT-PCR), protein expression (western blotting), caspase-3 activity (Asp-Glu-Val-Asp (DEVD)), and apoptosis (DNA fragmentation) were analyzed. Our results showed that CNTF-treated islets demonstrated reduced glucose-induced insulin secretion. CNTF treatment did not affect glucose metabolism, as well as the expression of mRNAs and proteins that are crucial for the secretory process. Conversely, CNTF significantly increased mRNA and protein levels related to cell survival, such as Cx36, PAX4, and BCL-2, reduced caspase-3 activity, and islet cells apoptosis, suggesting that CNTF does not affect islet cell differentiation and, instead, acts as a survival factor reducing apoptosis by increasing the expression of the anti-apoptotic BCL-2 protein and decreasing caspase-3 activity.

INGAP-related pentadecapeptide: its modulatory effect upon insulin secretion.

We examined the effects of a pentadecapeptide having the 104-118 aminoacid sequence of islet neogenesis-associated protein (INGAP-PP) on insulin secretion, and the morphological characteristics of adult and neonatal pancreatic rat islets cultured in RPMI and 10 mM glucose for 4 days, with or without different INGAP-PP concentrations (0.1-100 mug/ml). A scrambled 15 aminoacid peptide was used as control for the specificity of INGAP-PP effect. Cultured neonatal and adult islets released insulin in response to glucose (2.8-16.7 mM) in a dose-dependent manner, and to leucine and arginine (10 mM). In all cases, the response was greater in adult islets. INGAP-PP added to the culture medium significantly enhanced glucose- and aminoacid-induced insulin release in both adult and newborn rats; however, no changes were observed with the scrambled peptide. Similar results were obtained incubating freshly isolated adult rat islets with INGAP-PP. Whereas INGAP-PP did not induce significant changes in islet survival rate or proportion/number of islet cells, it increased significantly beta-cell size. This first demonstration of the enhancing effect of INGAP-PP on the beta-cell secretory response of adult and newborn islets opens a new avenue to study its production mechanism and potential use to increase the secretory capacity of endogenous islets in intact animals or of islets preserved for future transplants.

Characterization of the peroxidase system at low H2O2 concentrations in isolated neonatal rat islets.

B cell destruction during the onset of diabetes mellitus is associated with oxidative stress. In this work, we attempted to further trace the fate of H2O2 inside the pancreatic islets and determine whether it is mediated by enzymatic (peroxidase) activity or by chemical reaction with thiols from any protein chain. Our results suggest that the islet cells have a very similar peroxidase activity at the hydrophilic (cytoplasm) and hydrophobic compartments (organelles and nucleus), independent of the catalase content of the samples. This activity is composed of sacrificial thiols and by proteins with Fe3+/Mn3+ ions at non-heme catalytic sites. The capacity of the hydrophobic fraction to scavenge O2- was increased in the presence of high concentrations of NADP* and RS* and was highly dependent on RSH. On the contrary, the hydrophilic fraction exhibited a low RSH-dependent activity where the O2- scavenging is related to metal Cu2+/Fe3+/Mn3+ ions attached to the protein molecules.