PPARγ activation regulates lipid droplet formation and lactate production in rat Sertoli cells.

Sertoli cells provide the structural and nutritional support for germ cell development; they actively metabolize glucose and convert it to lactate, which is an important source of energy for germ cells. Furthermore, Sertoli cells can oxidize fatty acids, a metabolic process that is assumed to fulfill their own energy requirements. Fatty acids are stored as triacylglycerides within lipid droplets. The regulation of fatty acid storage in conjunction with the regulation of lactate production may thus be relevant to seminiferous tubule physiology. Our aim is to evaluate a possible means of regulation by the PPARγ activation of lipid droplet formation and lactate production. Sertoli cell cultures obtained from 20-day-old rats were incubated with Rosiglitazone (10 µM), a PPARγ activator, for various periods of time (6, 12, 24 and 48 h). Increased triacylglycerides levels and lipid droplet content were observed, accompanied by a rise in the expression of genes for proteins involved in fatty acid storage, such as the fatty acid transporter Cd36, glycerol-3-phosphate-acyltransferases 1 and 3, diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 and perilipins 1, 2 and 3, all proteins that participate in lipid droplet formation and stabilization. However, PPARγ activation increased lactate production, accompanied by an augmentation in glucose uptake and Glut2 expression. These results taken together suggest that PPARγ activation in Sertoli cells participates in the regulation of lipid storage and lactate production thereby ensuring simultaneously the energetic metabolism for the Sertoli and germ cells.

Simultaneous regulation of lactate production and fatty acid metabolism by Resveratrol in rat Sertoli cells.

Sertoli cells provide structural and nutritional support for germ cell development. They actively metabolize glucose and convert it into lactate, which is an important source of energy for germ cells. They also oxidize fatty acids (FA), stored as triacylglycerides (TAGs) within lipid droplets (LD), to fulfill their own energy requirements. So, the combined regulation of lactate production and FA metabolism may be relevant to the physiology of seminiferous tubules. Resveratrol (RSV) is a nutritional supplement found primarily in red grape skin that exhibits multiple beneficial health effects: it is cardioprotective, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antiaging. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of RSV in Sertoli cells lactate production and lipid metabolism. Sertoli cell cultures obtained from 20-day-old rats were incubated for different times with 10 or 50 µM RSV. RSV treatment increased lactate production and glucose consumption. These increments were accompanied by a rise in GLUT1 expression, which is the main glucose transporter in Sertoli cells. On the other hand, RSV decreased LD content and TAG levels. In addition, an increase in ATGL and FAT/CD36 mRNA levels was observed, which suggests augmented cytoplasmatic FA availability. RSV treatment also increased P-ACC levels, which might indicate that RSV promotes FA transport into the mitochondria to be oxidized. An enhanced expression of LCAD and MCAD, enzymes that participate in the oxidation of FA, was also observed. Altogether, these results suggest that RSV simultaneously regulates Sertoli cells lactate production and lipid metabolism, ensuring an adequate energetic balance both in germ and Sertoli cells.

ATP inhibits insulin-degrading enzyme activity.

We studied the ability of ATP to inhibit in vitro the degrading activity of insulin-degrading enzyme. The enzyme was purified from rat skeletal muscle by successive chromatographic steps. The last purification step showed two bands at 110 and 60 kDa in polyacrylamide gel. The enzyme was characterized by its insulin degradation activity, the substrate competition of unlabeled to labeled insulin, the profile of enzyme inhibitors, and the recognition by a specific antibody. One to 5 mM ATP induced a dose-dependent inhibition of insulin degradation (determined by trichloroacetic acid precipitation and insulin antibody binding). Inhibition by 3 mM adenosine 5'-diphosphate, adenosine 5'-monophosphate, guanosine 5'-triphosphate, pyrophosphate, beta-gamma-methyleneadenosine 5'-triphosphate, adenosine 5'-O-(3 thiotriphosphate), and dibutiryl cyclic adenosine 5'-monophosphate was 74%, 4%, 38%, 46%, 65%, 36%, and 0%, respectively, of that produced by 3 mM ATP. Kinetic analysis of ATP inhibition suggested an allosteric effect as the plot of 1/v (insulin degradation) versus ATP concentration was not linear and the Hill coefficient was more than 1 (1.51 and 2.44). The binding constant for allosteric inhibition was KiT = 1.5 x 10(-7) M showing a decrease of enzyme affinity induced by ATP. We conclude that ATP has an inhibitory effect on the insulin degradation activity of the enzyme.

[Autoimmune hypoglycemia syndrome with specific anti-human insulin antibodies]. / Síndrome de hipoglucemia autoinmune con anticuerpos específicos anti-insulina humana.

A 33 year old woman with episodes of severe hypoglycemia is presented. The studies showed anti-insulin antibodies and variable C-peptide levels. Circulating insulin measured after acid-ethanol extraction, was of 1,600 uU/ml and shown to be human insulin after characterization by HLPC. Specific anti-human insulin antibodies were of high affinity (Ka1: 6.20 x 10(10) M-1; Ka2: 2.42 x 10(9) M-1). A small cross-reactive porcine and bovine antibody subpopulation was also detected (IgG, light k type chain). Plasmapheresis was undertaken when symptoms were spontaneously declining and turned antibody title negative. Prolonged follow-up showed no relapse of this syndrome.

Anti-idiotype guinea pig antibodies as response to insulin immunization.

The study was done using 39 guinea pigs grouped as followed; 18 were injected with 0.5 mg of porcine insulin emulsified in complete Freund's adjuvant; 12 were injected with saline and 9 were used as control of cardiac bleeding during the assay. Intraperitoneal glucose tolerance tests (IGTT) were carried out on days 0, 11, 32 and 38. Seven of the thirteen guinea pigs immunized with insulin which survived after the study, showed glucose intolerance on day 32 at 90 and 120 min (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001) and on day 38 at 120 min (p < 0.05). Anti-idiotypic IgG partially purified from a sera pool from these animals inhibited 125-Insulin binding to rat hepatocytes, immunoprecipitated 125I-rat insulin receptors and recognized the alpha-subunit of insulin receptor in immunoblotting. We conclude that insulin anti-idiotypes in guinea pigs offer a simple way to produce antibodies against insulin receptor binding site. The methodology for anti-idiotype identification can be applied to patients with insulin resistance.

Internalization and release of insulin from hepatocytes.

Degradation of internalized insulin was studied after binding at 25 degrees C and 37 degrees C to isolated hepatocytes. The cells were washed to avoid extracellular insulin contamination. Degradation of both, intracellular and extracellular 125I-insulin, was measured with TCA and insulin antibody. In these conditions binding at 25 degrees C and 37 degrees C was equal but both intra and extracellular degradation were greater at 37 degrees C than at 25 degrees C. At both temperatures, intracellular degradation was greater than extracellular degradation with accumulation of degraded and non-degraded intracellular insulin. To study in what state hepatocytes release internalized insulin into the medium, 125I-insulin association was performed at an intermediate temperature (30 degrees C). Extracellular insulin contamination (whether associated or not) was avoided by three methods: 1) washing; 2) treatment with insulin degrading enzyme(s) and washing; 3) treatment with insulin degrading enzyme(s) then with trypsin and washing. Kinetics of radioactivity released from the cells was identical in the three conditions and the radioactivity was released throughout the experiments. Complete degradation of the released insulin was observed by gel filtration when the previous binding was 0.4 ng insulin/10(6) cells. When the dose of associated insulin increased (25 ng/10(6) cells) 3.5% of non-degraded insulin was liberated and when the dose was 14,300 ng/10(6) cells, the insulin released was 44.3%. In one experiment during the first 30 min, the insulin released was 52.88% and in the last 45 min 39.59%. To study the biologic behavior of the insulin released from cells, a group of mice were injected with this insulin (8.4 mU/mouse) and blood glucose was measured. The released insulin behaved as intact insulin as far as blood glucose responses were concerned. We may conclude that liver cells have the ability to internalize insulin and release biologically active insulin after accumulation.

Insulin binding and degradation in short time incubation at 37 C.

Studies on insulin-receptor binding in a short time incubations at 37 C have shown that neither internalization nor receptor-mediated insulin degradation are demonstrable during the first minutes. In the present study insulin receptor binding at 37 C in short time incubation periods was studied in mouse-hepatocytes, simultaneously determinating the proportion of degradation due to the cell activity. Degradation in the incubation buffer after cell separation was abolished during the experiment (900 sec) by a careful wash of the cells. 7.5 cells/ml were incubated with a tracer concentration (14.17 pM) of 125I-insulin and a pharmacological concentration (16.6 microM) of native insulin plus tracer. In the case of tracer insulin, 50% binding was reached in 55 sec and steady state in 160 sec. Once reached, steady state persisted along the experimental time. Binding follows a second order kinetics with k+1: 5 649 X 10(6) M-1 sec-1. In the presence of pharmacological insulin there is competitive inhibition of the tracer which reduces to zero the percent of binding. Binding increases along the time taking positive values, and the slope of binding versus time intersects the abscissa at 102 sec (r: 0.864). As long as binding of the tracer takes place, no degradation occurs until 635 sec, when a degradation slope abruptly appears (r: 0.722). Dissociation studies were followed previous incubation at 37 C during 200 sec with tracer and pharmacological doses. Specific dissociation follows a monoexponential kinetics with k-1: 3 067 X 10(-3) sec-1 and t 1/2: 226 sec. Eighty percent of bound insulin is dissociated with no changes in the slope (r: 0.820), thus suggesting that insulin-receptor binding in the present experimental conditions is basically a reversible process. No degradation was observed during dissociation, which demonstrates that insulin-receptor binding does not degrade insulin if internalization is not performed. At steady state, competitive inhibition curves showed two components: high and low affinity. Doses of 1.66 microM produce a 98% inhibition in the binding of 125I-insulin. The high affinity slope shows two components in the physiological range of insulin concentrations. The first one of very high affinity has a dissociation constant Ko: 7 075 X 10(-10), and a binding capacity of 1.5 X 10(-10). This study demonstrates that, with physiological concentrations of insulin, internalization is the only mechanism of insulin degradation in mouse-hepatocytes.

Insulin processing. Its correlation with glucose conversion to CO2.

Insulin-receptor binding, insulin degradation and biologic response (14C-glucose conversion into 14CO2) were studied in adipocytes of control (CG), fasted (FG-88 hr) and hyperinsulinic rats (HG-exogenous hyperinsulinism). The number of cells normalized to 3.5 X 10(5) cells/tube in all three groups. Insulin binding and degradation were studied at 5, 15, 30, 60 and 120 minutes of incubation with 3.5 X 10(-11) M, 6.66 X 10(-11) M, 1.0 X 10(-9) M, 6.66 X 10(-9) and 6.66 X 10(-6) M insulin. The net increments of 14CO2 taken into account (delta U-14C-glucose converted into 14CO2) ranged from the basal value to 10(6) microU in each case (30, 60 and 120 minutes). Quantitative analysis of results was performed with the Terris and Steiner degradation equation (formula; see text) (IR). Differences in insulin binding, comparing the three groups, lacked statistical significance, though FG data were systematically plotted above those of CG, occurring the opposite with HG. Degradation studies showed HG to have values statistically higher than the controls, while FG values were lower. HG also showed higher amounts of 14CO2, with basal levels more elevated than CG, while FG showed the inverse behavior. 14CO2 increased in the three groups along the 120-minutes incubation period (30, 60 and 120 minutes). Receptor-mediated degradation at 30 minutes, when binding is in steady state, showed a Kap value very close to that found by linear regression for the 2 and 10 microU doses (Kap min-1 CG: 0.1654, FG: 0.0824, HG: 0.5045; slope values for the 2 and 10 microU doses CG: 0.2181, FG: 0.0824, HG: 0.3718). The degradation velocity, considered as function of IR, was constant in each group at 30, 60 and 120 minutes. Since Kap values in the FG and HG indicate differences in their degradation velocities, this constant can be considered as indicative of the metabolic situations under study. At the same time, the biologic response (14C-glucose conversion into 14CO2) depends as well on the metabolic conditions. Glucose consumption and Kap value were then compared. All the groups showed linear correlation between the binding dependent velocity of degradation (Kap) and the net conversion of U-14C-glucose into 14CO2 at 30, 60 and 120 minutes, with ordinate close to zero (30 min: 0.1539; 60 min: -0.3812; 120 min: 0.1311). The slope increased along the incubation period, indicating that 14CO2 accumulation is time dependent.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Insulin binding in mouse liver cells isolated with chelating agents.

Mouse liver cells were isolated with Ca2+ and K+ chelating agents. Cell concentrations in all experiments ranged from 2.5 X 10(5) to 1.44 X 10(6) cells/tube. The kinetics of insulin-receptor binding was studied at 2 C and 20 C. Binding of 1.67 X 10(-11) M 125I-insulin reached equilibrium at 2 C at 180 min; Ka at 50% binding was 0.736 X 10(7) M-1 sec-1. At 20 C equilibrium occurred at 30 min; Ka at 50% binding was 7.519 X 10(7) M-1 sec-1. Non-specific binding was measured by adding 16.6 microM native insulin. Kinetics studies of association point to a pure bimolecular reaction since the constant remains unaltered at different times. In studies of bound complex dissociation, insulin release from the receptor involves first order kinetics, 50% of the bound insulin becoming released during the experimental period. Dissociation was studied at 20 C only, either by dilution or addition of 16.6 microM native insulin. Both methods yielded the same result, showing the dissociation kinetics to be a first order reaction with a half-life of 101 min and Kd: 2.5 X 10(-4) sec-1. Competitive inhibition of native insulin (1.67 X 10(-10), 3.33 X 10(-10), 1.67 X 10(-9), 3.33 X 10(-9), 1.67 X 10(-8), 3.33 X 10(-8), 1.67 X 10(-7), 3.33 X 10(-7) M) against 1.67 X 10(-11) M 125I-insulin was studied in equilibrium. Heterogeneity among active binding sites was found: one population of high affinity and low capacity (2 C: K = 4.64 X 10(7) L/M, Ro = 213 X 10(-11) M; 20 C: K = 2.90 X 10(8) L/M Ro = 28.5 X 10(-11) M) and one of low affinity and high capacity (2 C: K = 6.81 X 10(7) L/M Ro: 836 X 10(-11) M; 20 C: K = 2.63 X 10(6) L/M, Ro: 1080 X 10(-11) M). The results show the use of chelating agents in the separation of liver cells to be of value in physicochemical studies of insulin-receptor interaction.

Increase of ionic strength for charcoal separation of B/F fractions in radioimmunoassays.

The increase in protein adsorption by charcoal as ionic strength increases (salting-out adsorption), was used to separate the bound and free fractions of glucagon, insulin, hGH, hLH and hPRL in the radioimmunoassay. The hormones were labelled with 125I and to express the immunocomplex, gamma-globulin was labelled with 125I. The charcoal used to produce the separation was suspended in magnesium sulfate 3 M (charcoal-SO4Mg). The optimum amount of charcoal and the final concentration of magnesium sulfate determined for each hormone were: glucagon (charcoal 5 mg/tube, 0.125 M); insulin (charcoal 5 mg/tube, 0.131 M); hGH (charcoal 40 mg/tube, 0. 447 M); hLH (charcoal 40 mg/tube, 0.447 M) and hPRL (charcoal 60 mg/tube, 0.321 M). The serum concentration was 1/20 for all hormones, excepting glucagon, where 1/10 was used. The stability of the immunocomplex was studied and it was shown that, under suitable conditions, increased ionic strength does not cause the dissociation of the bound fraction.

Non enzymatic liver cells isolation: citrate-perchlorate technique.

In the present study we describe a non-enzymatic technique for the isolation of rat hepatocytes by perfusion of liver through portal vein. The perfusion media consist of 1 mM sodium perchlorate, 5 mM sodium citrate, 10 mM glucose, 129 mM NaCl and 0.1% bovine-serum albumin at pH 7.4. After purification through diatrizoate gradient, electron microscopical studies revealed that most of purified hepatocytes were well preserved and presented a normal ultrastructure, thus correlating with previous biochemical results. The present method enables the recovery of metabolically and morphologically normal hepatocytes.

Liver cells binding with high insulin doses at 37 C.

Insulin binding and receptor mediated insulin degradation were studied in isolated rat hepatocytes under physiological conditions (37 C, 100% oxygen, Krebs improved Ringer III with glutamate, pyruvate and fumarate, 150 mg% glucose, 1% bovine albumin). 10(6) rat hepatocytes/tube were incubated with various doses of insulin. Steady state binding with low insulin doses (0.05, 0.5 and 66 ng/tube) was reached in 15 minutes, that state being kept for the rest of the experimental time (75 min). Receptor mediated degradation (Kap) at 15 minutes was 0.0479 min-1, including doses of 5 000 and 50 000 ng/tube. Direct correlation was found between degradation and low doses of insulin, being the slope value equal to Kap. Intracellular accumulation of insulin was found at pharmacological concentrations of insulin (5 000 and 50 000 ng/tube) from the first 15 minutes. That accumulation was dose and time dependent. At 75 minutes, with a 0.2 microM insulin concentration, at least 53% of insulin was estimated as insulin accumulated in the cell, since it was not filtrable with acid medium on Sephadex G 50 superfine. When Triton or dodecyl sulphate were used to solubilize the cells, insulin recovery was complete after binding. Intracellular accumulation, however, was not demonstrated at the first two minutes. Binding studies with 16.67 microM insulin in the presence of degradation inhibitors, such as 2 mM N-ethylmaleimide and 5 mM tetracaine hydrochloride, demonstrated that intracellular accumulation of the hormone occurs when degradation is blocked. On the contrary, after trypsin digestion of receptors, degradation was not observed, while increases in binding were abolished, resembling non-specific binding. Under the experimental conditions reported here, neither intracellular accumulation of insulin nor extracellular release of insulin degradation products can be demonstrated at 2 minutes; insulin accumulation is dose dependent, and it is suggested by the fact that the velocity of insulin internalization exceeds its velocity of degradation.

Isolation of liver cells with Ca2+ and K+ chelating agents. Biochemistry and cell morphology.

Cell morphology, glutamic pyruvic (GTP) and glutamic oxalacetic transaminases (GOT) concentrations, and the ability to produce glucose or urea from different substrates (pyruvate, alanine, fructose, lactate and glutamine) were studied in isolated mouse and rat liver cells in the presence of Ca2+ and K+ chelating agents (0.1 M sodium perchlorate and 0.027 M sodium citrate with 1 mg/ml bovine albumin; ionic strength: 0.198, pH: 7.4). The chelating agent is perfused through the portal vein of an in situ liver, at low pressure (8 ml/min) at 20 C for 15 min. Cell dispersion is obtained by cutting liver lobes and "massaging" the tissue with a plastic spatula. Wash and cell concentration may be obtained by sedimentation or centrifugation in Krebs III, glucose 150 mg %, improved with 0.16 M pyruvate, 0.1 M fumarate and 0.16 M glutamate. This procedure furnished 53.06 +/- 3.33 X 10(6) cells, which was highly significant (p less than 0.001) with respect to saline controls: 6.11 +/- 1.91 X 10(6). After staining with Papanicolaou, hematoxylin-eosin, and PAS, the cellular material obtained was classified optically into: normal isolated parenchymal liver cells, hepatocyte clumps, "burst" cells, normal blood or reticuloendothelial cells, cellular debris and non-cellular material. Cell morphology showed that a constant perfusion (8 ml/min) with a minimal mechanical treatment, 82.5% of the liver cells appears normal. Biochemical study showed that transaminases are indeed lost, but this loss is below the amount capable of effecting metabolic blockade (3/4 of transaminases remain in liver cells; GOT in cells: 692 +/- 218; GPT in cells. 264 +/- 94; GOT in supernatant: 152 +/- 29; GPT in supernatant: 79 +/- 12 mUI/10(6) cells, after recovering 60 min at 37 C) (means +/- SEM). Conversion of substrates (sodium pyruvate 10 mM, 20 mM D-L alanine, 10 mM fructose and 20 mM D-L sodium lactate) into glucose was statistically significant with respect to the baseline when the liver cells were isolated and recovered (rat liver cells, basal: 25.37 +/- 3.73; pyruvate: 54.04 +/- 7.98; DL-alanine: 62 +/- 10.07; fructose: 264.67 +/- 20.51; DL-lactate: 78.05 +/- 17.99 mmoles/10(6) cels, means +/- SEM). Urea production from 5 mM DL-glutamine was statistically highly significant to the basal with rat liver cell isolated and recovered (basal: 160.60 +/- 3.76; DL-glutamine: 608.47 +/- 16.15 mmoles/10(6) cells; means +/- SEM). The results obtained suggest that liver cells isolated with Ca2+ and K+ chelating agents used as described above are of value for biochemical studies.

Preparation of biologically active mono-125I-insulin of high specific activity.

Pork insulin was labeled by the chloramine T technique (phosphate buffer 0.25 M; pH 7.5; EDTA 0.001 M; chloramine T: 0.2625 mg/ml; sodium metabisulfite 2.4 mg/ml) in a reaction volume of 50 microliters, adding chloramine T every 30 seconds twice (2.1 micrograms in 1 minute) and halting the reaction with 5 microliters metabisulfite. Three fractions were separated in preparative starch gel: F1 (mono-125I-insulin contaminated with cold insulin), F2 (mono-125I-insulin free from cold insulin), and F3 (di-125I-insulin). Insulins with low and high specific activity (iodine/insulin ratios 0.1/1 and 1/1 respectively) were prepared for study purposes, and quality was assessed by means of dose-response curves with antibodies and with liver cells. Specific activity of F2 as obtained from dose-response curves utilizing Scatchard's plot was 323 and 382 mCi/mg. Specific activity of F1 varied according to the extent of contamination with cold insulin. A reduction in the F2 B/F ratio was observed upon iodination with iodine/insulin ratios of 1/1 or in the neighborhood. The mass and immunoreactivity of F3, as well as its B/F ratios were constant, regardless of specific activity. The behavior with antibodies was ratified upon observations on uptake by liver cells and glucose consumption by isolated fat cells. In conclusion, F2 labeled with 0.1/1 iodine/insulin ratios was separated from cold insulin in preparative starch gel, thus increasing its specific activity (360 mCi/mg approximately) without alteration of its immunologic or biologic properties.

Non enzymatic liver cells isolation: citrate-perchlorate technique

In the present study we describe a non-enzymatic technique for the isolation of rat hepatocytes by perfusion of liver through portal vein. The perfusion media consist of 1 mM sodium percholorate. 5 mM sodium citrate, 10 mM glucose, 129 mM NaCl and 0.1 per cent bovine-serum albumin at pH 7.4. After purification through diatrizoate gradient, electron microscopical studies revealed that most of purified hepatocytes were well preserved and presented a normal ultrastructure, thus correlating with previous biochemical results. The present method enables the recovery of metabolically and morphologically normal hepatocytes.