Effect of high glucose toxicity on JNK pathway, cell viability and apoptosis in pancreatic β-cell line INS-1 / 中国病理生理杂志

ABSTRACT

AIM: To investigate the effect of high glucose toxicity on JNK pathway and cell function of INS-1 cells.METHODS: Cultured INS-1 cells with or without IGF-1 exposure, were treated with glucose at 3 concentrations (5.6 mmol/L, 11.2 mmol/L and 33.3mmol/L), respectively. MTT was used to measure the cell viability. Apoptosis was determined by immuno-fluorescence and flow-cytometry analysis. The serine 270 phosphorylation of IRS and phosphorylation of JNK in INS-1 cells were detected in the presence or absence of SP600125 treatment.RESULTS: The cell viability decreased and apoptosis increased with elevated glucose concentrations. The percentage of apoptosis cells was 11.3% in 5.6 G group, 12.7% in 11.2 G group and 28.2% in 33.3 G group. There was remarkable increase in apoptosis in 33.3 G group with a 2.49-fold increase to the cells in the basal 5.6 mmol/L glucose. High glucose activated the serine 270 phosphorylation of IRS correlates with JNK phosphorylation in INS-1 cells. Using Western blotting analysis, the levels of JNK phosphorylation were 3.33 fold increased and serine 270 phosphorylation of IRS was 1.17 fold increased in 33.3 G group compared to 11.2 G group (P<0.01). IGF-1 treatment inhibited phosphorylation of JNK and IRS. SP600125 treatment completely blocked JNK phosphorylation in 11.2 G group and reduced JNK phosphorylation by 90% in 33.3 G group. In addition, SP600125 treatment partly reduced serine 270 phosphorylation of IRS by 88.3% in 11.2 G group and 80% in 33.3 G group, the viability of INS-1 cells increased and the apoptosis decreased.CONCLUSION: The toxicity of chronic high glucose, which inhibits the cells viability and induces the cell apoptosis, might be related to suppress IRS signal by activating the JNK pathway. Blocking the JNK pathway might relieve the effect of glucose toxicity to the β cell function by improving the IRS signal pathway.