Molecular Mechanisms of Amylin Turnover, Misfolding and Toxicity in the Pancreas.

Amyloidosis is a common pathological event in which proteins self-assemble into misfolded soluble and insoluble molecular forms, oligomers and fibrils that are often toxic to cells. Notably, aggregation-prone human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP), or amylin, is a pancreatic hormone linked to islet ß-cells demise in diabetics. The unifying mechanism by which amyloid proteins, including hIAPP, aggregate and kill cells is still matter of debate. The pathology of type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is characterized by extracellular and intracellular accumulation of toxic hIAPP species, soluble oligomers and insoluble fibrils in pancreatic human islets, eventually leading to loss of ß-cell mass. This review focuses on molecular, biochemical and cell-biology studies exploring molecular mechanisms of hIAPP synthesis, trafficking and degradation in the pancreas. In addition to hIAPP turnover, the dynamics and the mechanisms of IAPP-membrane interactions; hIAPP aggregation and toxicity in vitro and in situ; and the regulatory role of diabetic factors, such as lipids and cholesterol, in these processes are also discussed.

FoxA2 and RNA Pol II mediate human islet amyloid polypeptide turnover in ER-stressed pancreatic ß-cells.

Here, we investigated transcriptional and trafficking mechanisms of human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) in normal and stressed ß-cells. In high glucose-challenged human islets and rat insulinoma cells overexpressing hIAPP, cell fractionation studies revealed increased accumulation of hIAPP. Unexpectedly, a significant fraction (up to 22%) of hIAPP was found in the nuclear soluble and chromatin-enriched fractions of cultured human islet and rat insulinoma cells. The nucleolar accumulation of monomeric forms of hIAPP did not have any adverse effect on the proliferation of ß-cells nor did it affect nucleolar organization or function. However, intact nucleolar organization and function were essential for hIAPP expression under normal and ER-stress conditions as RNA polymerase II inhibitor, α-amanitin, reduced hIAPP protein expression evoked by high glucose and thapsigargin. Promoter activity studies revealed the essential role of transcription factor FoxA2 in hIAPP promoter activation in ER-stressed ß-cells. Transcriptome and secretory studies demonstrate that the biosynthetic and secretory capacity of islet ß-cells was preserved during ER stress. Thus, the main reason for increased intracellular hIAPP accumulation is its enhanced biosynthesis under these adverse conditions.