MicroRNA regulation of islet and enteroendocrine peptides: Physiology and therapeutic implications for type 2 diabetes.

The pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is associated with dysregulation of glucoregulatory hormones, including both islet and enteroendocrine peptides. Microribonucleic acids (miRNAs) are short noncoding RNA sequences which post transcriptionally inhibit protein synthesis by binding to complementary messenger RNA (mRNA). Essential for normal cell activities, including proliferation and apoptosis, dysregulation of these noncoding RNA molecules have been linked to several diseases, including diabetes, where alterations in miRNA expression within pancreatic islets have been observed. This may occur as a compensatory mechanism to maintain beta-cell mass/function (e.g., downregulation of miR-7), or conversely, lead to further beta-cell demise and disease progression (e.g., upregulation of miR-187). Thus, targeting miRNAs has potential for novel diagnostic and therapeutic applications in T2D. This is reinforced by the success seen to date with miRNA-based therapeutics for other conditions currently in clinical trials. In this review, differential expression of miRNAs in human islets associated with T2D will be discussed along with further consideration of their effects on the production and secretion of islet and incretin hormones. This analysis further unravels the therapeutic potential of miRNAs and offers insights into novel strategies for T2D management.

Acute and long-term effects of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ activation on the function and insulin secretory responsiveness of clonal beta-cells.

Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) are used as antidiabetic therapy. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether the TZD rosiglitazone has direct actions on pancreatic beta-cells that contribute to its overall effects. Effects of acute and prolonged (48 h) exposure to rosiglitazone, as a model glitazone compound, were assessed in clonal pancreatic BRIN-BD11 beta-cells maintained in standard, glucotoxic and lipotoxic cultures. In acute 20-min incubations, rosiglitazone (0.2-100 µM) did not alter basal or glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. However, rosiglitazone (6.25 µM) enhanced (p<0.001) the acute insulinotropic action of GLP-1. Prolonged exposure to 6.25 µM rosiglitazone in standard media had no effect on cell viability or cellular insulin content, but slightly reduced the insulin secretory response to glucose and alanine (p<0.05). Prolonged (48 h) exposure to glucotoxic or lipotoxic conditions reduced beta-cell viability (p<0.05), cellular insulin content (p<0.001 and p<0.05, respectively), and insulin release in response to glucose and a range of secretagogues. The adverse effect of lipotoxicity on beta-cell viability was prevented by concomitant exposure to 6.25 µM rosiglitazone. Culture with 6.25 µM rosiglitazone further decreased acute insulin release under glucotoxic conditions. However, when insulin secretion was expressed as percentage cellular insulin content, rosiglitazone (6.25 µM) significantly improved many of the adverse effects of gluco- and lipotoxic conditions on insulin secretory responsiveness. The results suggest that despite decrease in cellular insulin content TZDs exert direct beneficial effects on beta-cell viability and function during gluco- or lipotoxicity.

Effects of metformin on BRIN-BD11 beta-cell insulin secretory desensitization induced by prolonged exposure to sulphonylureas.

AIMS: Prolonged exposure of pancreatic beta-cells in vitro to the sulphonylureas tolbutamide and glibenclamide induces subsequent desensitization of insulinotropic pathways. Clinically, the insulin-sensitizing biguanide drug metformin is often administered alongside sulphonylurea as antidiabetic therapy. The present study examines the functional effects of metformin (200 µM) on tolbutamide- and glibenclamide-induced desensitisation. METHODS: Acute and prolonged (18 h) effects of exposure to tolbutamide and glibenclamide alone, or in the presence of metformin, were examined in insulin-secreting BRIN-BD11 cells. RESULTS: In acute 20 min incubations at 1.1 mM glucose, metformin increased (1.2-1.7-fold; p < 0.001) the insulin-releasing actions of tolbutamide and glibenclamide. At 16.7 mM glucose, metformin significantly enhanced glibenclamide-induced insulin release at all concentrations (50-400 µM) examined, but tolbutamide-stimulated insulin secretion was only augmented at higher concentrations (300-400 µM). Exposure for 18 h to 100 µM tolbutamide or glibenclamide significantly impaired insulin release in response to glucose and a broad range of insulin secretagogues. Concomitant culture with metformin (200 µM) prevented or partially reversed many of the adverse effects on K(ATP) channel dependent and independent insulinotropic pathways. Beneficial effects of metformin were also observed in cells exposed to glibenclamide for 18 h with significant improvements in the insulin secretory responsiveness to alanine, GLP-1 and sulphonylureas. The decrease of viable cell numbers observed with glibenclamide was reversed by co-culture with metformin, but cellular insulin content was depressed. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that metformin can prevent the aspects of sulphonylurea-induced beta-cell desensitization.

Detrimental actions of metabolic syndrome risk factor, homocysteine, on pancreatic beta-cell glucose metabolism and insulin secretion.

Elevated plasma homocysteine has been reported in individuals with diseases of the metabolic syndrome including vascular disease and insulin resistance. As homocysteine exerts detrimental effects on endothelial and neuronal cells, this study investigated effects of acute homocysteine exposure on beta-cell function and insulin secretion using clonal BRIN-BD11 beta-cells. Acute insulin release studies in the presence of various test reagents were performed using monolayers of BRIN-BD11 cells and samples assayed by insulin radioimmunoassay. Cellular glucose metabolism was assessed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis following 60-min exposure of BRIN-BD11 cell monolayers to glucose in either the absence or presence of homocysteine. Homocysteine dose-dependently inhibited insulin release at moderate and stimulatory glucose concentrations. This inhibitory effect was reversible at all but the highest concentration of homocysteine. 13C-glucose NMR demonstrated decreased labelling of glutamate from glucose at positions C2, C3 and C4, indicating that the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle-dependent glucose metabolism was reduced in the presence of homocysteine. Homocysteine also dose-dependently inhibited insulinotropic responses to a range of glucose-dependent secretagogues including nutrients (alanine, arginine, 2-ketoisocaproate), hormones (glucagon-like peptide-1 (7-36)amide, gastric inhibitory polypeptide and cholecystokinin-8), neurotransmitter (carbachol), drug (tolbutamide) as well as a depolarising concentration of KCl or elevated Ca2+. Insulin secretion induced by activation of adenylate cyclase and protein kinase C pathways with forskolin and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate were also inhibited by homocysteine. These effects were not associated with any adverse action on cellular insulin content or cell viability, and there was no increase in apoptosis/necrosis following exposure to homocysteine. These data indicate that homocysteine impairs insulin secretion through alterations in beta-cell glucose metabolism and generation of key stimulus-secretion coupling factors. The participation of homocysteine in possible beta-cell demise merits further investigation.

Glucose and non-glucidic nutrients exert permissive effects on 2-keto acid regulation of pancreatic beta-cell function.

Insulin-releasing effects of straight and branched chain 2-keto acids were assessed using clonal glucose-responsive beta-cells. Pyruvic acid (PA), 2-ketovaleric acid (KV), 2-ketoisovaleric acid (KIV) or 2-keto-3-methylvaleric acid (KMV) dose-dependently promoted the stimulatory effects of D-glucose, whereas 2-ketobutyric acid (KB) did not affect insulin release. The stimulatory 2-keto acids also promoted the stimulatory activity of D-glyceraldehyde, L-leucine or L-arginine. Responses to PA, KV, KIV or KMV were significantly reduced by transport inhibition with 2-cyano-3 hydroxycinnamate, glucokinase inhibition with mannoheptulose or metabolic inhibition with sodium azide or sodium cyanide. Membrane hyperpolarisation with K+ depletion or diazoxide reduced insulin output, but failed to abolish secretory responses to KV, KIV and KMV. Secretory effects of these 2-keto acids also persisted in beta-cells depolarised with high KCl and glucose. Voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel blockade, with verapamil, or depletion of extracellular Ca2+ abolished the secretory activity of 2-keto acids. Collectively, these results indicate that glucose and metabolisable nutrients exert permissive effects on 2-keto acid-induced insulin release. In addition, KV, KIV and KMV can regulate beta-cell function at least partially independently of K+-ATP channel activity, both through their mitochondrial metabolism and regulation of Ca2+ influx.

Glycation of insulin in the islets of Langerhans of normal and diabetic animals.

The glycation of immunoreactive insulin (IRI) was assessed in extracts of pancreas and islets from control and hyperglycemic animal models. Glycated and nonglycated IRI were separated by affinity chromatography and quantified by radioimmunoassay. Hydrocortisone-treated Wistar rats (80 mg x kg-1 x day-1 and obese hyperglycemic (ob/ob) mice showed significant increases in plasma glucose (P < 0.001), percentage glycated hemoglobin (P < 0.001), plasma IRI (P < 0.01), and total pancreatic IRI content (P < 0.01), compared with their respective controls. These diabetic groups also demonstrated significant increases (P < 0.05) in the percentage of glycated pancreatic IRI above the controls. Streptozotocin-treated (200 mg/kg) Swiss TO mice exhibited significant increases in plasma glucose (P < 0.001), glycated hemoglobin (P < 0.001), and percentage glycated pancreatic IRI (P < 0.05), compared with untreated controls, despite a marked decrease in both plasma IRI (P < 0.001) and total pancreatic IRI content (P < 0.001). Significant elevations in the percentage of glycated IRI were also observed in islets isolated from obese hyperglycemic (ob/ob) mice (P < 0.001), compared with islets from lean controls, and when lean mouse islets were cultured in hyperglycemic media for 24 h (33.3 vs. 5.6 mmol/l D-glucose; P < 0.001). The contribution of glycated plus nonglycated insulin and proinsulin to the total IRI was estimated in lean and obese mouse pancreatic extracts following high-performance liquid chromatography separation. The contribution of proinsulin to the total IRI was approximately 10%. Proinsulin represented 27-28% of the total glycated IRI. These data indicate that the glycation of insulin and proinsulin occurs within the pancreatic islets and is elevated in both insulin-deficient and insulin-resistant diabetic animal models.

Characterization of a novel glucose-responsive insulin-secreting cell line, BRIN-BD11, produced by electrofusion.

A novel insulin-secreting cell line (BRIN-BD11) was established after electrofusion of RINm5F cells with New England Deaconess Hospital rat pancreatic islet cells. Wells of cell fusion mixture with insulin output 5-10 times greater than parent RINm5F cells were subcultured with eventual establishment of clones, including BRIN-BD11. Morphological studies established that these cells grow as monolayers with epithelioid characteristics, maintaining stability in tissue culture for > 50 passages. Culture of these cells for 24 h at 5.6-33.3 mmol/l glucose revealed a 1.8- to 2.0-fold increase of insulin output compared with 1.4 mmol/l glucose. Dynamic insulin release was recorded in response to 16.7 mmol/l glucose, resulting in a rapid threefold insulin secretory peak followed by a sustained output slightly above basal. In acute 20-min tests, 4.2-16.7 mmol/l glucose evoked a stepwise two- to three-fold stimulation of insulin release. 3-Isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (1 mmol/l) served to increase basal and glucose-stimulated insulin release, shifting the threshold from 4.4 to 1.1 mmol/l glucose. Stimulation of insulin secretion with 16.7 mmol/l glucose was abolished by mannoheptulose or diazoxide (15 or 0.5 mmol/l). In contrast, glyceraldehyde (10 mmol/l) and 25 mmol/l K+ evoked 1.7- to 9.0-fold insulin responses. L-Alanine (10 mmol/l) evoked a twofold secretory response, which was potentiated 1.4-fold by increasing the Ca2+ concentration from 1.28 to 7.68 mmol/l. Forskolin (25 mumol/l) and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (10 nmol/l) both increased insulin secretion in the presence of L-alanine (1.4- and 1.8-fold, respectively). Western blotting confirmed that BRIN-BD11 cells expressed the GLUT2 glucose transporter. This, coupled with a high glucokinase/hexokinase ratio in the cells, confirms an intact glucose sensing mechanism. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis demonstrated that insulin was the major product secreted under stimulatory conditions. Collectively, these data indicate that the BRIN-BD11 cell line represents an important stable glucose-responsive insulin-secreting beta-cell line for future studies.

ATP-sensitive potassium channels and efaroxan-induced insulin release in the electrofusion-derived BRIN-BD11 beta-cell line.

The properties of ATP-sensitive K+ (K(ATP)) channels were explored in the electrofusion-derived, glucose-responsive, insulin-secreting cell line BRIN-BD11 using patch-clamp techniques. In intact cells, K(ATP) channels were inhibited by glucose, the sulfonylurea tolbutamide, and the imidazoline compounds efaroxan and phentolamine. Each of these agents initiated insulin secretion and potentiated the actions of glucose. K(ATP) channels were blocked by ATP in a concentration-dependent manner and activated by ADP in the presence of ATP. In both intact cells and excised inside-out patches, the K(ATP) channel agonists diazoxide and pinacidil activated channels, and both compounds inhibited insulin secretion evoked by glucose, tolbutamide, and imidazolines. The mechanisms of action of imidazolines were examined in more detail. Pre-exposure of BRIN-BD11 cells to either efaroxan or phentolamine selectively inhibited imidazoline-induced insulin secretion but not the secretory responses of cells to glucose, tolbutamide, or a depolarizing concentration of KCl. These conditions did not result in the loss of depolarization-dependent rises in intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i), K(ATP) channel operation, or the actions of either ATP or efaroxan on K(ATP) channels. Desensitization of the imidazoline receptor following exposure to high concentrations of efaroxan, however, was found to result in an increase in SUR1 protein expression and, as a consequence, an upregulation of K(ATP) channel density. Our data provide 1) the first characterization of K(ATP) channels in BRIN-BD11 cells, a novel insulin-secreting cell line produced by electrofusion techniques, and 2) a further analysis of the role of imidazolines in the control of insulin release.

Engineering cultured insulin-secreting pancreatic B-cell lines.

Despite many triumphs, a significant limitation of the usefulness of many of the available B-cell lines for the study of insulin secretion are either inappropriate or lack of responsiveness to glucose. Commonly employed cell lines generated prior to the 1990s following X-ray irradiation (RINm5F cells) or simian virus 40 B-cell transformation (HIT-T15 cells and BTC) fall into this category. More recent success has been achieved with the generation of INS-1 cells and MIN6 cells, but the production of these cell lines owes much to good fortune, dedication and hard work. In the present era, molecular biology techniques provide the opportunity to engineer novel pancreatic B-cell lines which possess many attributes of normal insulin-secreting cells. This review describes the electrofusion of normal NEDH rat pancreatic B-cells with immortal RINm5F cells to create three new glucose-responsive clonal insulin-secreting cells, designated BRIN-BG5, BRIN-BG7 and BRIN-BD11. These cell lines exhibit up to four-fold insulin-secretory responses to depolarization with 25 mmol/l K+, 7.68 mmol/l Ca2+, 10 mmol/l L-alanine, and activation of protein kinase C or adenylate cyclase with 10 nmol/l phorbol- 12-myristate-13-acetate or 25 micromol/l forskolin, respectively. The maximal insulin-secretory response of both BRIN-BG5 and BRIN-BG7 cells to glucose occurred at 8.4 mmol/l (1.9- and 1.8-fold increases, respectively). In contrast, 4.2-16.7 mmol/l glucose evoked a stepwise 2- to 3-fold of insulin release from BRIN-BD11 cells. The superior glucose responsiveness of BRIN-BD11 cells compared with BRIN-BG5 or BRIN-BG7 cells was associated with increased expression of GLUT-2 and a greater contribution of glucokinase to total glucose phosphorylating enzyme activity. Furthermore, BRIN-BD11 cells also showed appropriate responses to a diverse range of modulators of pancreatic B-cell function, including amino acids, neurotransmitters and sulphonylurea drugs. Collectively these observations indicate that genetic modification of insulin-secreting cells by electrofusion (or transfection with cDNA) offers a new avenue for generation of useful clonal glucose-responsive pancreatic B-cell lines for studies of insulin secretion and transplantation in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Engineering of a glucose-responsive surrogate cell for insulin replacement therapy of experimental insulin-dependent diabetes.

Glucose responsiveness in the millimolar concentration range is a crucial requirement of a surrogate pancreatic beta cell for insulin replacement therapy of insulin-dependent diabetes. Novel insulin-secreting GK cell clones with millimolar glucose responsiveness were generated from an early-passage glucose-unresponsive RINm5F cell line. This line expressed constitutively both the K(ATP) channel and the GLUT2 glucose transporter; but it had a relative lack of glucokinase. Through overexpression of glucokinase, however, it was possible to generate glucose-responsive clones with a glucokinase-to-hexokinase ratio comparable to that of a normal pancreatic beta cell. This aim, on the other hand, was not achieved through overexpression of the GLUT2 glucose transporter. Raising the expression level of this glucose transporter into the range of rat liver, without correcting the glucokinase-to-hexokinase enzyme ratio, did not render the cells glucose responsive. These glucokinase-overexpressing RINm5F cells also stably maintained their molecular and insulin secretory characteristics in vivo. After implantation into streptozotocin diabetic immunodeficient rats, glucokinase-overexpressing cells retained their insulin responsiveness to physiological glucose stimulation under in vivo conditions. These cells represent a notable step toward the future bioengineering of a surrogate beta cell for insulin replacement therapy in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Induced desensitization of the insulinotropic effects of antidiabetic drugs, BTS 67 582 and tolbutamide.

Acute and chronic mechanisms of action of novel insulinotropic antidiabetic drug, BTS 67 582 (1, 1-dimethyl-2-(2-morpholinophenyl)guanidine fumarate), were examined in the stable cultured BRIN-BD11 cell line. BTS 67 582 (100 - 400 microM) stimulated a concentration-dependent increase (P<0.01) in insulin release at both non-stimulatory (1.1 mM) and stimulatory (8. 4 mM) glucose. Long-term exposure (3 - 18 h) to 100 microM BTS 67 582 in culture time-dependently decreased subsequent responsiveness to acute challenge with 200 microM BTS 67 582 or 200 microM tolbutamide at 12 - 18 h (P<0.001). Similarly 3 - 18 h culture with the sulphonylurea, tolbutamide (100 microM), also effectively suppressed subsequent insulinotropic responses to both BTS 67 582 and tolbutamide. Culture with 100 microM BTS 67 582 or 100 microM tolbutamide did not affect basal insulin secretion, cellular insulin content, or cell viability and exerted no influence on the secretory responsiveness to 200 microM of the imidazoline, efaroxan. While 18 h BTS 67 582 culture did not affect the insulin-releasing actions (P<0.001) of 16.7 mM glucose, 10 mM arginine, 30 mM KCl, 25 microM forskolin or 10 nM phorbol-12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), significant inhibition (P<0.001) of the insulinotropic effects of 10 mM 2-ketoisocaproic acid (KIC) and 10 mM alanine were observed. These data suggest that BTS 67 582 shares a common signalling pathway to sulphonylurea but not imidazoline drugs. Desensitization of drug action may provide an important approach to dissect sites of action of novel and established insulinotropic antidiabetic agents.

Insulin-releasing action of the novel antidiabetic agent BTS 67 582.

1. BTS 67582 (1,1-dimethyl-2-(2-morpholinophenyl)guanidine fumarate) is a novel antidiabetic agent with a short-acting insulin-releasing effect. This study examined its mode of action in the clonal B-cell line BRIN-BD11. 2. BTS 67582 increased insulin release from BRIN-BD11 cells in a concentration-dependent manner (10[-8] to 10[-4] M) at both non-stimulating (1.1 mM) and stimulating (16.7 mM) concentrations of glucose. 3. BTS 67582 (10[-4] M) potentiated the insulin-releasing effect of a depolarizing concentration of K+ (30 mM), whereas the K+ channel openers pinacidil (400 microM) and diazoxide (300 microM) inhibited BTS 67582-induced release. 4. Suppression of Ca+ channel activity with verapamil (20 microM) reduced the insulin-releasing effect of BTS 67582 (10[-4] M). 5. BTS 67582 (10[-4] M) potentiated insulin release induced by amino acids (10 mM), and enhanced the combined stimulant effects of glucose plus either the fatty acid palmitate (10 mM), or agents which raise intracellular cyclic AMP concentrations (25 microM forskolin and 1 mM isobutylmethylxanthine), or the cholinoceptor agonist carbachol (100 microM). 6. Inhibition of glucose-stimulated insulin release by adrenaline or noradrenaline (10 microM) was partially reversed by BTS 67582 (10[-4] M). 7. These data suggest that the insulin-releasing effect of BTS 67582 involves regulation of ATP-sensitive K+ channel activity and Ca2+ influx, and that the drug augments the stimulant effects of nutrient insulin secretagogues and agents which enhance adenylate cyclase and phospholipase C. BTS 67582 may also exert insulin-releasing effects independently of ATP-sensitive K+ channel activity.

Mechanisms of amino acid-induced insulin secretion from the glucose-responsive BRIN-BD11 pancreatic B-cell line.

The effects of different classes of amino acids known to be transported and utilized by pancreatic B-cells were examined using the novel glucose-responsive pancreatic B-cell line, BRIN-BD11. Amino acids tested included alpha-aminoisobutyric acid, L-alanine, L-arginine, L-glutamine, glycine, L-leucine, L-lysine, L-proline and L-serine. At non-stimulatory (1.1 mmol/l) glucose, acute incubations with either 1 or 10 mmol/l amino acid evoked 1.3- to 4.7-fold increases of insulin release. Raising glucose to 16.7 mmol/l enhanced the effects of all amino acids except L-glutamine, and increased insulin output at 10 mmol/l compared with 1 mmol/l amino acid. Glyceraldehyde (10 mmol/l) also served to promote 10 mmol/l amino acid-induced insulin secretion with the exceptions of L-arginine, glycine, L-lysine and L-proline. At 16.7 mmol/l glucose, diazoxide (300 mumol/l) significantly decreased the secretory response to all amino acids except L-glutamine. Likewise, verapamil (20 mumol/l) or depletion of extracellular Ca2+ reduced insulin output indicating the importance of Ca2+ influx in the actions of amino acids. These data indicate that BRIN-BD11 cells transport and utilize amino acids, acting in association with glycolysis, K(+)-ATP channels and/or voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels to promote Ca2+ influx and insulin secretion. The response of BRIN-BD11 cells to glucose and amino acids indicates that this is a useful cell line for future research on the mechanisms of nutrient regulation of insulin secretion.

Characteristics of BRIN-BG5 and BRIN-BG7, two novel glucose-responsive insulin-secreting cell lines produced by electrofusion.

Two hybrid insulin-secreting cell lines (BRIN-BG5 and BRIN-BG7) were established by the novel approach of electrofusing RINm5F cells with New England Deaconess Hospital rat pancreatic islet cells. Cells were selected from the fusion mixture on the basis of insulin output. Wells showing five to ten times greater insulin output than parental RINm5F cells were selected, subcultured and cloned. Clonal BRIN-BG5 and BRIN-G7 cells grow as monolayers with epithelial morphology. The differences in doubling time of 28 and 20 h respectively were associated with morphological differences; the growth pattern and insulin content of each cell line remaining stable for over 50 passages. In acute 20-min tests, both cell lines showed peak secretory responses (1.9- and 1.8-fold respectively) to 8.4 mmol/l glucose. Membrane depolarization with 25 mmol/l K+ evoked 3.7- and 3.9-fold increases in insulin output. L-Alanine (10 mmol/l) also served to promote 2.4- and 1.6-fold increases in insulin release respectively. Increasing the Ca2+ concentration from 1.28 to 7.68 mmol/l potentiated this effect by 1.8- and 1.5-fold. Incubation with forskolin (25 mumol/l) or phorbol-12-myristate 13-acetate (10 nmol/l), in the presence of L-alanine, similarly enhanced the secretory effect on BRIN-BG5 and BRIN-BG7 cells by 1.3- to 2.1-fold and 1.2- to 1.5-fold respectively. The presence of a functional glucose-sensing mechanism in both cell lines was confirmed by the demonstration of the glucose transporter GLUT-2 and measurement of glucokinase activity. These functional properties suggest that insulin-secreting BRIN-BG5 and BRIN-BG7 cells represent two useful glucose-responsive cell lines for future studies of the function of the pancreatic B-cell.

Specific desensitization of sulfonylurea- but not imidazoline-induced insulin release after prolonged tolbutamide exposure.

Functional effects of prolonged exposure to the sulfonylurea, tolbutamide, were examined in the clonal electrofusion-derived BRIN-BD11 cell line. In acute 20-min incubations, 50-400 microM tolbutamide stimulated a dose-dependent increase (P < 0.01) in insulin release at both non-stimulatory (1.1 mM) and stimulatory (8.4 mM) glucose. Culture with 100 microM tolbutamide (18 hr) caused a marked (67%) decrease in subsequent insulin-secretory responsiveness to acute challenge with 200 microM tolbutamide, though notably, tolbutamide culture exerted no influence on 200 microM efaroxan-induced insulin secretion. Duration of exposure (3-18 hr) to 100 microM tolbutamide in culture also time-dependently influenced subsequent responsiveness to acute tolbutamide challenge, with progressive 47-58% decreases from 6-18 hr (P < 0.001). Similarly, 6- to 18-hr culture with 100 microM efaroxan specifically desensitized efaroxan-induced insulin release. Tolbutamide- and efaroxan-induced desensitization exhibited a time-dependent reversibility, with a sustained return to full insulin-secretory responsiveness by 12 hr. Notably, 18-hr culture with tolbutamide or efaroxan did not significantly affect insulinotropic responses to 16.7 mM glucose, 10 mM 2-ketoisocaproic acid, 10 mM alanine, 10 mM arginine, or 30 mM KCl. Diverse inhibitory actions of tolbutamide or efaroxan culture on late events in stimulus-secretion coupling reveal that drug desensitization is both a specific and important phenomenon. As such, the model system described could prove an important tool in determining the complex modes of action of established and novel clinically useful insulinotropic compounds.

Comparative functional study of clonal insulin-secreting cells cultured in five commercially available tissue culture media.

The electrofusion-derived rat insulin-secreting cell line BRIN-BD11 was cultured in five different commercially available media to determine the optimum medium for the in vitro maintenance of such clonal cell lines. Cells were cultured in RPMI-1640, DMEM, McCOY'S, F-12K, or MEM culture medium supplemented with 10% (v/v) fetal bovine serum and antibiotics (100 U/ml penicillin and 0.1 g/L streptomycin). Insulin secretion studies performed after 10 days revealed RPMI-1640 to be the best performing medium in terms of insulin secretory responsiveness to a range of stimuli including glucose, L-alanine, L-arginine, carbachol, and glibenclamide. Insulin release was significantly decreased (p < 0.01 to p < 0.05) in all other media compared to RPMI-1640. Only the cells cultured in RPMI-1640 and DMEM showed a significant glucose-induced insulin secretory response (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05). McCOY'S gave the next best result followed by F-12K and MEM. After the 10-day culture period, the highest insulin content was found in cells cultured in RPMI-1640 and DMEM with significantly lower levels of insulin in cells cultured in McCOY'S, F-12K, and MEM (p < 0.01 to p < 0.001). RPMI-1640 was used for further studies to investigate the effects of 5.6-16.7 mmol/L glucose in culture on the secretory responsiveness of BRIN-BD11 cells. Significant responses to a number of nonglucidic secretagogues were seen following culture at 5.6 and 16.7 mmol/L glucose, although responsiveness was less than after culture with 11.1 mmol/L glucose. At 16.7 mmol/L glucose culture, glucose-stimulated insulin release was abolished.

Metabolic and K(ATP) channel-independent actions of keto acid initiators of insulin secretion.

Insulin-releasing effects of 2-ketobutyric acid (KB), 2-ketoisocaproic acid (KIC), 2-keto-3-methylvaleric acid (KMV), and 3-phenylpyruvic acid (PP) were examined by using clonal beta cells. Whereas KIC, KMV, and PP dose-dependently initiated insulin secretion and potentiated the effects of 4.2-16.7 mM glucose, equimolar KB was without effect. Transport inhibition by using 10 mM valine, isoleucine, 2-cyano-3 hydroxycinnamate or 2-cyano-4 hydroxycinnamate, or metabolic inhibition by 15 mM mannoheptulose, 5 mM sodium azide, 5 mM sodium cyanide, or removal of HCO3 reduced the secretory effects of KIC, KMV, and PP. Whereas K+ depletion reduced keto acid-induced insulin output, depolarizing concentrations of L-leucine and L-arginine potentiated the keto acid-induced effects. Under depolarizing conditions (25 mM KCI and 16.7 mM glucose), 10 mM KIC, KMV, or PP induced insulin secretion, suggesting K(ATP) channel-independent actions. Furthermore, the K(ATP) channel opener diazoxide reduced, but did not abolish, the keto acid-induced effects. However, voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel blockade with verapamil or removal of extracellular Ca2+ abolished keto acid-induced insulin release. Collectively, these results indicate that KIC, KMV, and PP initiate insulin secretion at least partially independently of K(ATP) channel activity, through both mitochondrial metabolism and regulation of Ca2+ influx.

Desensitization of sulphonylurea- and nutrient-induced insulin secretion following prolonged treatment with glibenclamide.

Functional effects of prolonged exposure to the sulphonylurea glibenclamide were examined in a popular clonal pancreatic beta-cell line, denoted as BRIN-BD11. In acute 20-min incubations, 200 microM of tolbutamide or glibenclamide stimulated insulin release from non-depolarized and depolarized cells, which was dramatically reduced following 18-h culture with 100 microM glibenclamide. Sulphonylurea desensitization in non-depolarized cells was reversed following 6-36-h subsequent culture in the absence of glibenclamide. However, desensitization of insulinotropic effects of sulphonylureas in depolarized cells following glibenclamide culture and associated decline in cellular insulin content was not fully reversible. Culture with 100 microM glibenclamide also markedly reduced the acute insulinotropic actions of glucose, L-alanine, L-arginine, 2-ketoisocaproic acid (KIC) and KCl. These effects were almost completely reversed following 18-h culture in the absence of the sulphonylurea.

Effects of cytotoxic agents on functional integrity and antioxidant enzymes in clonal beta-cells.

Effects of cytotoxic agents and hydrogen peroxide were examined using pancreatic BRIN-BD11 cells and the parental insulinoma RINm5F cell line. Cell viability was determined using the MTT colorimetric assay and the TUNEL assay was used to assess apoptosis and acridine orange assay was used to determine levels of apoptosis versus necrosis. RT-PCR studies were employed to investigate the effects of the toxins on the expression of antioxidative enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathionine peroxidase (GPX) and catalase (CAT). Streptozotocin, hydrogen peroxide, alloxan and ninhydrin exerted time- and concentration-dependent toxic effects on BRIN-BD11 and RINm5F cells. RT-PCR showed that 90 minutes exposure of BRIN-BD11 cells or RINm5F cells to 5 mM ninhydrin down regulates SOD, GPX and CAT antioxidative enzymes. Glutathionine peroxidase gene expression was also down regulated in both types of cell by hydrogen peroxide. There were no significant differences in antioxidant gene expression after exposure to the other toxins under the conditions employed. TUNEL assay revealed that streptozotocin (8 mM) and hydrogen peroxide (125 microM) had no significant effect on the number of cells undergoing apoptosis. However after exposure to ninhydrin (5 mM) almost 100% of the non-viable BRIN-BD11 cells and around 50% of the RINm5F cells were dying by apoptosis. With the BRIN-BD11 cells there was around a 30% increase in the number of apoptotic cells compared with 50% in the RINm5F cells after exposure to alloxan (16 mM). The results indicate multiple effects of cytotoxic agents on functional integrity and antioxidant enzyme gene expression in clonal beta-cells.

Culture and function of electrofusion-derived clonal insulin-secreting cells immobilized on solid and macroporous microcarrier beads.

In view of the advantages of the bulk production of clonal pancreatic beta cells, an investigation was made of the growth and insulin secretory functions of an electrofusion-derived cell line (BRIN-BD11) immobilized on a solid microcarrier, cytodex-1 or a macroporous microcarrier, cultispher-G. For comparison, similar tests were performed using BRIN-BD11 cells present in single cell suspensions or allowed to form pseudoislets. Similar growth profiles were recorded for each microcarrier with densities of 4.4 x 10(5) +/- 0.3 cells/ml and 4.2 x 10(5) +/- 0.2 cells/ml achieved using cytodex-1 and cultispher-G, respectively. Cell viability began to decline on day 5 of culture. Insulin concentration in the culture medium reached a peak of 26 +/- 2.0 ng/ml and 24 +/- 2.2 ng/ml for cells grown on cytodex-1 and cultispher-G, respectively. Cells grown on both types of microcarrier showed a significant 1.5-1.8-fold acute insulin-secretory response to 16.7 mmol/l glucose. L-alanine (10 mmol/l) and L-arginine (10 mmol/l) also induced significant 3 4 fold increases of insulin release. BRIN-BD11 cells immobilized on cytodex-1 or cultispher-G out-performed single cell suspensions and pseudoislets in terms of insulin-secretory responses to glucose and amino acids. A 1.3-fold, 2.2-fold and 1.7-fold stimulation of insulin secretion was observed for glucose, L-alanine and L-arginine respectively in single cell suspensions. Corresponding increases for pseudoislets were 1.6-1.8-fold for L-alanine and L-arginine, with no significant response to glucose alone. These data indicate the utility of micro-carriers for the production of functioning clonal beta cells.