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M Prentki

Publications and source records attributed to M Prentki.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Glucose-regulated anaplerosis and cataplerosis in pancreatic beta-cells: possible implication of a pyruvate/citrate shuttle in insulin secretion.

The hypothesis proposing that anaplerosis and cataplerosis play an important role in fuel signaling by providing mitochondrially derived coupling factors for stimulation of insulin secretion was tested. A rise in citrate coincided with the initiation of insulin secretion in response to glucose in INS-1 beta-cells. The dose dependence of glucose-stimulated insulin release correlated closely with those of the cellular contents of citrate, malate, and citrate-derived malonyl-CoA. The glucose-induced elevations in citrate, alpha-ketoglutarate, malonyl-CoA, and the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium reduction state, an index of beta-cell metabolic activity, were unaffected by the Ca2+ chelator EGTA. Glucose induced a rise in both mitochondrial and cytosolic citrate and promoted efflux of citrate from the cells. The latter amounted to approximately 20% of glucose carbons entering the glycolytic pathway. Phenylacetic acid, a pyruvate carboxylase inhibitor, reduced the glucose-induced rise in citrate in INS-1 cells and insulin secretion in both INS-1 cells and rat islets. The results indicate the feasibility of a pyruvate/citrate shuttle in INS-1 beta-cells, allowing the regeneration of NAD+ in the cytosol and the formation of cytosolic acetyl-CoA, malonyl-CoA, and NADPH. The data suggest that anaplerosis and cataplerosis are early signaling events in beta-cell activation that do not require a rise in Ca2+. It is proposed that citrate is a signal of fuel abundance that contributes to beta-cell activation in both the mitochondrial and cytosolic compartments and that a major fate of anaplerotic glucose carbons is external citrate.

Animals↗

Essentiality of intron control in the induction of c-fos by glucose and glucoincretin peptides in INS-1 beta-cells.

Glucose controls long-term processes in the pancreatic beta-cell such as metabolic enzymes gene expression, cell growth, and apoptosis. Such control is likely mediated via the expression of immediate-early response genes since several of these genes including c-fos are strongly induced by glucose in the beta-cell line INS-1, provided costimulation with cAMP-raising glucoincretin hormones. This study addresses the mechanism of c-fos gene activation by glucose. Glucose in the presence of chlorophenylthio-cAMP generated a low threefold induction of the c-fos/basic luciferase reporter gene, which includes only the c-fos promoter. In contrast, the c-fos/intron construct containing the first intron in addition to promoter elements showed a pronounced 16-fold induction, comparable to the increased c-fos mRNA accumulation. Similar observations were made with glucose in combination with the glucoincretins glucagon-like peptide 1, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, and pituitary adenylyl cyclase-activating peptide 38. Deletion of a 119 bp region in intron 1 that includes a transcriptional arrest site did not affect the inductive process. In contrast, a 534 bp deletion comprising a major part of the intron reduced the induction by 75%. At the promoter level, mutating the cAMP response element reduced by more than 60% the transcriptional activation whereas mutating the serum response element had no effect. Inhibitors of protein kinase A and Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases each reduced by 50% the reporter gene activation and together fully prevented the glucose-glucoincretin effect. In conclusion, the strong induction of c-fos by glucose and glucoincretins results from Ca(2+) and cAMP signaling pathways addressing both the CRE in the promoter and essential response element(s) in the first intron that are unrelated to the transcription arrest site.

Base Sequence↗

Cloning and expression of rat pancreatic beta-cell malonyl-CoA decarboxylase.

To gain insight into the function and regulation of malonyl-CoA decarboxylase (MCD) we have cloned rat MCD cDNA from a differentiated insulin-secreting pancreatic beta-cell-line cDNA library. The full-length cDNA sequence shows 69% identity with the cDNA cloned previously from the goose uropygial gland, and predicts a 492 amino acid protein of 54.7 kDa. The open reading frame contains an N-terminal mitochondrial targeting sequence and the C-terminal part of the enzyme ends with a peroxisomal (Ser-Lys-Leu) targeting motif. Since the sequence does not reveal hydrophobic domains, MCD is most likely expressed in the mitochondrial matrix and inside the peroxisomes. A second methionine residue, located 3' of the mitochondrial presequence, might be the first amino acid of a putative cytosolic MCD, since the nucleotide sequence around it fits fairly well with a consensus Kozak site for translation initiation. However, primer extension detects the presence of only one transcript initiating upstream of the first ATG, indicating that the major, if not exclusive, transcript expressed in the pancreatic beta-cell encodes MCD with its mitochondrial presequence. The sequence also shows multiple possible sites of phosphorylation by casein kinase II and protein kinase C. mRNA tissue-distribution analysis indicates a transcript of 2.2 kb, and that the MCD gene is expressed over a wide range of rat tissues. The distribution of the enzyme shows a broad range of activities from very low in the brain to elevated in the liver and heart. The results provide the foundations for further studies of the role of MCD in lipid metabolism and metabolic signalling in various tissues.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Glucagon-like peptide-1 promotes DNA synthesis, activates phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and increases transcription factor pancreatic and duodenal homeobox gene 1 (PDX-1) DNA binding activity in beta (INS-1)-cells.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Glucagon-like peptide-1 is a potent glucoincretin hormone and a potentially important drug in the treatment of Type II (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus. We have investigated whether it acts as a growth factor in beta (INS-1)-cells and have studied the signalling pathways and transcription factors implicated in this process. METHODS: Cell proliferation was assessed by tritiated thymidine incorporation measurements. We have examined the action of glucagon-like peptide-1 on the enzymatic activity of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. The DNA binding activity of transcription factors was investigated by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Measurements of mRNA were done using the northern technique. RESULTS: Glucagon-like peptide-1 caused an increase in tritiated thymidine incorporation in beta (INS-1)-cells and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activity in a dose-dependent manner non-additively with glucose. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitors wortmannin and LY294002 blocked the effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 on DNA synthesis. Transcription factor pancreatic and duodenal homebox gene 1 (PDX-1) DNA binding activity was increased by glucagon-like peptide-1 at 3 or 11 mmol/l glucose and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor LY294002 suppressed the action of glucagon-like peptide-1 on PDX-1 DNA binding activity. Glucagon-like peptide-1 and glucose alone did not change activating protein-1 DNA binding activity. They synergised, however, to increase the activity of activating protein-1. Glucagon-like peptide-1 also increased the expression of PDX-1, glucose transporter 2, glucokinase and insulin mRNAs. Finally, glucagon-like peptide-1 increased the incorporation of tritiated thymidine in isolated rat islets. CONCLUSION/INTERPRETATION: The results suggest that glucagon-like peptide-1 may act as a growth factor for the beta cell by a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase mediated event. Glucagon-like peptide-1 could also regulate the expression of the insulin gene and genes encoding enzymes implicated in glucose transport and metabolism through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/PDX-1 transduction signalling pathway.

Androstadienes↗

Lipid rather than glucose metabolism is implicated in altered insulin secretion caused by oleate in INS-1 cells.

A comprehensive metabolic study was carried out to understand how chronic exposure of pancreatic beta-cells to fatty acids causes high basal secretion and impairs glucose-induced insulin release. INS-1 beta-cells were exposed to 0.4 mM oleate for 3 days and subsequently incubated at 5 or 25 mM glucose, after which various parameters were measured. Chronic oleate promoted triglyceride deposition, increased fatty acid oxidation and esterification, and reduced malonyl-CoA at low glucose in association with elevated basal O(2) consumption and redox state. Oleate caused a modest (25%) reduction in glucose oxidation but did not affect glucose usage, the glucose 6-phosphate and citrate contents, and the activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase of INS-1 cells. Thus changes in glucose metabolism and a Randle-glucose/fatty acid cycle do not explain the altered secretory properties of beta-cells exposed to fatty acids. The main response of INS-1 cells to chronic oleate, which is to increase the oxidation and esterification of fatty acids, may contribute to cause high basal insulin secretion via increased production of reducing equivalents and/or the generation of complex lipid messenger molecule(s).

Cell Line↗

Palmitate and oleate induce the immediate-early response genes c-fos and nur-77 in the pancreatic beta-cell line INS-1.

To better understand the link between fatty acid signaling and the pleiotropic effects of fatty acids in the pancreatic beta-cell, we investigated whether fatty acids regulate immediate-early response genes (IEGs) coding for transcription factors implicated in cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Palmitate and oleate, but not long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, caused a pronounced accumulation of c-fos and nur-77 mRNAs in beta-cells (INS cells) to an extent similar to that produced by the protein kinase C (PKC) activator phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). The effect was dose dependent and occurred at concentrations between 0.1 and 0.5 mmol/l in the presence of 0.5% albumin. The action of the fatty acid occurred at the transcriptional level, and the mRNA accumulation displayed a bell-shaped kinetics with a maximal effect at 1 h. 2-Bromopalmitate was ineffective, indicating that fatty acids must be metabolized to cause their effect. Neither fatty acid was able to induce c-fos and nur-77 in PKC-downregulated cells or cells incubated in the presence of the Ca2+ channel blocker nifedipine or the Ca2+ chelator EGTA, suggesting involvement of the PKC and Ca2+ signaling pathways. Palmitate and oleate also increased c-fos protein expression and DNA binding activity of the transcription factor AP-1. Oleate, but not palmitate, increased [3H]thymidine incorporation in INS cells. Finally, both palmitate and oleate caused c-fos and nur-77 mRNA accumulation in isolated rat islets. It is suggested that IEG induction by the most abundant circulating fatty acids plays a role in the adaptive process of the beta-cell to hyperlipidemia. These results have implications for our understanding of obesity-associated diabetes and the link between fatty acids and tumorigenesis.

Animals↗

Molecular or pharmacologic perturbation of the link between glucose and lipid metabolism is without effect on glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. A re-evaluation of the long-chain acyl-CoA hypothesis.

The mechanism by which glucose stimulates insulin secretion from the pancreatic islets of Langerhans is incompletely understood. It has been suggested that malonyl-CoA plays a regulatory role by inhibiting fatty acid oxidation and promoting accumulation of cytosolic long-chain acyl-CoA (LC-CoA). In the current study, we have re-evaluated this "long-chain acyl-CoA hypothesis" by using molecular and pharmacologic methods to perturb lipid metabolism in INS-1 insulinoma cells or rat islets during glucose stimulation. First, we constructed a recombinant adenovirus containing the cDNA encoding malonyl-CoA decarboxylase (AdCMV-MCD), an enzyme that decarboxylates malonyl-CoA to acetyl-CoA. INS-1 cells treated with AdCMV-MCD had dramatically lowered intracellular malonyl CoA levels compared with AdCMV-betaGal-treated cells at both 3 and 20 mM glucose. Further, at 20 mM glucose, AdCMV-MCD-treated cells were less effective at suppressing [1-14C]palmitate oxidation and incorporated 43% less labeled palmitate and 50% less labeled glucose into cellular lipids than either AdCMV-betaGAL-treated or untreated INS-1 cells. Despite the large metabolic changes caused by expression of MCD, insulin secretion in response to glucose was unaltered relative to controls. The alternative, pharmacologic approach for perturbing lipid metabolism was to use triacsin C to inhibit long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase. This agent caused potent attenuation of palmitate oxidation and glucose or palmitate incorporation into cellular lipids and also caused a 47% decrease in total LC-CoA. Despite this, the drug had no effect on glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in islets or INS-1 cells. We conclude that significant disruption of the link between glucose and lipid metabolism does not impair glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in pancreatic islets or INS-1 cells.

Acyl Coenzyme A↗

Long-term exposure of beta-INS cells to high glucose concentrations increases anaplerosis, lipogenesis, and lipogenic gene expression.

Chronic exposure of pancreatic beta-cells to high glucose has pleiotropic action on beta-cell function. In particular, it induces key glycolytic genes, promotes glycogen deposition, and causes beta-cell proliferation and altered insulin secretion characterized by sensitization to low glucose. Postglycolytic events, in particular, anaplerosis and lipid signaling, are thought to be implicated in beta-cell activation by glucose. To understand the biochemical nature of the beta-cell adaptive process to hyperglycemia, we studied the regulation by glucose of lipogenic genes in the beta-cell line INS-1. A 3-day exposure of cells to elevated glucose (5-25 mmol/l) increased the enzymatic activities of fatty acid synthase 3-fold, acetyl-CoA carboxylase 30-fold, and malic enzyme 1.3-fold. Pyruvate carboxylase and citrate lyase expression remained constant. Similar observations were made at the protein and mRNA levels except for malic enzyme mRNA, which did not vary. Metabolic gene expression changes were associated with chronically elevated levels of citrate, malate, malonyl-CoA, and conversion of glucose carbon into lipids, even in cells that were subsequently exposed to low glucose. Similarly, fatty acid oxidation was suppressed and phospholipid and triglyceride synthesis was enhanced independently of the external glucose concentration in cells preexposed to high glucose. The results suggest that a coordinated induction of glycolytic and lipogenic genes in conjunction with glycogen and triglyceride deposition, as well as increased anaplerosis and altered lipid partitioning, contribute to the adaptive process to hyperglycemia and glucose sensitization of the beta-cell.

Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase↗

Glucose and glucoincretin peptides synergize to induce c-fos, c-jun, junB, zif-268, and nur-77 gene expression in pancreatic beta(INS-1) cells.

To link glucose signaling to its long-term pleiotropic effects in the pancreatic beta-cell, we have investigated whether glucose regulates immediate-early response genes (IEGs) coding for transcription factors implicated in cell proliferation and differentiation. Glucose causes a coordinated transcriptional activation of the IEGs c-fos, c-jun, JunB, zif-268, and nur-77 in the pancreatic beta-cell line INS-1. This activation is entirely dependent on the presence of the cell-permeant cAMP analog chlorophenylthio-cAMP, which has only a modest effect by itself. The accumulation of c-fos, JunB, and nur-77 mRNA occurs at physiological concentrations of glucose (3 to 11 mM), requires a 1-2 h period, and is mimicked by other nutrient stimuli including mannose, leucine plus glutamine, and pyruvate. Glucose is synergistic with the glucoincretin peptides GLP-1 and PACAP-38, whereas these neurohormonal agents have no effect at low (3 mM) glucose. Mechanistically, the synergy between glucose and the glucoincretins is not based on cAMP alone as glucose does not further increase intracellular cAMP in response to GLP-1 and PACAP-38. A role for Ca2+ signaling is inferred, since the L-type Ca2+ channel blocker nifedipine markedly reduces the induction of c-fos and nur-77 by glucose and GLP-1. The induction of IEGs by glucose and chlorophenylthio-cAMP or GLP-1 and the inhibitory effect of nifedipine are also observed in the betaHC9 cell line. The results indicate that GLP-1 and PACAP-38 act as competence factors for the action of glucose on c-fos, JunB, and nur-77. It is suggested that the synergistic effect of glucose and glucoincretins on IEG expression plays an important role in the adaptive processes of the beta-cell to hyperglycemia.

Animals↗

Metabolic fate of glucose in purified islet cells. Glucose-regulated anaplerosis in beta cells.

Previous studies in rat islets have suggested that anaplerosis plays an important role in the regulation of pancreatic beta cell function and growth. However, the relative contribution of islet beta cells versus non-beta cells to glucose-regulated anaplerosis is not known. Furthermore, the fate of glucose carbon entering the Krebs cycle of islet cells remains to be determined. The present study has examined the anaplerosis of glucose carbon in purified rat beta cells using specific 14C-labeled glucose tracers. Between 5 and 20 mM glucose, the oxidative production of CO2 from [3,4-14C]glucose represented close to 100% of the total glucose utilization by the cells. Anaplerosis, quantified as the difference between 14CO2 production from [3,4-14C]glucose and [6-14C]glucose, was strongly influenced by glucose, particularly between 5 and 10 mM. The dose dependence of glucose-induced insulin secretion correlated with the accumulation of citrate and malate in beta(INS-1) cells. All glucose carbon that was not oxidized to CO2 was recovered from the cells after extraction in trichloroacetic acid. This indirectly indicates that lactate output is minimal in beta cells. From the effect of cycloheximide upon the incorporation of 14C-glucose into the acid-precipitable fraction, it could be calculated that 25% of glucose carbon entering the Krebs cycle via anaplerosis is channeled into protein synthesis. In contrast, non-beta cells (approximately 80% glucagon-producing alpha cells) exhibited rates of glucose oxidation that were (1)/(3) to (1)/(6) those of the total glucose utilization and no detectable anaplerosis from glucose carbon. This difference between the two cell types was associated with a 7-fold higher expression of the anaplerotic enzyme pyruvate carboxylase in beta cells, as well as a 4-fold lower ratio of lactate dehydrogenase to FAD-linked glycerol phosphate dehydrogenase in beta cells versus alpha cells. Finally, glucose caused a dose-dependent suppression of the activity of the pentose phosphate pathway in beta cells. In conclusion, rat beta cells metabolize glucose essentially via aerobic glycolysis, whereas glycolysis in alpha cells is largely anaerobic. The results support the view that anaplerosis is an essential pathway implicated in beta cell activation by glucose.

Animals↗

Induction by glucose of genes coding for glycolytic enzymes in a pancreatic beta-cell line (INS-1).

Chronic elevation in glucose has pleiotropic effects on the pancreatic beta-cell including a high rate of insulin secretion at low glucose, beta-cell hypertrophy, and hyperplasia. These actions of glucose are expected to be associated with the modulation of the expression of a number of glucose-regulated genes that need to be identified. To further investigate the molecular mechanisms implicated in these adaptation processes to hyperglycemia, we have studied the regulation of genes encoding key glycolytic enzymes in the glucose-responsive beta-cell line INS-1. Glucose (from 5 to 25 mM) induced phosphofructokinase-1 (PFK-1) isoform C, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) (4-fold), and L-pyruvate kinase (L-PK) (7-fold) mRNAs. In contrast the expression level of the glucokinase (Gk) and 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase transcripts remained unchanged. Following a 3-day exposure to elevated glucose, a similar induction was observed at the protein level for PFK-1 (isoforms C, M, and L), GAPDH, and L-PK, whereas M-PK expression only increased slightly. The study of the mechanism of GAPDH induction indicated that glucose increased the transcriptional rate of the GAPDH gene but that both transcriptional and post transcriptional effects contributed to GAPDH mRNA accumulation. 2-Deoxyglucose did not mimic the inductive effect of glucose, suggesting that increased glucose metabolism is involved in GAPDH gene induction. These changes in glycolytic enzyme expression were associated with a 2-3-fold increase in insulin secretion at low (2-5 mM) glucose. The metabolic activity of the cells was also elevated, as indicated by the reduction of the artificial electron acceptor 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium. A marked deposition of glycogen, which was readily mobilized upon lowering of the ambient glucose, and increased DNA replication were also observed in cells exposed to elevated glucose. The results suggest that a coordinated induction of key glycolytic enzymes as well as massive glycogen deposition are implicated in the adaptation process of the beta-cell to hyperglycemia to allow for chronically elevated glucose metabolism, which, in this particular fuel-sensitive cell, is linked to metabolic coupling factor production and cell activation.

Animals↗

Fatty acids rapidly induce the carnitine palmitoyltransferase I gene in the pancreatic beta-cell line INS-1.

Fatty acids are important metabolic substrates for the pancreatic beta-cell, and long term exposure of pancreatic islets to elevated concentrations of fatty acids results in an alteration of glucose-induced insulin secretion. Previous work suggested that exaggerated fatty acid oxidation may be implicated in this process by a mechanism requiring changes in metabolic enzyme expression. We have therefore studied the regulation of carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT I) gene expression by fatty acids in the pancreatic beta-cell line INS-1 since this enzyme catalyzes the limiting step of fatty acid oxidation in various tissues. Palmitate, oleate, and linoleate (0.35 mM) elicited a 4-6-fold increase in CPT I mRNA. The effect was dose-dependent and was similar for saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. It was detectable after 1 h and reached a maximum after 3 h. The induction of CPT I mRNA by fatty acids did not require their oxidation, and 2-bromopalmitate, a nonoxidizable fatty acid, increased CPT I mRNA to the same extent as palmitate. The induction was not prevented by cycloheximide treatment of cells indicating that it was mediated by pre-existing transcription factors. Neither glucose nor pyruvate and various secretagogues had a significant effect except glutamine (7 mM) which slightly induced CPT I mRNA. The half-life of the CPT I transcript was unchanged by fatty acids, and nuclear run-on analysis showed a rapid (less than 45 min) and pronounced transcriptional activation of the CPT I gene by fatty acids. The increase in CPT I mRNA was followed by a 2-3-fold increase in CPT I enzymatic activity measured in isolated mitochondria. The increase in activity was time-dependent, detectable after 4 h, and close to maximal after 24 h. Fatty acid oxidation by INS-1 cells, measured at low glucose, was also 2-3-fold higher in cells cultured with fatty acid in comparison with control cells. Long term exposure of INS-1 cells to fatty acid was associated with elevated secretion of insulin at a low (5 mM) concentration of glucose and a decreased effect of higher glucose concentrations. It also resulted in a decreased oxidation of glucose. The results indicate that the CPT I gene is an early response gene induced by fatty acids at the transcriptional level in beta- (INS-1) cells. It is suggested that exaggerated fatty acid oxidation caused by CPT-1 induction is implicated in the process whereby fatty acids alter glucose-induced insulin secretion.

Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase↗

Signal transduction mechanisms in nutrient-induced insulin secretion.

The knowledge of the mechanism whereby glucose and other fuel stimuli promote the release of insulin by the pancreatic beta cell remains fragmentary. The closure of metabolically sensitive K+ channels and a rise in cytosolic free Ca2+ are key features of beta-cell metabolic signal transduction. However, these two signalling events do not account for the dose dependence of glucose-induced insulin secretion. In fact, recent evidence indicates that there are KATP channel and Ca2+ independent pathway(s) of beta-cell activation which remain to be defined. In this review, we have limited our attention to the recent developments in our understanding of the mode of action of nutrient secretagogues. A particular emphasis is placed in summarising the evidence in support of two new concepts: 1) oscillations in the glycolytic pathway and beta-cell metabolism contribute to the oscillatory nature of beta-cell ionic events and insulin secretion; 2) malonyl-CoA and long chain acyl-CoA esters may act as metabolic coupling factors in beta-cell signalling. Finally, we propose that the altered expression of genes encoding enzymes in the pathway of malonyl-CoA formation and fatty acid oxidation contributes to the beta-cell insensitivity to glucose in some patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Animals↗

Long-chain fatty acids inhibit acetyl-CoA carboxylase gene expression in the pancreatic beta-cell line INS-1.

The mechanism whereby long-term exposure of the beta-cell to fatty acids alters the beta-cell response to glucose is not known. We hypothesized that fatty acids may alter beta-cell function by changing the expression level of metabolic enzymes implicated in the regulation of insulin secretion, in particular acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC). This enzyme catalyzes the formation of malonyl-CoA, a key regulator of fatty acid oxidation. Using the beta-cell line INS-1 as a model, the results show that the polyunsaturated fatty acid linoleate (C18:2) inhibited both basal and glucose-stimulated ACC mRNA induction. The inhibition was detected by 4-6 h, and a maximal 60% effect occurred at 12 h after cell exposure to the fatty acid. Linoleate, as glucose, did not modify the half-life of the ACC transcript. Prolonged exposure of INS-1 cells to linoleate also inhibited ACC protein accumulation at low and high glucose. The saturated fatty acids myristate (C14:0), palmitate (C16:0), and stearate (C18:0) were also effective as well as the monounsaturated oleate (C18:1) and the short-chain fatty acids butyrate (C4:0) and caproate (C6:0); long-chain omega3 fatty acids were ineffective. The threshold concentration for long-chain fatty acids was 0.05 mmol/l, and maximal inhibition occurred at 0.3 mmol/l. 2-bromopalmitate, a nonmetabolizable analog, had no effect, suggesting that fatty acids must be metabolized to change ACC gene expression. Prolonged exposure of INS-1 cells to palmitate, oleate, and linoleate markedly altered the glucose-induced insulin response, resulting in high basal insulin release and a suppression of glucose-induced insulin secretion. This was associated with an exaggerated (twofold to threefold) rate of fatty acid oxidation at all tested glucose concentrations. The data provide a possible mechanism to at least partially explain how fatty acids cause beta-cell insensitivity to glucose, i.e., by downregulating ACC with a resulting exaggerated fatty acid oxidation.

Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase↗

Regulation of pancreatic beta-cell mitochondrial metabolism: influence of Ca2+, substrate and ADP.

To gain insight into the regulation of pancreatic beta-cell mitochondrial metabolism, the direct effects on respiration of different mitochondrial substrates, variations in the ATP/ADP ratio and free Ca2+ were examined using isolated mitochondria and permeabilized clonal pancreatic beta-cells (HIT). Respiration from pyruvate was high and not influenced by Ca2+ in State 3 or under various redox states and fixed values of the ATP/ADP ratio; nevertheless, high Ca2+ elevated pyridine nucleotide fluorescence, indicating activation of pyruvate dehydrogenase by Ca2+. Furthermore, in the presence of pyruvate, elevated Ca2+ stimulated CO2 production from pyruvate, increased citrate production and efflux from the mitochondria and inhibited CO2 production from palmitate. The latter observation suggests that beta-cell fatty acid oxidation is not regulated exclusively by malonyl-CoA but also by the mitochondrial redox state. alpha-Glycerophosphate (alpha-GP) oxidation was Ca(2+)-dependent with a half-maximal rate observed at around 300 nM Ca2+. We have recently demonstrated that increases in respiration precede increases in Ca2+ in glucose-stimulated clonal pancreatic beta-cells (HIT), indicating that Ca2+ is not responsible for the initial stimulation of respiration [Civelek, Deeney, Kubik, Schultz, Tornheim and Corkey (1996) Biochem. J. 315, 1015-1019]. It is suggested that respiration is stimulated by increased substrate (alpha-GP and pyruvate) supply together with oscillatory increases in ADP [Nilsson, Schultz, Berggren, Corkey and Tornheim (1996) Biochem. J. 314, 91-94]. The rise in Ca2+, which in itself may not significantly increase net respiration, could have the important functions of (1) activating the alpha-GP shuttle, to maintain an oxidized cytosol and high glycolytic flux; (2) activating pyruvate dehydrogenase, and indirectly pyruvate carboxylase, to sustain production of citrate and hence the putative signal coupling factors, malonyl-CoA and acyl-CoA; and (3) increasing mitochondrial redox state to implement the switch from fatty acid to pyruvate oxidation.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

New insights into pancreatic beta-cell metabolic signaling in insulin secretion.

In recent years, it has become apparent that second messengers and factors other than ATP. metabolically sensitive K+ATP channels and Ca2+ play essential roles in nutrient-induced insulin release. This paper reviews the evidence in support of several new concepts and hypotheses in the field of beta-cell signaling. These include in particular that: a rise in cytosolic Ca2+ is not sufficient to explain the kinetics and extent of secretion induced by glucose; variations in ADP, rather than ATP, regulate beta-cell metabolism and the K+ATP channel; anaplerosis (the replenishment of the citric acid cycle with intermediates) is essential for beta-cell activation: a shift from fatty acid oxidation to esterification is an important event in beta-cell signaling: malonyl-CoA and long chain acyl-CoA esters may act as metabolic coupling factors; glycolytic oscillations underlie, in part, oscillations in electrical activity, cytosolic Ca2+ and insulin release. A metabolic model of fuel sensing that integrates the mode of action of all classes of nutrient secretagogues is proposed.

Animals↗

Evidence for an anaplerotic/malonyl-CoA pathway in pancreatic beta-cell nutrient signaling.

A metabolic model of fuel sensing has been proposed in which malonyl-CoA and long-chain acyl-CoA esters may act as coupling factors in nutrient-induced insulin release (Prentki M, Vischer S, Glennon MC, Regazzi R, Deeney J, Corkey BE: Malonyl-CoA and long chain acyl-CoA esters as metabolic coupling factors in nutrient-induced insulin secretion. J Biol Chem 267:5802-5810, 1992). To gain further insight into the control of malonyl-CoA content in islet tissue, we have studied the short- and long-term regulation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and fatty acid synthase (FAS) in the beta-cell. These enzymes catalyze the formation of malonyl-CoA and its usage for de novo fatty acid biogenesis. ACC mRNA, protein, and enzymatic activity are present at appreciable levels in rat pancreatic islets and clonal beta-cells (HIT cells). Glucose addition to HIT cells results in a marked increase in ACC activity that precedes the initiation of insulin release. Fasting does not modify the ACC content of islets, whereas it markedly downregulates that of lipogenic tissues. This indicates differential regulation of the ACC gene in lipogenic tissues and the islets of Langerhans. FAS is very poorly expressed in islet tissue, yet ACC is abundant. This demonstrates that the primary function of malonyl-CoA in the beta-cells is to regulate fatty acid oxidation, not to serve as a substrate for fatty acid biosynthesis. The anaplerotic enzyme pyruvate carboxylase, which allows the replenishment of citric acid cycle intermediates needed for malonyl-CoA production via citrate, is abundant in islet tissue. Glucose causes an elevation in beta (HIT)-cell citrate that precedes secretion, and only those nutrients that can elevate citrate induce effective insulin release. The results provide new evidence in support of the model and explain why malonyl-CoA rises markedly and rapidly in islets upon glucose stimulation: 1) glucose elevates citrate, the precursor of malonyl-CoA; 2) glucose enhances ACC enzymatic activity; and 3) malonyl-CoA is not diverted to lipids. The data suggest that ACC is a key enzyme in metabolic signal transduction of the beta-cell and provide evidence for the concept that an anaplerotic/malonyl-CoA pathway is implicated in insulin secretion.

Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase↗