PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

O D Madsen

Publications and source records attributed to O D Madsen.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Transcription factors contributing to the pancreatic beta-cell phenotype.

Insulin promoter factor-1 (IPF1) (renamed to pancreatic-duodenal homeobox factor-1, PDX1) was originally cloned and characterized as an islet beta-cell specific insulin gene transcription factor (1) and later shown to be essential for the formation of the mature pancreas (2, 3). In the adult normal pancreas PDX1 is almost exclusively expressed in the beta-cell compartment and generally absent from the alpha-cell while it is widely expressed in the pancreatic epithelium during development. Using pluripotent rat islet tumor cultures and derived insulinomas and glucagonomas we have analyzed differential expression of a large number of genes including the transcription factors PDX1, Nkx6.1, Pax6, and NeuroD. While NeuroD and Pax6 expression was detectable among all phenotypes, PDX1 was expressed in the pluripotent culture and maintained in the insulinoma, while Nkx6.1 was selectively co-induced with insulin during insulinoma formation. Both factors were not detectable in the glucagonoma. Nkx6.1 proved to have a highly beta-cell restricted expression in the adult rat. Forced expression of recombinant PDX1 in the glucagonoma resulted in efficient transcriptional activation of the endogenous insulin and IAPP genes, but did not affect glucagon gene activity. In this hybrid alpha/beta-cell phenotype the endogenous Nkx6.1 gene remained silent. We conclude that PDX1 in synergy with NeuroD specifies part of the beta-cell phenotype including transcriptional activation of insulin and IAPP genes, but that other factors such as Nkx6.1 and Pax6 are required for additional features of the fully mature beta-cell phenotype.

Animals↗

Pancreatic development and maturation of the islet B cell. Studies of pluripotent islet cultures.

Pancreas organogenesis is a highly regulated process, in which two anlage evaginate from the primitive gut. They later fuse, and, under the influence of the surrounding mesenchyme, the mature organ develops, being mainly composed of ductal, exocrine and endocrine compartments. Early buds are characterized by a branching morphogenesis of the ductal epithelium from which endocrine and exocrine precursor cells bud to eventually form the two other compartments. The three compartments are thought to be of common endodermal origin; in contrast to earlier hypotheses, which suggested that the endocrine compartment was of neuroectodermal origin. It is thus generally believed that the pancreatic endocrine-lineage possesses the ability to mature along a differentiation pathway that shares many characteristics with those of neuronal differentiation. During recent years, studies of insulin-gene regulation and, in particular, the tissue-specific transcriptional control of insulin-gene activity have provided information on pancreas development in general. The present review summarizes these findings, with a special focus on our own studies on pluripotent endocrine cultures of rat pancreas.

Amyloid↗

Induction of insulin and islet amyloid polypeptide production in pancreatic islet glucagonoma cells by insulin promoter factor 1.

Insulin promoter factor 1 (IPF1), a member of the homeodomain protein family, serves an early role in pancreas formation, as evidenced by the lack of pancreas formation in mice carrying a targeted disruption of the IPF1 gene [Jonsson, J., Carlsson, L., Edlund, T. & Edlund, H. (1994) Nature (London) 371, 606-609]. In adults, IPF1 expression is restricted to the beta-cells in the islets of Langerhans. We report here that IPF1 induces expression of a subset of beta-cell-specific genes (insulin and islet amyloid polypeptide) when ectopically expressed in clones of transformed pancreatic islet alpha-cells. In contrast, expression of IPF1 in rat embryo fibroblasts factor failed to induce insulin and islet amyloid polypeptide expression. This is most likely due to the lack of at least one other essential insulin gene transcription factor, the basic helix-loop-helix protein Beta 2/NeuroD, which is expressed in both alpha- and beta-cells. We conclude that IPF1 is a potent transcriptional activator of endogenous insulin genes in non-beta islet cells, which suggests an important role of IPF1 in beta-cell maturation.

Amyloid↗

mRNA profiling of rat islet tumors reveals nkx 6.1 as a beta-cell-specific homeodomain transcription factor.

Development of a high capacity multiplex reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction protocol has allowed us to screen lineage related rat islet tumors classified as alpha-, beta-, and delta-like as judged by their hormone profile for differential expression of more than 50 selected genes. We find that in addition to insulin the insulinoma express the normal beta-cell markers Pdx-1, IAPP, and Glut-2, and that these markers are absent from the glucagonoma: a reflection of the normal alpha-cell. Furthermore, this study suggests that the GLP-1, glucagon, GIP, IGF-1, and insulin receptors as well as E-cadherin, R-cadherin, Id-1, and Id-2 are differentially expressed within the islet of Langerhans. Importantly, insulinoma-specific expression of the recently cloned homeodomain protein Nkx 6.1 predicted beta-cell-specific expression in the normal islet. Immunohistochemistry using antibodies raised against recombinant Nkx 6.1 did indeed localize Nkx 6.1 expression exclusively to the nuclei of normal islet beta-cells. Apart from pancreatic islets only the antral part of the stomach contained Nkx 6.1 mRNA. We conclude that multiplex reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction-based mRNA profiling is a powerful tool to identify differentially expressed genes within phenotypically related cells and propose that Nkx 6.1 is involved in specifying the unique characteristics of the beta-cell.

Adenoma, Islet Cell↗

Pancreatic-duodenal homeobox 1 -role in gastric endocrine patterning.

The gastrointestinal tract is subdivided into regions with different roles in digestion and absorption. How this patterning is established is unknown. We now report that the pancreatic-duodenal homeobox 1 gene (pdx1) is also expressed in cells of the distal stomach. Positive cells include subpopulations of the three main endocrine (gastrin, somatostatin and serotonin) cell types of this region. Pdx1 deficient mice were virtually devoid of gastrin cells, had normal numbers of somatostatin cells and increased numbers of serotonin cells. Pdx1 is thus important for development of the gastrin cells of the antropyloric mucosa of the stomach and probably acts by controlling the fate of gastrin/serotonin precursor cells.

Animals↗

The homeodomain protein IPF-1/STF-1 is expressed in a subset of islet cells and promotes rat insulin 1 gene expression dependent on an intact E1 helix-loop-helix factor binding site.

The mouse homeodomain protein insulin promoter factor-1 (IPF-1) and the rat homologue somatostatin transactivating factor-1 (STF-1) are involved in early pancreatic development and have been implicated in the cell-specific regulation of insulin- and somatostatin-gene expression in mature islet beta- and delta-cells. The cell specificity of IPF-1/STF-1 expression in mature islets is, however, still unclear. Using antisera against recombinant IPF-1 and STF-1 in combination with antisera against islet hormones we find that all beta-cells in monolayers of newborn rat islet cells express STF-1, as do a fraction of the delta-cells. In adult rat and mouse pancreas we find a similar distribution. IPF-1/STF-1 expression was not detected in glucagon-producing alpha-cells. In islet cell tumour models we found that a glucagon/islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP)-producing pluripotent rat islet cell line (NHI-6F-GLU) expresses STF-1 in all cells prior to insulin gene activation induced by in vivo culture. In contrast, a mouse alpha-cell line (alpha TC1) exclusively expressed IPF-1 in a small subset of insulin-producing cells while an insulin-negative subclone (alpha TC1.9) was negative for IPF-1. In transfection experiments using alpha TC1.9 cells STF-1 activated a rat insulin 1 reporter gene dependent not only on both STF-1-binding sites, but also on the E1-binding site for the helix-loop-helix factor IEF-1. However, the endogenous mouse insulin genes remained inactive in these cells. These results suggest that the insulin promoter acquires its very high, yet cell-specific, activity at least partly through the action of IPF-1/STF-1. This action is dependent on helix-loop-helix factors bound to the E1 element.

Animals↗

Potent inhibitory effects of transplantable rat glucagonomas and insulinomas on the respective endogenous islet cells are associated with pancreatic apoptosis.

Effects of transplantable rat insulinomas (IN) and glucagonomas (GLU) on the endogenous pancreas were analyzed using morphometry, immunocytochemistry, in situ hybridization, and staining for apoptotic cells. Hyperinsulinemia (IN-rats) and hyper-GLP-1/glucagonemia (GLU-rats) were both associated with marked islet atrophy (67 and 76% of control average planimetrical islet area, respectively). Selective islet B cell inhibition of proinsulin (I and II) genes as well as of expression of the insulin gene transcription factor, IPF1/STF1, was found in IN-rats. Moreover, these islets were characterized by significant B cells apoptosis in the absence of infiltrating lymphocytes. In GLU-rats selective islet A cell inhibition was observed at the level of glucagon mRNA. These islets contained small, highly condensed but clearly active B cells with prominent IPF1/STF1-positive nuclei, surrounded by densely packed glucagon-negative cells with reduced cytoplasm. Furthermore, an active apoptotic process was found exclusively in the exocrine pancreas of GLU-rats. Thus, in IN-rats, islet B cell mass reduction is distinguished by non-immune-mediated programmed cell death, while GLU-rats exhibit A cell mass reduction by cytoplasmic retraction and selective exocrine apoptosis.

Animals↗

Cloning and expression of cytokine-inducible nitric oxide synthase cDNA from rat islets of Langerhans.

An inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase isoform (iNOS) is specifically induced in the beta-cells of interleukin (IL)-1 beta-exposed rat islets, suggesting a role for NO in the pathogenesis of type I diabetes. The aim of this study was to clone and characterize iNOS cDNA from cytokine-exposed islets. Neither NO production nor iNOS transcription could be detected in rat islets or in rat insulinoma RIN-5AH beta-cells cultured in the absence of cytokines. Addition of IL-1 beta alone or in combination with tumor necrosis factor-alpha induced a concentration- and time-dependent expression of the iNOS gene and associated NO production (measured as nitrite) from both islets and RIN cells. iNOS transcripts were cloned by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction from the cytokine-exposed rat islets and RIN cells, and DNA sequence analysis revealed a near 100% identity to the recently published iNOS cDNA cloned from cytokine-exposed rat hepatocytes and smooth muscle cells. Recombinant rat islet iNOS was transiently and stably expressed in human kidney 293 fibroblasts, and the high enzymatic activity was inhibited by addition of the L-arginine analogs, N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester and aminoguanidine. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis revealed the recombinant iNOS as a series of spots with the expected molecular mass of 131 kDa and pI values in the range of 6.8 to 7.0. In conclusion, the IL-1 beta-induced iNOS cloned and expressed from rat islets and RIN cells is encoded by the same transcript as the iNOS induced in other cell types.

Amino Acid Oxidoreductases↗

Transplantable glucagonomas derived from pluripotent rat islet tumor tissue cause severe anorexia and adipsia.

From pluripotent pancreatic rat islet tumor tissue we have previously reported the isolation of stable transplantable glucagonoma tumor phenotypes in rats characterized by acute onset of anorexia. We now report that these tumors also cause severe adipsia. Food and water intake is reduced by more than 95% and is immediately cured upon tumor removal. Four anorectic tumor lines were all characterized as glucagonomas with high levels of proglucagon mRNA, and of two tested both were associated with highly elevated plasma levels of glucagon as well as of Glp-1(7-36amide) in the host rat. This fetal processing pattern of proglucagon may be indirectly linked to the anorectic phenotype, since we have now isolated a non-anorectic glucagonoma with similar levels of proglucagon mRNA. Lack of anorexia/adipsia in SV-40-T-antigen driven glucagonomas in transgenic mice with similar fetal processing as reported by other suggests that our tumors produce a novel anorectic substance. This factor ranges among the most potent of its kind as a peripheral mediator involved in appetite and thirst regulation. In summary, the glucagonomas provide an interesting tool with which to study the nature of severe anorexia as well as adipsia, and the identification of the active substance(s) may provide novel therapeutics for the treatment of obesity-related disorders such as NIDDM.

Animals↗

Transcriptional regulation of the human insulin gene is dependent on the homeodomain protein STF1/IPF1 acting through the CT boxes.

Insulin gene transcription is a unique feature of the pancreatic beta cells and is increased in response to glucose. The recent cloning of insulin promoter factor 1 (IPF1) and somatostatin transcription factor 1 (STF1) unexpectedly revealed that these are mouse and rat homologues of the same protein mediating transactivation through binding of CT box-like elements in rat insulin 1 and somatostatin promoter/enhancer regions, respectively. By using oligonucleotides representing each of the three CT boxes of the human insulin (HI) gene enhancer and nuclear extracts from the mouse islet tumor cell lines beta TC3 and alpha TC1, we have identified a beta-cell-specific binding activity as reported for IPF1, which has maximal affinity toward the CT2 box. However, in pluripotent, HI-transfected rat islet tumor cells, NHI-6F, this binding activity is present prior to induction of (human) insulin gene transcription. Its migration is identical to that of in vitro translated STF1 in electrophoretic mobility-shift assays; it is specifically recognized by anti-STF1 antibodies and has an apparent molecular mass of 46 kDa. Mutation of the CT2 box decreases transcriptional activity of a HI reporter plasmid by approximately 65% in beta TC3 cells and blocks the glucose response in isolated newborn rat islet cells. Furthermore, cotransfection with STF1 cDNA into the glucagon-producing alpha TC1 cells increases the activity of the HI enhancer 4- to 5-fold, suggesting that STF1/IPF1 can confer on alpha TC1 cells the ability to transcribe the HI gene. We conclude that STF1/IPF1 is a necessary but not sufficient key regulator of insulin gene activity, possibly also involved in glucose-regulated transcription.

Animals↗

Studies on the isolation, structural analysis and tissue localization of fetal antigen 1 and its relation to a human adrenal-specific cDNA, pG2.

Fetal antigen 1 was purified from second trimester human amniotic fluid by immunospecific affinity chromatography followed by reversed-phase chromatography. Fetal antigen 1 is a single chain glycoprotein with a M(r) of 32-38 kDa. The amino acid composition revealed a high content of cysteines, prolines and amino acids (aa) with acidic side-chains indicating that fetal antigen 1 is a compactly folded, strongly hydrophilic molecule. The N-terminal amino acid sequence (37 aa) revealed no homology to other known protein sequences, implying that fetal antigen 1 is a 'novel' human protein. When the aa sequence was back-translated into the appropriate degenerate sequence of nucleic acids, fetal antigen 1 could be partially aligned to a 'human adrenal-specific mRNA, pG2'. The indirect immunoperoxidase technique demonstrated fetal antigen 1 in fetal hepatocytes, glandular cells of fetal pancreas and in fetal adrenal cortex, whereas fetal medullary cells were fetal antigen 1 negative. In adult specimens fetal antigen 1 was exclusively found within the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans and in the adrenals with pronounced staining in the cortex. Our observations suggest that fetal antigen 1 is encoded by the mRNA defined by the cDNA clone pG2, but definitive sequencing and expression studies of this mRNA have not been achieved.

Adrenal Glands↗

The dissociation of tumor-induced weight loss from hypoglycemia in a transplantable pluripotent rat islet tumor results in the segregation of stable alpha- and beta-cell tumor phenotypes.

We previously established pluripotent transformed rat islet cell lines, MSL-cells, of which certain clones have been used to study processes of islet beta-cell maturation, including the transcriptional activation of the insulin gene induced by in vivo passage. Thus, successive sc transplantation in NEDH rats resulted in stable hypoglycemic insulinoma tumor lines, such as MSL-G2-IN. Occasionally, hypoglycemia as well as severe weight loss were observed in the early tumor passages of MSL-G and the subclone, NHI-5B, which carry the transfected neomycin and human insulin genes as unique clonal markers. By selective transplantation, it was possible to segregate stable anorectic normoglycemic tumor lines, MSL-G-AN and NHI-5B-AN, from both clones. These tumors cause an abrupt onset of anorexia when they reach a size of 400-500 mg (< 0.3% of total body weight), and the observed weight loss parallels that of starved rats until death results from cachexia. After tumor resection, animals immediately resume normal feeding behavior. Comparative studies of hormone release and mRNA content in anorectic lines, MSL-G-AN and NHI-5B-AN, vs. those in the insulinoma line, MSL-G2-IN, revealed selective glucagon gene expression in both of the anorectic tumors, whereas insulin and islet amyloid polypeptide gene expression were confined to the insulinoma. Both tumor phenotypes produced cholecystokinin and gastrin in variable small amounts, making it unlikely that these hormones contribute to the anorectic phenotype. Tumor necrosis factor (cachectin) was not produced by any of the tumors. Proglucagon was processed as in the fetal islet to products representative of both pancreatic alpha-cell and intestinal L-cell phenotypes, with glucagon and Glp-1 (7-36)amide as the major extractable products. In contrast to the administration of cholecystokinin, neither glucagon, Glp-1 (7-36)amide, nor their combination, affected feeding behavior in fasted mice, suggesting the presence of a hitherto unidentified anorectic substance released from the glucagonoma. We conclude 1) that glucagonomas and insulinomas can be derived from a common clonal origin of pluripotent MSL cells, thus supporting the existence of a cell lineage relationship between islet alpha- and beta-cell during ontogeny; and 2) that our glucagonomas release an anorexigenic substance(s) of unknown nature that causes a severe weight loss comparable to that reported in animals carrying tumor necrosis factor-producing experimental tumors.

Adenoma, Islet Cell↗

Histochemical changes in pancreatic islets obtained from obese Zucker rats (fa/fa) on a diabetogenic diet. No evidence for non-enzymatic protein glycation in endocrine cells.

Genetically obese Zucker rats (fa/fa) on a diabetogenic diet rich in lard and sucrose develop chronic hyperglycemia accompanied by severe hyperinsulinemia. Non-enzymatically glycated protein content was increased in tendon (p < 0.0001) and aorta (p < 0.04), but not nerve, from hyperglycemic rats as compared to normoglycemic lean litter-mates on a conventional chow diet (mmol furosine/mol tyrosine in tissue hydrolysate from 61-week-old rats: tendon, 29.8 +/- 1.8 vs 25.9 +/- 1.3; aorta, 12.0 +/- 1.0 vs 11.0 +/- 1.1). In pancreatic islets, non-enzymatically glycated protein was neither found in lean rats of any age nor in the obese up to an age of 36 weeks. At an age of 61 weeks, non-enzymatically glycated protein accumulated in islets of obese animals, resulting in levels of 17.02-44.65 mmol furosine/mol tyrosine. This rise in islet glycated protein content was not accompanied by a comparable increase in plasma glycemia, but simultaneous histological examination of pancreatic tissue revealed fibrosis of islets. Fibers were probably of collagenic quality without islet amyloid polypeptide immunoreactivity. Because collagen is known to be highly susceptible to non-enzymatic glycation, we suspect that collagenic fibers but not endocrine cells are the main source of glycated protein accumulation in these islets. Hence, our data do not give evidence that non-enzymatic protein glycation plays a role in the islet degeneration occurring in hyperglycemia. Furthermore, immunohistochemical staining for various endocrine peptides did not suggest loss of any hormone-producing cell type or defective pancreatic hormone production in hyperglycemic old, obese Zucker rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Differential expression of non-allelic insulin genes in rodent islet tumour cells.

We have compared the expression patterns of the non-allelic insulin 1 and 2 genes during prolonged in-vitro culture of the mouse islet cell line beta-TC3, where transformation by the SV40 T oncoprotein is targeted to the differentiated beta-cell phenotype, and the rat islet cell line NHI-6F, in which the beta-cell phenotype is induced by transient in-vivo passage. The NHI-6F clone carries, in addition, a single copy of a transfected silent human insulin gene which contains 3 kb of regulatory sequences known to confer beta-cell-specific expression. Insulin gene expression was measured by an assay based on a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, to determine whether the ancestral rodent insulin 2 genes (and the human homologue in the NHI-6F cells) are regulated differently from the duplicated rat and mouse insulin 1 genes. We have shown that activation of insulin gene expression in the NHI-6F cells includes transcriptional activation of all three genes, but that extended propagation of tumour cells in vitro leads to a selective and equal decline in the quantities of transcripts from the rat 2 and human genes relative to transcripts from the rat 1 gene. In the later passages, insulin transcripts were derived almost exclusively from the rat 1 gene. In early in-vitro passages of the mouse endocrine cell line beta-TC3, the expression pattern of the mouse 1 and 2 insulin genes resembled that seen in isolated mouse islets. After more than 45 in-vitro passages, expression of the duplicated mouse 1 gene decreased tenfold when compared with the ancestral mouse 2 gene. As previously shown for NHI-6F cells, the differential expression of non-allelic insulin genes in the beta-TC3 line was also clearly evident at the cellular level, where a subpopulation of cells selectively expressed readily detectable levels of mouse C-peptide 2 immunoreactivity while devoid of C-peptide 1. Our results suggest that the maintenance of insulin gene expression in rodent tumour cells is influenced by enhancer sequences which are not shared by the ancestral and duplicated insulin genes, and that either species-specific conditions or transformation-related differences exist between the rat and mouse cell lines that govern which gene remains active during prolonged in-vitro propagation.

Animals↗

Islet amyloid polypeptide immunoreactivity in the human fetal pancreas.

Islet amyloid polypeptide is known to localize to the adult human Beta cell. We analysed the immunoreactivity for islet amyloid polypeptide in a series of 29 human fetal pancreata (9-24 weeks of gestation) with respect to age dependency and cellular localization using an antibody raised against synthetic rat islet amyloid polypeptide 12-37. Cells immunoreactive for islet amyloid polypeptide were demonstrated in low numbers from week 13 onwards while insulin positivity was already present at 9 weeks of gestation. In the age group 13-16 gestational weeks, cells positive for insulin were 20-fold more frequent than cells positive for islet amyloid polypeptide. This difference gradually disappeared with age, reaching parity in the adult gland. Double immunostaining demonstrated that all islet amyloid polypeptide immunoreactivity co-localized with insulin. Co-expression of insulin and islet amyloid polypeptide was more frequent in Beta-cell clusters (greater than or equal to 10 cells) than in single Beta cells; islet amyloid polypeptide positivity was present in 58 +/- 9% (mean +/- SEM; n = 4) of fetal, 88 +/- 9% (n = 3) of neonatal and 100% (n = 3) of adult clustered Beta cells, and only 8-18% of the single Beta cells. The results suggest that the developing fetal Beta cells, dependent on age and localization, differ in their capacity to express detectable amounts of immunoreactive islet amyloid polypeptide. Beta-cell maturation might therefore be associated with islet amyloid polypeptide expression.

Adult↗

Distribution patterns of proinsulin and insulin in human insulinomas: an immunohistochemical analysis in 76 tumors.

The distribution of proinsulin and insulin immunoreactivity was studied in 76 human insulinomas and in normal pancreas. One trabecular and two solid insulinomas showed the staining pattern of normal beta cells. A "near normal" staining pattern (perinuclear proinsulin and diffuse or polarized insulin staining) existed in 10 of 27 trabecular and 11 of 44 solid insulinomas. An "intermediate" staining pattern (intense perinuclear as well as weaker diffuse proinsulin staining with diffuse or polarized insulin staining) was observed in 10 of 27 trabecular and 20 of 44 solid insulinomas. Different "abnormal" staining patterns were found in 6 of 27 trabecular and 6 of 44 solid insulinomas. Of the 5 glandular insulinomas, 4 exhibited a "near normal" and one an "abnormal" staining pattern. No correlation was found between any particular staining pattern and the multihormonality or malignancy of the insulinomas. The diffuse labeling for proinsulin in about 50% of the insulinomas is suggestive of abnormal prohormone processing.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗