Is the glucose-induced phosphate flush in pancreatic islets attributable to gating of volume-sensitive anion channels?

Diabetes, Diabetic Complications, and Phosphate Toxicity: A Scoping Review

This article presents a scoping review and synthesis of research findings investigating the toxic cellular accumulation of dysregulated inorganic phosphate-phosphate toxicity-as a pathophysiological determinant of diabetes and diabetic complications. Phosphorus, an essential micronutrient, is closely linked to the cellular metabolism of glucose for energy production, and serum inorganic phosphate is often transported into cells along with glucose during insulin therapy. Mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis, endoplasmic reticulum stress, neuronal degeneration, and pancreatic cancer are associated with dysregulated levels of phosphate in diabetes. Ectopic calcification involving deposition of calcium-phosphate crystals is prevalent throughout diabetic complications, including vascular calcification, nephropathy, retinopathy, and bone disorders. A low-glycemic, low-phosphate dietary intervention is proposed for further investigations in the treatment and prevention of diabetes and related diabetic pathologies.

Mitochondrial phosphate transport during nutrient stimulation of INS-1E insulinoma cells

Here, we have investigated the role of inorganic phosphate (Pi) transport in mitochondria of rat clonal β-cells. In α-toxin-permeabilized INS-1E cells, succinate and glycerol-3-phosphate increased mitochondrial ATP release which depends on exogenous ADP and Pi. In the presence of substrates, addition of Pi caused mitochondrial matrix acidification and hyperpolarisation which promoted ATP export. Dissipation of the mitochondrial pH gradient or pharmacological inhibition of Pi transport blocked the effects of Pi on electrochemical gradient and ATP export. Knock-down of the phosphate transporter PiC, however, neither prevented Pi-induced mitochondrial activation nor glucose-induced insulin secretion. Using (31)P NMR we observed reduction of Pi pools during nutrient stimulation of INS-1E cells. Interestingly, Pi loss was less pronounced in mitochondria than in the cytosol. We conclude that matrix alkalinisation is necessary to maintain a mitochondrial Pi pool, at levels sufficient to stimulate energy metabolism in insulin-secreting cells beyond its role as a substrate for ATP synthesis.

Interaction between cAMP, volume‑regulated anion channels and the Na+‑HCO3‑‑cotransporter, NBCe1, in the regulation of nutrient‑ and hypotonicity‑induced insulin release from isolated rat pancreatic islets and tumoral insulin‑producing BRIN‑BD11 cells

Soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC) has been hypothesized to play a role in insulin secretion. The present study aimed to investigate the interaction between adenosine 3',5'‑cyclic monophosphate (cAMP), volume‑regulated anion channels (VRACs) and the electrogenic sodium bicarbonate (Na+‑HCO3‑) cotransporter, NBCe1, in the regulation of nutrient‑ and hypotonicity‑induced insulin release from rat pancreatic islets and tumoral insulin‑producing BRIN‑BD11 cells. In the islets, 5‑nitro‑2‑(3‑phenylpropylamino)benzoic acid (NPPB) and 5‑chloro‑2‑hydroxy‑3‑(thiophene‑2‑carbonyl)indole‑1‑carboxamide (tenidap) reduced glucose‑stimulated insulin release, however, only NPPB suppressed the enhancing action of cAMP analogs upon such a release. Insulin output from the BRIN‑BD11 cells was stimulated by 2‑ketoisocaproate (KIC) or extracellular hypoosmolarity. cAMP analogs and 3‑isobutyl‑1‑methylxanthine increased the insulin output recorded in the isotonic medium to a greater relative extent than that in the hypotonic medium. The secretory response to KIC or hypotonicity was inhibited by NPPB or tenidap, which both also opposed the enhancing action of cAMP analogs. Inhibitors of mitogen‑activated protein (MAP) kinase decreased insulin output in isotonic and hypotonic media. The inhibitor of sAC, 2‑hydroxyestriol, caused only a modest inhibition of insulin release, whether in the isotonic or hypotonic medium, even when tested at a concentration of 100 µM. The omission of NaHCO3 markedly decreased the secretory response to KIC or extracellular hypotonicity. The omission of Na+ suppressed the secretory response to extracellular hypotonicity. The observations of the present study do not support the hypothesis of a major role for sAC in the regulation of insulin release.

Expression of TMEM16A and SLC4A4 in human pancreatic islets

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Stimulation of insulin release by D-glucose is accompanied by Cl(-) and HCO(3)(-) efflux from pancreatic islet cells. The efflux of these anions may involve volume-regulated anion channels, including possibly TMEM16A, and the Na(+)-HCO(3)(-)-cotransporter SLC4A4. The present study was designed to explore the expression of both TMEM16A and SLC4A4 in human pancreatic islets.

METHODS

Pancreases were obtained from human cadaveric donors. Immunodetection of TMEM16A and SLC4A4 was performed by immunohistochemistry on sections of fixed pancreas, while real-time PCR for the study of corresponding gene expression was performed on RNA extracted from both total pancreatic pieces and isolated pancreatic islets.

RESULTS

RT-PCR yielded lower levels of SLC4A4 in isolated islets than in the total pancreas, whilst a mirror image prevailed for TMEM16A mRNA. Immunohistochemistry of human pancreas, however, indicated comparable immunostaining of SLC4A4 in insulin-producing cells and exocrine pancreatic cells, whilst that of TMEM16A appeared less pronounced in insulin-producing cells than in exocrine cells.

CONCLUSION

The present findings support the view that, in humans like in rodent, the regulation of anion fluxes in insulin-producing cells may involve both SLC4A4 and TMEM16A.

Expression of the electrogenic Na+-HCO3--cotransporters NBCe1-A and NBCe1-B in rat pancreatic islet cells

It was recently proposed that, in rat pancreatic islets, the production of bicarbonate accounts for the major fraction of the carbon dioxide generated by the oxidative catabolism of nutrient insulin secretagogues. In search of the mechanism(s) supporting the membrane transport of bicarbonate, the possible role of the electrogenic Na(+)-HCO(3) (-)-cotransporters NBCe1-A and NBCe1-B in rat pancreatic islet cells was investigated. Expression of NBCe1-A and NBCe1-B in rat pancreatic islet cells was documented by RT-PCR, western blotting, and immunocytochemistry. The latter procedure suggested a preferential localization of NBCe1-B in insulin-producing cells. Tenidap (3-100 microM), previously proposed as an inhibitor of NBCe1-A-mediated cotransport in proximal tubule kidney cells, caused a concentration-related inhibition of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. It also inhibited 2-ketoisocaproate-induced insulin release and to a relatively lesser extent, the secretory response to L: -leucine. Tenidap (50-100 microM) also inhibited the metabolism of D: -glucose in isolated islets, increased (22)Na net uptake by dispersed islet cells, lowered intracellular pH and provoked hyperpolarization of plasma membrane in insulin-producing cells. This study thus reveals the expression of the electrogenic Na(+)-HCO(3) (-)-cotransporters NBCe1-A and NBCe1-B in rat pancreatic islet cells, and is consistent with the participation of such transporters in the process of nutrient-stimulated insulin secretion.