Metabolic disposition of [131I] iodoinsulin within the rat diaphragm

Crenigacestat, a selective NOTCH1 inhibitor, reduces intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma progression by blocking VEGFA/DLL4/MMP13 axis

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is a deadly disease with rising incidence and few treatment options. An altered expression and/or activation of NOTCH1–3 receptors has been shown to play a role in iCCA development and progression. In this study, we established a new CCA patient-derived xenograft model, which was validated by immunohistochemistry and transcriptomic analysis. The effects of Notch pathway suppression by the Crenigacestat (LY3039478)-specific inhibitor were evaluated in human iCCA cell lines and the PDX model. In vitro, LY3039478 significantly reduced Notch pathway components, including NICD1 and HES1, but not the other Notch receptors, in a panel of five different iCCA cell lines. In the PDX model, LY3039478 significantly inhibited the Notch pathway and tumor growth to the same extent as gemcitabine. Furthermore, gene expression analysis of iCCA mouse tissues treated with LY3039478 revealed a downregulation of VEGFA, HES1, and MMP13 genes. In the same tissues, DLL4 and CD31 co-localized, and their expression was significantly inhibited in the treated mice, as it happened in the case of MMP13. In an in vitro angiogenesis model, LY3039478 inhibited vessel formation, which was restored by the addition of MMP13. Finally, RNA-sequencing expression data of iCCA patients and matched surrounding normal liver tissues downloaded from the GEO database demonstrated that NOTCH1, HES1, MMP13, DLL4, and VEGFA genes were significantly upregulated in tumors compared with adjacent nontumorous tissues. These data were confirmed by our group, using an independent cohort of iCCA specimens. Conclusion: We have developed and validated a new iCCA PDX model to test in vivo the activity of LY3039478, demonstrating its inhibitory role in Notch-dependent angiogenesis. Thus, the present data provide new knowledge on Notch signaling in iCCA, and support the inhibition of the Notch cascade as a promising strategy for the treatment of this disease.

Insulin degrading enzyme activity and insulin binding of erythrocytes in normal subjects and Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetic patients

Specific insulin degrading enzyme activity of erythrocytes was determined in relation to erythrocyte insulin binding in 16 healthy subjects, 14 Type 1 (insulin-dependent) and various groups of Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetic patients (n = 39). Degrading activity was increased in Type 2 diabetic patients on sulphonylureas, as well as in a subgroup with good metabolic control (p less than 0.001) and in patients with secondary failure to oral therapy (p less than 0.02); degrading activity returned to normal in the latter patients after 1 week of insulin treatment. Highest degrading activity was found in insulin-treated, yet insulin-insensitive patients (daily insulin dose greater than 80 U). Degrading activity was significantly correlated in healthy subjects both with circulating insulin concentrations and maximal specific insulin binding. In contrast, in Type 2 diabetic subjects, degrading activity was inversely correlated with serum insulin with no apparent association with maximal specific insulin binding except in those patients given 1 week of insulin treatment. High erythrocyte insulin degrading enzyme activity might be a common feature in the insulin-insensitive Type 2 diabetic patient and might occur subsequent to some aspect of insulin deficiency at the tissue level.

Degradation of the four monoiodoinsulin isomers by the insulin protease of rat liver

The cleavage of insulin by the partially purified insulin protease was studied using the four [125I]tyrosine-monoiodoinsulins (tyrosine A-14 and A-19 of the A-chain; tyrosine B-16 and B-26 of the B-chain). The rates of conversion of the four isomers to trichloroacetic acid-soluble form was in the order B-26 greater than A-14 greater than A-19 greater than B-16. The following was observed in experiments which gave 19/14/5/3 percent conversion to trichloroacetic acid-soluble products: the loss of ability to bind to IM-9 lymphocytes was approx. 55% for all four isomers. About 70% of the radioactivity was in the 'insulin' peak, and about 30% was in peptides smaller than insulin as judged by gel filtration on Sephadex G-50. The descending limb of the 'insulin' peak contained significant amounts of radioactive material not binding to IM-9 lymphocytes. This material showed multiple peaks when applied to high performance liquid chromatography. Other experiments were designed to cause an almost complete degradation of the isomers. Under these conditions, the radioactivity eluted on Sephadex G-50 largely as iodotyrosine (and some small peptides) using the A-14, B-16 and B-26 isomers, whereas iodotyrosine was absent using the A-19 isomer. Thus, the insulin protease appears to first degrade insulin to multiple products with molecular sizes slightly smaller than insulin and subsequently to small peptides (e.g containing tyrosine A-19) and amino acids (e.g. tyrosine A-14, B-16 and B-26).

Studies of the properties of the insulin protease of rat liver

Difficulties encountered in the purification of the cytosolic insulin-degrading protease of rat liver had led to an investigation of its properties related to this problem. A calcium phosphate gel-purified enzyme preparation was dispersed by ion-exchange chromatography into fractions of lowered specific activity and yield (34%). Recombination of active fractions resulted in a 2.5-fold increase in apparent yield with no increase in purification. Only adsorption to the entire length of an anion-exchange column with stepwise salt elution resulted in significant purification. Dispersion of activity was also seen on Sephadex G-150 but not on Sepharose 6B. In the latter system symmetrical elution of activity together with separation from a recently described globin protease activity was achieved. It is concluded that the protease is a complex of rather easily dissociating units, which severely complicates its purification. An earlier study of the enzyme in rat muscle (Duckworth et al. 1972, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 69, 3698-3702) failed to recognize this problem and evidently qualifies the purification reported.

Insulin degradation by insulin target cells

Recent findings illustrate the complexities associated with the interaction between insulin and its target cells. These results suggest that the processes involved in insulin action and those involved in insulin degradation may have certain steps in common. Both apparently begin when insulin binds to the insulin receptor. The next step is unknown but it ultimately leads to the internalization of the hormone before insulin dissociates from the cell surface. Furthermore, internalization appears to be a requirement for efficient degradation of insulin since the vast majority (perhaps all in certain cells) of the degrading activity is intracellular. Internalization may not be required to produce certain actions of the hormone, however, and the two processes may diverge at the point. It is not clear how insulin enters the target cell other than the process appears to be receptor-mediated. Also, further work is needed to more fully characterize the vesicles that contain internalized insulin. Finally, the actual location of insulin degradation and the enzyme(s) involved need further study, especially to clarify the relative contributions of lysosomes, cytosolic protease, and GIT to physiological insulin destruction. An understanding of the overall process of insulin degradation is required for a complete description of the physiologic disposition of the hormone at the target cell. Moreover, this system has subtle control mechanisms that may have important implications for the management of diabetes and other endocrine and metabolic disorders.

Prolonged effect of insulin on glucose uptake by rat skeletal muscle

The fate of insulin, as it relates to its action on skeletal-muscle glucose uptake, was studied in non-cyclically perfused rat hindlimbs. Insulin (1m-i.u./ml) with and without (125)I-labelled insulin was infused intra-arterially for 5 or 6min. Net glucose uptake and the release of (125)I-labelled insulin into the venous effluent were evaluated by arteriovenous-difference measurements for an additional 24-32min. The infusion of insulin for 5min promoted glucose uptake, an effect that persisted throughout a subsequent 25min of perfusion in the absence of insulin. The addition of insulin antibody to the perfusate in the presence of insulin blocked the action of insulin on glucose uptake, but it failed to alter insulin action if the muscle tissue had been exposed to insulin before addition of antibody. When (125)I-labelled albumin was infused for 6min, venous effluent radioactivity decayed rapidly and remained HClO(4)-insoluble and there was no significant tissue retension of radioactivity. Comparable experiments in which (125)I-labelled insulin was infused for 6min revealed that the venous effluent radioactivity decayed more slowly, a significant amount of the (125)I-labelled insulin appeared as fragments (HClO(4)-soluble) and there was a significant retention of radioactivity in the tissue. Radioactivity in muscle tissue biopsies obtained 28min after infusion of (125)I-labelled insulin was associated largely with intact insulin and a peptide of mol.wt. 2400. The total radioactivity retained in the muscle at this time was 7% of the amount infused. An insulin bolus (1i.u.) failed to increase the discharge of this tissue-associated radioactivity. These results suggest that insulin and a product of insulin metabolism persists in muscle tissue long after the arterial presence of insulin ends. This tissue residence and processing of insulin may be important components of insulin's prolonged action on glucose uptake by skeletal muscle.

Purification of insulin-specific protease by affinity chromatography

A single enzyme that proteolytically degrades insulin was isolated from rat skeletal muscle. This enzyme was purified 1000-fold by a series of steps, including affinity chromatography on insulin bound to agarose at the NH(2)-terminal phenylalanine of the B chain. Insulin linked to agarose at the B-29 lysine residue did not bind the enzyme and, therefore, was not suitable for purification procedures. Insulin linked at the phenylalanine residue was a substrate for the enzyme and was degraded by it; insulin attached to agarose at the lysine residue was not degraded by the enzyme. The purified enzyme preparation yielded one major band on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and elution of this area of the gel yielded insulin-degrading activity. The purified enzyme degraded insulin but not proinsulin, with a K(m) for insulin of 22 nM and a K(i) for proinsulin of 40 nM. The enzyme is sulfhydryl-dependent, with a physiological pH optimum.

Direct measurement of proinsulin in human plasma by the use of an insulin-degrading enzyme

A method has been described for the direct measurement of proinsulin in human plasma. The method makes use of an insulin-degrading enzyme designated "insulin-specific protease (ISP)", which is obtained from rat skeletal muscle. Under the conditions used, this enzyme rapidly degrades insulin and insulin-like polypeptides to nonimmunoassayable components, whereas proinsulin and proinsulin cleaved at position B(54,55) are not appreciably affected. The incubation of plasma with ISP results in the disappearance of insulin, but not proinsulin, as demonstrated by column chromatography. Immunoassay of the plasma, therefore, before and after incubation, determines the values for the total immunoreactive substance (TIR) and for immunoreactive proinsulin (IRP), respectively. The values obtained for proinsulin levels are reproducible and compare closely with the more complicated column fractionation methods. Proinsulin responses were studied in four normal subjects and one patient with an insulinoma after a glucose load. Fasting proinsulin levels varied widely in the normal subjects, and the levels rose more slowly than TIR levels after glucose. IRP levels in the patient with an insulinoma were very high and fell to normal after removal of the tumor. The ISP method, therefore, appears to be suitable for the direct, accurate, and rapid determination of proinsulin and proinsulin-like materials in human plasma.