Lack of cholesterol mobilization in islets of hormone-sensitive lipase deficient mice impairs insulin secretion

The Role of the ATP-Binding Cassette A1 (ABCA1) in Human Disease

Cholesterol homeostasis is essential in normal physiology of all cells. One of several proteins involved in cholesterol homeostasis is the ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), a transmembrane protein widely expressed in many tissues. One of its main functions is the efflux of intracellular free cholesterol and phospholipids across the plasma membrane to combine with apolipoproteins, mainly apolipoprotein A-I (Apo A-I), forming nascent high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) particles, the first step of reverse cholesterol transport (RCT). In addition, ABCA1 regulates cholesterol and phospholipid content in the plasma membrane affecting lipid rafts, microparticle (MP) formation and cell signaling. Thus, it is not surprising that impaired ABCA1 function and altered cholesterol homeostasis may affect many different organs and is involved in the pathophysiology of a broad array of diseases. This review describes evidence obtained from animal models, human studies and genetic variation explaining how ABCA1 is involved in dyslipidemia, coronary heart disease (CHD), type 2 diabetes (T2D), thrombosis, neurological disorders, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, viral infections and in cancer progression.

Hormone-sensitive lipase: sixty years later

Hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) was initially characterized as the hormonally regulated neutral lipase activity responsible for the breakdown of triacylglycerols into fatty acids in adipose tissue. This review aims at providing up-to-date information on structural properties, regulation of expression, activity and function as well as therapeutic potential. The lipase is expressed as different isoforms produced from tissue-specific alternative promoters. All isoforms are composed of an N-terminal domain and a C-terminal catalytic domain within which a regulatory domain containing the phosphorylation sites is embedded. Some isoforms possess additional N-terminal regions. The catalytic domain shares similarities with bacteria, fungus and vascular plant proteins but not with other mammalian lipases. HSL singularity is provided by regulatory and N-terminal domains sharing no homology with other proteins. HSL has a broad substrate specificity compared to other neutral lipases. It hydrolyzes acylglycerols, cholesteryl and retinyl esters among other substrates. A novel role of HSL, independent of its enzymatic function, has recently been described in adipocytes. Clinical studies revealed dysregulations of HSL expression and activity in disorders, such as lipodystrophy, obesity, type 2 diabetes and cancer-associated cachexia. Development of specific inhibitors positions HSL as a pharmacological target for the treatment of metabolic complications.

Cholesteryl ester accumulation and accelerated cholesterol absorption in intestine-specific hormone sensitive lipase-null mice

Hormone sensitive lipase (HSL) regulates the hydrolysis of acylglycerols and cholesteryl esters (CE) in various cells and organs, including enterocytes of the small intestine. The physiological role of this enzyme in enterocytes, however, stayed elusive. In the present study we generated mice lacking HSL exclusively in the small intestine (HSLiKO) to investigate the impact of HSL deficiency on intestinal lipid metabolism and the consequences on whole body lipid homeostasis. Chow diet-fed HSLiKO mice showed unchanged plasma lipid concentrations. In addition, feeding with high fat/high cholesterol (HF/HC) diet led to unaltered triglyceride but increased plasma cholesterol concentrations and CE accumulation in the small intestine. The same effect was observed after an acute cholesterol load. Gavaging of radioactively labeled cholesterol resulted in increased abundance of radioactivity in plasma, liver and small intestine of HSLiKO mice 4 h post-gavaging. However, cholesterol absorption determined by the fecal dual-isotope ratio method revealed no significant difference, suggesting that HSLiKO mice take up the same amount of cholesterol but in an accelerated manner. mRNA expression levels of genes involved in intestinal cholesterol transport and esterification were unchanged but we observed downregulation of HMG-CoA reductase and synthase and consequently less intestinal cholesterol biosynthesis. Taken together our study demonstrates that the lack of intestinal HSL leads to CE accumulation in the small intestine, accelerated cholesterol absorption and decreased cholesterol biosynthesis, indicating that HSL plays an important role in intestinal cholesterol homeostasis.

Tissue cholesterol content alterations in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

AIM

Diabetes is associated with elevated serum total cholesterol level and disrupted lipoprotein subfractions. The aim of this study was to examine alterations in the tissue cholesterol contents closely related to diabetic complications.

METHODS

Intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin was used to induce type 1 diabetes in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. On d 35 after the injection, liver, heart, intestine, kidney, pancreas, cerebral cortex and hippocampus were isolated from the rats. The content of total and free cholesterol in the tissues was determined using HPLC. The ATP-binding cassette protein A1 (ABCA1) protein and ApoE mRNA were measured using Western blot and QT-PCR analyses, respectively.

RESULTS

In diabetic rats, the level of free cholesterol was significantly decreased in the peripheral tissues, but significantly elevated in hippocampus, as compared with those in the control rats. Diabetic rats showed a trend of decreasing the total cholesterol level in the peripheral tissues, but significant change was only found in kidney and liver. In diabetic rats, the level of the ABCA1 protein was significantly increased in the peripheral tissues and cerebral cortex; the expression of ApoE mRNA was slightly decreased in hippocampus and cerebral cortex, but the change had no statistical significance.

CONCLUSION

Type 1 diabetes decreases the free cholesterol content in the peripheral tissues and increases the free cholesterol content in hippocampus. The decreased free cholesterol level in the peripheral tissues may be partly due to the increased expression of the ABCA1 protein.

Novel roles of SUMO in pancreatic β-cells: thinking outside the nucleus

The endocrine pancreas is critically important in the regulation of energy metabolism, with defective insulin secretion from pancreatic islet β-cells a major contributing factor to the development of type 2 diabetes. Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) proteins have been demonstrated to covalently modify a wide range of target proteins, mediating a broad range of cellular processes. While the effects of SUMOylation on β-cell gene transcription have been previously reviewed, recent reports indicate roles for SUMO outside of the nucleus. In this review we shall focus on the reported non-nuclear roles of SUMOylation in the regulation of β-cells, including SUMOylation as a novel signaling pathway in the acute regulation of insulin secretion.

Characterization of the lipid droplet proteome of a clonal insulin-producing β-cell line (INS-1 832/13)

Lipids are known to play a crucial role both in the normal control of insulin release and in the deterioration of β-cell function, as observed in type 2 diabetes. Despite this established dual role of lipids, little is known about lipid storage and handling in β-cells. Here, we isolated lipid droplets from oleate-incubated INS-1 832/13 cells and characterized the lipid droplet proteome. In a total of four rounds of droplet isolation and proteomic analysis by HPLC-MS/MS, we identified 96 proteins that were specific to droplets. The proteins fall into six categories based on function or previously observed localization: metabolism, endoplasmic reticulum/ribosomes, mitochondria, vesicle formation and transport, signaling, and miscellaneous. The protein profile reinforces the emerging picture of the lipid droplet as an active and dynamic organelle involved in lipid homeostasis and intracellular trafficking. Proteins belonging to the category mitochondria were highly represented, suggesting that the β-cell mitochondria and lipid droplets form a metabolic unit of potential relevance for insulin secretion.

Exocytosis in islet beta-cells

The development of technologies that allow for live optical imaging of exocytosis from beta-cells has greatly improved our understanding of insulin secretion. Two-photon imaging, in particular, has enabled researchers to visualize the exocytosis of large dense-core vesicles (LDCVs) containing insulin from beta-cells in intact islets of Langerhans. These studies have revealed that high glucose levels induce two phases of insulin secretion and that this release is dependent upon cytosolic Ca(2+) and cAMP. This technology has also made it possible to examine the spatial profile of insulin exocytosis in these tissues and compare that profile with those of other secretory glands. Such studies have led to the discovery of the massive exocytosis of synaptic-like microvesicles (SLMVs) in beta-cells. These imaging studies have also helped clarify facets of insulin exocytosis that cannot be properly addressed using the currently available electrophysiological techniques. This chapter provides a concise introduction to the field of optical imaging for those researchers who wish to characterize exocytosis from beta-cells in the islets of Langerhans.

Lipid oversupply, selective insulin resistance, and lipotoxicity: molecular mechanisms

The accumulation of fat in tissues not suited for lipid storage has deleterious consequences on organ function, leading to cellular damage that underlies diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. To combat these lipotoxic events, several therapeutics improve insulin sensitivity and/or ameliorate features of metabolic disease by limiting the inappropriate deposition of fat in peripheral tissues (i.e. thiazolidinediones, metformin, and statins). Recent advances in genomics and lipidomics have accelerated progress towards understanding the pathogenic events associated with the excessive production, underutilization, or inefficient storage of fat. Herein we review studies applying pharmacological or genetic strategies to manipulate the expression or activity of enzymes controlling lipid deposition, in order to gain a clearer understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which fatty acids contribute to metabolic disease.

Long-term exposure to genistein improves insulin secretory function of pancreatic beta-cells

We recently found that genistein, a plant-derived natural compound, is a novel cAMP signaling agonist in pancreatic beta-cells. In the present study, we further show that exposure of clonal insulin secreting (INS-1E) cells to genistein for 48 h enhanced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS), whereas insulin content was not altered, suggesting that genistein-enhanced GSIS is not due to a modulation of insulin synthesis. This genistein effect is protein tyrosine kinase- and K(ATP) channel-independent. In addition, genistein had no effect on glucose transporter-2 expression or cellular ATP production, but similarly augmented pyruvate-stimulated insulin secretion in INS-1E cells, indicating that the improvement of insulin secretory function by long-term genistein exposure is not related to an alternation in glucose uptake or the glycolytic pathway. The enhanced insulin secretion by genistein was associated with elevated intracellular Ca(2+) concentration and dependent on protein kinase A and new protein synthesis as this effect was completely blocked by N-[2-(p-Bromocinnamylamino)ethyl]-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide or cycloheximide. Similarly, 48 h of genistein exposure also enhanced GSIS in freshly isolated mouse and human pancreatic islets, suggesting a non-species-specific and biologically relevant effect. These findings provide evidence that genistein may be a novel bioactive compound that has an anti-diabetic effect by improving insulin secretion from pancreatic beta-cells.

Cholesterol metabolism and pancreatic beta-cell function

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

It has recently been recognized that cholesterol homeostasis is fundamentally important for appropriate insulin secretory function of beta-cells in the pancreas. This review summarizes recent advances in understanding the relationship between beta-cell cholesterol metabolism and beta-cell function.

RECENT FINDINGS

The accumulation of cholesterol in beta-cells causes perturbations in glucose metabolism, reduces insulin secretion and can be associated with a diabetic phenotype. Cholesterol is also a key determinant of beta-cell membrane organization and cell survival. The ATP-binding cassette transporter A1, which effluxes cholesterol to lipid-free/lipid-poor apolipoprotein A-I, the principal apolipoprotein in HDLs, is crucial for maintaining beta-cell cholesterol homeostasis and function. There is also evidence suggesting that different lipoprotein classes have varying effects on beta-cell function and survival.

SUMMARY

Cholesterol is important for beta-cell function and survival. It can cause beta-cell loss if allowed to accumulate in the cells in an unregulated manner. The maintenance of beta-cell cholesterol homeostasis, therefore, is important for preventing beta-cell dysfunction, the onset of insulin resistance and the development of type 2 diabetes.

Processing of hemojuvelin requires retrograde trafficking to the Golgi in HepG2 cells

Hemojuvelin (HJV) was recently identified as a critical regulator of iron homeostasis. It is either associated with cell membranes through a glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor or released as a soluble form. Membrane-anchored HJV acts as a coreceptor for bone morphogenetic proteins and activates the transcription of hepcidin, a hormone that regulates iron efflux from cells. Soluble HJV antagonizes bone morphogenetic protein signaling and suppresses hepcidin expression. In this study, we examined the trafficking and processing of HJV. Cellular HJV reached the plasma membrane without obtaining complex oligosaccharides, indicating that HJV avoided Golgi processing. Secreted HJV, in contrast, has complex oligosaccharides and can be derived from HJV with high-mannose oligosaccharides at the plasma membrane. Our results support a model in which retrograde trafficking of HJV before cleavage is the predominant processing pathway. Release of HJV requires it to bind to the transmembrane receptor neogenin. Neogenin does not, however, play a role in HJV trafficking to the cell surface, suggesting that it could be involved either in retrograde trafficking of HJV or in cleavage leading to HJV release.

Adipose triglyceride lipase and the lipolytic catabolism of cellular fat stores

Fatty acids (FAs) are essential components of all lipid classes and pivotal substrates for energy production in all vertebrates. Additionally, they act directly or indirectly as signaling molecules and, when bonded to amino acid side chains of peptides, anchor proteins in biological membranes. In vertebrates, FAs are predominantly stored in the form of triacylglycerol (TG) within lipid droplets of white adipose tissue. Lipid droplet-associated TGs are also found in most nonadipose tissues, including liver, cardiac muscle, and skeletal muscle. The mobilization of FAs from all fat depots depends on the activity of TG hydrolases. Currently, three enzymes are known to hydrolyze TG, the well-studied hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) and monoglyceride lipase (MGL), discovered more than 40 years ago, as well as the relatively recently identified adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL). The phenotype of HSL- and ATGL-deficient mice, as well as the disease pattern of patients with defective ATGL activity (due to mutation in ATGL or in the enzyme's activator, CGI-58), suggest that the consecutive action of ATGL, HSL, and MGL is responsible for the complete hydrolysis of a TG molecule. The complex regulation of these enzymes by numerous, partially uncharacterized effectors creates the "lipolysome," a complex metabolic network that contributes to the control of lipid and energy homeostasis. This review focuses on the structure, function, and regulation of lipolytic enzymes with a special emphasis on ATGL.