Calcium-activated and voltage-gated potassium channels of the pancreatic islet impart distinct and complementary roles during secretagogue induced electrical responses

Atf4 protects islet β-cell identity and function under acute glucose-induced stress but promotes β-cell failure in the presence of free fatty acid

Glucolipotoxicity, caused by combined hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia, results in β-cell failure and type 2 diabetes (T2D) via cellular stress-related mechanisms. Activating transcription factor 4 (Atf4) is an essential effector of stress response. We show here that Atf4 expression in β-cells is dispensable for glucose homeostasis in young mice, but it is required for β-cell function during aging and under obesity-related metabolic stress. Henceforth, aged Atf4- deficient β-cells display compromised secretory function under acute hyperglycemia. In contrast, they are resistant to acute free fatty acid-induced loss-of identity and dysfunction. At molecular level, Atf4 -deficient β-cells down-regulate genes involved in protein translation, reducing β-cell identity gene products under high glucose. They also upregulate several genes involved in lipid metabolism or signaling, likely contributing to their resistance to free fatty acid-induced dysfunction. These results suggest that Atf4 activation is required for β-cell identity and function under high glucose, but this paradoxically induces β-cell failure in the presence of high levels of free fatty acids. Different branches of Atf4 activity could be manipulated for protecting β-cells from metabolic stress-induced failure.

Highlights

Atf4 is dispensable in β-cells in young miceAtf4 protects β-cells under high glucoseAtf4 exacerbate fatty acid-induced β-cell defectsAtf4 activates translation but depresses lipid-metabolism.

Molecular mechanism responsible for sex differences in electrical activity of mouse pancreatic β cells

In humans, type 2 diabetes mellitus shows a higher prevalence in men compared with women, a phenotype that has been attributed to a lower peripheral insulin sensitivity in men. Whether sex-specific differences in pancreatic β cell function also contribute is largely unknown. Here, we characterized the electrophysiological properties of β cells in intact male and female mouse islets. Elevation of glucose concentration above 5 mM triggered an electrical activity with a similar glucose dependence in β cells of both sexes. However, female β cells had a more depolarized membrane potential and increased firing frequency compared with males. The higher membrane depolarization in female β cells was caused by approximately 50% smaller Kv2.1 K+ currents compared with males but otherwise unchanged KATP, large-conductance and small-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels, and background TASK1/TALK1 K+ current densities. In female β cells, the higher depolarization caused a membrane potential-dependent inactivation of the voltage-gated Ca2+ channels (CaV), resulting in reduced Ca2+ entry. Nevertheless, this reduced Ca2+ influx was offset by a higher action potential firing frequency. Because exocytosis of insulin granules does not show a sex-specific difference, we conclude that the higher electrical activity promotes insulin release in females, improving glucose tolerance.

RyR2 regulates store-operated Ca2+ entry, phospholipase C activity, and electrical excitability in the insulinoma cell line INS-1

The ER Ca2+ channel ryanodine receptor 2 (RyR2) is required for maintenance of insulin content and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, in part, via regulation of the protein IRBIT in the insulinoma cell line INS-1. Here, we examined store-operated and depolarization-dependent Ca2+entry using INS-1 cells in which either RyR2 or IRBIT were deleted. Store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) stimulated with thapsigargin was reduced in RyR2KO cells compared to controls, but was unchanged in IRBITKO cells. STIM1 protein levels were not different between the three cell lines. Basal and stimulated (500 μM carbachol) phospholipase C (PLC) activity was also reduced specifically in RyR2KO cells. Insulin secretion stimulated by tolbutamide was reduced in RyR2KO and IRBITKO cells compared to controls, but was potentiated by an EPAC-selective cAMP analog in all three cell lines. Cellular PIP2 levels were increased and cortical f-actin levels were reduced in RyR2KO cells compared to controls. Whole-cell Cav channel current density was increased in RyR2KO cells compared to controls, and barium current was reduced by acute activation of the lipid phosphatase pseudojanin preferentially in RyR2KO cells over control INS-1 cells. Action potentials stimulated by 18 mM glucose were more frequent in RyR2KO cells compared to controls, and insensitive to the SK channel inhibitor apamin. Taken together, these results suggest that RyR2 plays a critical role in regulating PLC activity and PIP2 levels via regulation of SOCE. RyR2 also regulates β-cell electrical activity by controlling Cav current density and SK channel activation.

BK Channel in the Physiology and in the Cancer of Pancreatic Duct: Impact and Reliability of BK Openers

BK (KCa 1.1, Slo-1) is a K⁺ channel characterized by an allosteric regulation of the gating mechanism by Ca²⁺ binding and voltage, and a high unitary conductance. The channel is expressed in many different tissues, where it is involved in the regulation or the fine-tuning of many physiological processes. Among other organs, BK is expressed in the pancreatic duct, a part of the gland important for the correct ionic composition of the pancreatic juice. Unfortunately, the pancreatic duct is also the site where one of the deadliest cancer types, the pancreatic duct adenocarcinoma (PDAC), develops. In the past years, it has been reported that continuous exposure of cancer cells to BK openers can have a significant impact on cell viability as well as on the ability to proliferate and migrate. Here, we first summarize the main BK channel properties and its roles in pancreatic duct physiology. Then we focus on the potential role of BK as a pharmacological target in PDAC. Moreover, we discuss how results obtained when employing BK activators on cancer cells can, in some cases, be misleading.

Beta-Cell Ion Channels and Their Role in Regulating Insulin Secretion

Beta cells of the pancreatic islet express many different types of ion channels. These channels reside in the β-cell plasma membrane as well as subcellular organelles and their coordinated activity and sensitivity to metabolism regulate glucose-dependent insulin secretion. Here, we review the molecular nature, expression patterns, and functional roles of many β-cell channels, with an eye toward explaining the ionic basis of glucose-induced insulin secretion. Our primary focus is on K_ATP and voltage-gated Ca²⁺ channels as these primarily regulate insulin secretion; other channels in our view primarily help to sculpt the electrical patterns generated by activated β-cells or indirectly regulate metabolism. Lastly, we discuss why understanding the physiological roles played by ion channels is important for understanding the secretory defects that occur in type 2 diabetes. © 2021 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 11:1-21, 2021.

Aging, hormones and receptors

Ageing is accompanied by deterioration in physical condition and a number of physiological processes and thus a higher risk of a range of diseases and disorders. In particular, we focused on the changes associated with aging, especially the role of small molecules, their role in physiological and pathophysiological processes and potential treatment options. Our previously published results and data from other authors lead to the conclusion that these unwanted changes are mainly linked to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis can be slowed down, stopped, or in some cases even reversed by an appropriate treatment, but especially by a life-management adjustment.

The effects of beta-cell mass and function, intercellular coupling, and islet synchrony on [Formula: see text] dynamics

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a challenging metabolic disorder characterized by a substantial loss of [Formula: see text]-cell mass and alteration of [Formula: see text]-cell function in the islets of Langerhans, disrupting insulin secretion and glucose homeostasis. The mechanisms for deficiency in [Formula: see text]-cell mass and function during the hyperglycemia development and T2D pathogenesis are complex. To study the relative contribution of [Formula: see text]-cell mass to [Formula: see text]-cell function in T2D, we make use of a comprehensive electrophysiological model of human [Formula: see text]-cell clusters. We find that defect in [Formula: see text]-cell mass causes a functional decline in single [Formula: see text]-cell, impairment in intra-islet synchrony, and changes in the form of oscillatory patterns of membrane potential and intracellular [Formula: see text] concentration, which can lead to changes in insulin secretion dynamics and in insulin levels. The model demonstrates a good correspondence between suppression of synchronizing electrical activity and published experimental measurements. We then compare the role of gap junction-mediated electrical coupling with both [Formula: see text]-cell synchronization and metabolic coupling in the behavior of [Formula: see text] concentration dynamics within human islets. Our results indicate that inter-[Formula: see text]-cellular electrical coupling depicts a more important factor in shaping the physiological regulation of islet function and in human T2D. We further predict that varying the whole-cell conductance of delayed rectifier [Formula: see text] channels modifies oscillatory activity patterns of [Formula: see text]-cell population lacking intercellular coupling, which significantly affect [Formula: see text] concentration and insulin secretion.

Temporal Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Dynamic Gene Expression Patterns Driving β-Cell Maturation

Newly differentiated pancreatic β cells lack proper insulin secretion profiles of mature functional β cells. The global gene expression differences between paired immature and mature β cells have been studied, but the dynamics of transcriptional events, correlating with temporal development of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS), remain to be fully defined. This aspect is important to identify which genes and pathways are necessary for β-cell development or for maturation, as defective insulin secretion is linked with diseases such as diabetes. In this study, we assayed through RNA sequencing the global gene expression across six β-cell developmental stages in mice, spanning from β-cell progenitor to mature β cells. A computational pipeline then selected genes differentially expressed with respect to progenitors and clustered them into groups with distinct temporal patterns associated with biological functions and pathways. These patterns were finally correlated with experimental GSIS, calcium influx, and insulin granule formation data. Gene expression temporal profiling revealed the timing of important biological processes across β-cell maturation, such as the deregulation of β-cell developmental pathways and the activation of molecular machineries for vesicle biosynthesis and transport, signal transduction of transmembrane receptors, and glucose-induced Ca²⁺ influx, which were established over a week before β-cell maturation completes. In particular, β cells developed robust insulin secretion at high glucose several days after birth, coincident with the establishment of glucose-induced calcium influx. Yet the neonatal β cells displayed high basal insulin secretion, which decreased to the low levels found in mature β cells only a week later. Different genes associated with calcium-mediated processes, whose alterations are linked with insulin resistance and deregulation of glucose homeostasis, showed increased expression across β-cell stages, in accordance with the temporal acquisition of proper GSIS. Our temporal gene expression pattern analysis provided a comprehensive database of the underlying molecular components and biological mechanisms driving β-cell maturation at different temporal stages, which are fundamental for better control of the in vitro production of functional β cells from human embryonic stem/induced pluripotent cell for transplantation-based type 1 diabetes therapy.

Regulatory effects of protein S-acylation on insulin secretion and insulin action

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) such as phosphorylation and ubiquitination are well-studied events with a recognized importance in all aspects of cellular function. By contrast, protein S-acylation, although a widespread PTM with important functions in most physiological systems, has received far less attention. Perturbations in S-acylation are linked to various disorders, including intellectual disability, cancer and diabetes, suggesting that this less-studied modification is likely to be of considerable biological importance. As an exemplar, in this review, we focus on the newly emerging links between S-acylation and the hormone insulin. Specifically, we examine how S-acylation regulates key components of the insulin secretion and insulin response pathways. The proteins discussed highlight the diverse array of proteins that are modified by S-acylation, including channels, transporters, receptors and trafficking proteins and also illustrate the diverse effects that S-acylation has on these proteins, from membrane binding and micro-localization to regulation of protein sorting and protein interactions.

SP6616 as a Kv2.1 inhibitor efficiently ameliorates peripheral neuropathy in diabetic mice

BACKGROUND

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a common complication of diabetes severely afflicting the patients, while there is yet no effective medication against this disease. As Kv2.1 channel functions potently in regulating neurological disorders, the present work was to investigate the regulation of Kv2.1 channel against DPN-like pathology of DPN model mice by using selective Kv2.1 inhibitor SP6616 (ethyl 5-(3-ethoxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylidene)-7-methyl-3-oxo-2,3-dihydro-5H-[1,3]thiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidine-6-carboxylate) as a probe.

METHODS

STZ-induced type 1 diabetic mice with DPN (STZ mice) were defined at 12 weeks of age (4 weeks after STZ injection) through behavioral tests, and db/db (BKS Cg-m+/+Leprdb/J) type 2 diabetic mice with DPN (db/db mice) were at 18 weeks of age. SP6616 was administered daily via intraperitoneal injection for 4 weeks. The mechanisms underlying the amelioration of SP6616 on DPN-like pathology were investigated by RT-PCR, western blot and immunohistochemistry technical approaches against diabetic mice, and verified against the STZ mice with Kv2.1 knockdown in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) tissue by injection of adeno associated virus AAV9-Kv2.1-RNAi. Amelioration of SP6616 on the pathological behaviors of diabetic mice was assessed against tactile allodynia, thermal sensitivity and motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV).

FINDINGS

SP6616 treatment effectively ameliorated the threshold of mechanical stimuli, thermal sensitivity and MNCV of diabetic mice. Mechanism research results indicated that SP6616 suppressed Kv2.1 expression, increased the number of intraepidermal nerve fibers (IENFs), improved peripheral nerve structure and vascular function in DRG tissue. In addition, SP6616 improved mitochondrial dysfunction through Kv2.1/CaMKKβ/AMPK/PGC-1α pathway, repressed inflammatory response by inhibiting Kv2.1/NF-κB signaling and alleviated apoptosis of DRG neuron through Kv2.1-mediated regulation of Bcl-2 family proteins and Caspase-3 in diabetic mice.

INTERPRETATION

Our work has highly supported the beneficial of Kv2.1 inhibition in ameliorating DPN-like pathology and highlighted the potential of SP6616 in the treatment of DPN.

FUNDING

Please see funding sources.

Coregulator Sin3a Promotes Postnatal Murine β-Cell Fitness by Regulating Genes in Ca2+ Homeostasis, Cell Survival, Vesicle Biosynthesis, Glucose Metabolism, and Stress Response

Swi-independent 3a and 3b (Sin3a and Sin3b) are paralogous transcriptional coregulators that direct cellular differentiation, survival, and function. Here, we report that mouse Sin3a and Sin3b are coproduced in most pancreatic cells during embryogenesis but become much more enriched in endocrine cells in adults, implying continued essential roles in mature endocrine cell function. Mice with loss of Sin3a in endocrine progenitors were normal during early postnatal stages but gradually developed diabetes before weaning. These physiological defects were preceded by the compromised survival, insulin-vesicle packaging, insulin secretion, and nutrient-induced Ca2+ influx of Sin3a-deficient β-cells. RNA sequencing coupled with candidate chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed several genes that could be directly regulated by Sin3a in β-cells, which modulate Ca2+/ion transport, cell survival, vesicle/membrane trafficking, glucose metabolism, and stress responses. Finally, mice with loss of both Sin3a and Sin3b in multipotent embryonic pancreatic progenitors had significantly reduced islet cell mass at birth, caused by decreased endocrine progenitor production and increased β-cell death. These findings highlight the stage-specific requirements for the presumed "general" coregulators Sin3a and Sin3b in islet β-cells, with Sin3a being dispensable for differentiation but required for postnatal function and survival.

Possible New Strategies for the Treatment of Congenital Hyperinsulinism

OBJECTIVE

Congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) is a rare disease characterized by persistent hypoglycemia as a result of inappropriate insulin secretion, which can lead to irreversible neurological defects in infants. Poor efficacy and strong adverse effects of the current medications impede successful treatment. The aim of the study was to investigate new approaches to silence β-cells and thus attenuate insulin secretion.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

In the scope of our research, we tested substances more selective and more potent than the gold standard diazoxide that also interact with neuroendocrine ATP-sensitive K⁺ (K_ATP) channels. Additionally, K_ATP channel-independent targets as Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channels of intermediate conductance (K_Ca3.1) and L-type Ca²⁺ channels were investigated. Experiments were performed using human islet cell clusters isolated from tissue of CHI patients (histologically classified as pathological) and islet cell clusters obtained from C57BL/6N (WT) or SUR1 knockout (SUR1^-/-) mice. The cytosolic Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺]_c) was used as a parameter for the pathway regulated by electrical activity and was determined by fura-2 fluorescence. The mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨ) was determined by rhodamine 123 fluorescence and single channel currents were measured by the patch-clamp technique.

RESULTS

The selective K_ATP channel opener NN414 (5 µM) diminished [Ca²⁺]_c in isolated human CHI islet cell clusters and WT mouse islet cell clusters stimulated with 10 mM glucose. In islet cell clusters lacking functional K_ATP channels (SUR1^-/-) the drug was without effect. VU0071063 (30 µM), another K_ATP channel opener considered to be selective, lowered [Ca²⁺]_c in human CHI islet cell clusters. The compound was also effective in islet cell clusters from SUR1^-/- mice, showing that [Ca²⁺]_c is influenced by additional effects besides K_ATP channels. Contrasting to NN414, the drug depolarized ΔΨ in murine islet cell clusters pointing to severe interference with mitochondrial metabolism. An opener of K_Ca3.1 channels, DCEBIO (100 µM), significantly decreased [Ca²⁺]_c in SUR1^-/- and human CHI islet cell clusters. To target L-type Ca²⁺ channels we tested two already approved drugs, dextromethorphan (DXM) and simvastatin. DXM (100 µM) efficiently diminished [Ca²⁺]_c in stimulated human CHI islet cell clusters as well as in stimulated SUR1^-/- islet cell clusters. Similar effects on [Ca²⁺]_c were observed in experiments with simvastatin (7.2 µM).

CONCLUSIONS

NN414 seems to provide a good alternative to the currently used K_ATP channel opener diazoxide. Targeting K_Ca3.1 channels by channel openers or L-type Ca²⁺ channels by DXM or simvastatin might be valuable approaches for treatment of CHI caused by mutations of K_ATP channels not sensitive to K_ATP channel openers.

Ion Channels of the Islets in Type 2 Diabetes

Ca²⁺ is an essential signal for pancreatic β-cell function. Ca²⁺ plays critical roles in numerous β-cell pathways such as insulin secretion, transcription, metabolism, endoplasmic reticulum function, and the stress response. Therefore, β-cell Ca²⁺ handling is tightly controlled. At the plasma membrane, Ca²⁺ entry primarily occurs through voltage-dependent Ca²⁺ channels. Voltage-dependent Ca²⁺ channel activity is dependent on orchestrated fluctuations in the plasma membrane potential or voltage, which are mediated via the activity of many ion channels. During the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes the β-cell is exposed to stressful conditions, which result in alterations of Ca²⁺ handling. Some of the changes in β-cell Ca²⁺ handling that occur under stress result from perturbations in ion channel activity, expression or localization. Defective Ca²⁺ signaling in the diabetic β-cell alters function, limits insulin secretion and exacerbates hyperglycemia. In this review, we focus on the β-cell ion channels that control Ca²⁺ handling and how they impact β-cell dysfunction in type 2 diabetes.

Biophysical modeling of β-cells networks: Realistic architectures and heterogeneity effects

The β-cells dynamics is the regulator of insulin secretion in the pancreas, and its investigation is a central aspect in designing effective treatment strategies for diabetes. Despite great efforts, much is still unknown about the complex organization of such endocrine cells and realistic mathematical modeling represents a useful tool to elucidate key aspects of glucose control in humans. In this contribution, we study the human β-cells collective behaviour, by modeling their electric and metabolic coupling in a cluster, of size and architecture similar to human islets of Langerhans. We focus on the effect of coupling on various dynamics regimes observed in the islets, that are spiking and bursting on multiple timescales. In particular, we test the effect of hubs, that are highly glucose-sensitive β-cells, on the overall network dynamics, observing different modulation depending on the timescale of the dynamics. By properly taking into account the role of cells heterogeneity, recently emerged, our model effectively describes the effect of hubs on the synchronization of the islet response and the correlation of β-cells activity.

Insulin Release Mechanism Modulated by Toxins Isolated from Animal Venoms: From Basic Research to Drug Development Prospects

Venom from mammals, amphibians, snakes, arachnids, sea anemones and insects provides diverse sources of peptides with different potential medical applications. Several of these peptides have already been converted into drugs and some are still in the clinical phase. Diabetes type 2 is one of the diseases with the highest mortality rate worldwide, requiring specific attention. Diverse drugs are available (e.g., Sulfonylureas) for effective treatment, but with several adverse secondary effects, most of them related to the low specificity of these compounds to the target. In this context, the search for specific and high-affinity compounds for the management of this metabolic disease is growing. Toxins isolated from animal venom have high specificity and affinity for different molecular targets, of which the most important are ion channels. This review will present an overview about the electrical activity of the ion channels present in pancreatic β cells that are involved in the insulin secretion process, in addition to the diversity of peptides that can interact and modulate the electrical activity of pancreatic β cells. The importance of prospecting bioactive peptides for therapeutic use is also reinforced.

Glucose-mediated inhibition of calcium-activated potassium channels limits α-cell calcium influx and glucagon secretion

Pancreatic α-cells exhibit oscillations in cytosolic Ca²⁺ (Ca²⁺_c), which control pulsatile glucagon (GCG) secretion. However, the mechanisms that modulate α-cell Ca²⁺_c oscillations have not been elucidated. As β-cell Ca²⁺_c oscillations are regulated in part by Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ (K_slow) currents, this work investigated the role of K_slow in α-cell Ca²⁺ handling and GCG secretion. α-Cells displayed K_slow currents that were dependent on Ca²⁺ influx through L- and P/Q-type voltage-dependent Ca²⁺ channels (VDCCs) as well as Ca²⁺ released from endoplasmic reticulum stores. α-Cell K_slow was decreased by small-conductance Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ (SK) channel inhibitors apamin and UCL 1684, large-conductance Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ (BK) channel inhibitor iberiotoxin (IbTx), and intermediate-conductance Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ (IK) channel inhibitor TRAM 34. Moreover, partial inhibition of α-cell K_slow with apamin depolarized membrane potential ( V_m) (3.8 ± 0.7 mV) and reduced action potential (AP) amplitude (10.4 ± 1.9 mV). Although apamin transiently increased Ca²⁺ influx into α-cells at low glucose (42.9 ± 10.6%), sustained SK (38.5 ± 10.4%) or BK channel inhibition (31.0 ± 11.7%) decreased α-cell Ca²⁺ influx. Total α-cell Ca²⁺_c was similarly reduced (28.3 ± 11.1%) following prolonged treatment with high glucose, but it was not decreased further by SK or BK channel inhibition. Consistent with reduced α-cell Ca²⁺_c following prolonged K_slow inhibition, apamin decreased GCG secretion from mouse (20.4 ± 4.2%) and human (27.7 ± 13.1%) islets at low glucose. These data demonstrate that K_slow activation provides a hyperpolarizing influence on α-cell V_m that sustains Ca²⁺ entry during hypoglycemic conditions, presumably by preventing voltage-dependent inactivation of P/Q-type VDCCs. Thus, when α-cell Ca²⁺_c is elevated during secretagogue stimulation, K_slow activation helps to preserve GCG secretion.

Optical tools for understanding the complexity of β-cell signalling and insulin release

Following stimulation, pancreatic β-cells must orchestrate a plethora of signalling events to ensure the appropriate release of insulin and maintenance of normal glucose homeostasis. Failure at any point in this cascade leads to impaired insulin secretion, elevated blood levels of glucose and eventually type 2 diabetes mellitus. Likewise, β-cell replacement or regeneration strategies for the treatment of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus might fail if the correct cell signalling phenotype cannot be faithfully recreated. However, current understanding of β-cell function is complicated because of the highly dynamic nature of their intracellular and intercellular signalling as well as insulin release itself. β-Cells must precisely integrate multiple signals stemming from multiple cues, often with differing intensities, frequencies and cellular and subcellular localizations, before converging these signals onto insulin exocytosis. In this respect, optical approaches with high resolution in space and time are extremely useful for properly deciphering the complexity of β-cell signalling. An increased understanding of β-cell signalling might identify new mechanisms underlying insulin release, with relevance for future drug therapy and de novo stem cell engineering of functional islets.

High-fat-diet-induced remission of diabetes in a subset of KATP -GOF insulin-secretory-deficient mice

AIMS

To examine the effects of a high-fat-diet (HFD) on monogenic neonatal diabetes, without the confounding effects of compensatory hyperinsulinaemia.

METHODS

Mice expressing K_ATP channel gain-of-function (K_ATP -GOF) mutations, which models human neonatal diabetes, were fed an HFD.

RESULTS

Surprisingly, K_ATP -GOF mice exhibited resistance to HFD-induced obesity, accompanied by markedly divergent blood glucose control, with some K_ATP -GOF mice showing persistent diabetes (K_ATP -GOF-non-remitter [NR] mice) and others showing remission of diabetes (K_ATP -GOF-remitter [R] mice). Compared with the severely diabetic and insulin-resistant K_ATP -GOF-NR mice, HFD-fed K_ATP -GOF-R mice had lower blood glucose, improved insulin sensitivity, and increased circulating plasma insulin and glucagon-like peptide-1 concentrations. Strikingly, while HFD-fed K_ATP -GOF-NR mice showed increased food intake and decreased physical activity, reduced whole body fat mass and increased plasma lipids, K_ATP -GOF-R mice showed similar features to those of control littermates. Importantly, K_ATP -GOF-R mice had restored insulin content and β-cell mass compared with the marked loss observed in both HFD-fed K_ATP -GOF-NR and chow-fed K_ATP -GOF mice.

CONCLUSION

Together, our results suggest that restriction of dietary carbohydrates and caloric replacement by fat can induce metabolic changes that are beneficial in reducing glucotoxicity and secondary consequences of diabetes in a mouse model of insulin-secretory deficiency.

Synaptotagmin 4 Regulates Pancreatic β Cell Maturation by Modulating the Ca2+ Sensitivity of Insulin Secretion Vesicles

Islet β cells from newborn mammals exhibit high basal insulin secretion and poor glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). Here we show that β cells of newborns secrete more insulin than adults in response to similar intracellular Ca2+ concentrations, suggesting differences in the Ca2+ sensitivity of insulin secretion. Synaptotagmin 4 (Syt4), a non-Ca2+ binding paralog of the β cell Ca2+ sensor Syt7, increased by ∼8-fold during β cell maturation. Syt4 ablation increased basal insulin secretion and compromised GSIS. Precocious Syt4 expression repressed basal insulin secretion but also impaired islet morphogenesis and GSIS. Syt4 was localized on insulin granules and Syt4 levels inversely related to the number of readily releasable vesicles. Thus, transcriptional regulation of Syt4 affects insulin secretion; Syt4 expression is regulated in part by Myt transcription factors, which repress Syt4 transcription. Finally, human SYT4 regulated GSIS in EndoC-βH1 cells, a human β cell line. These findings reveal the role that altered Ca2+ sensing plays in regulating β cell maturation.

Glucocorticoids Reprogram β-Cell Signaling to Preserve Insulin Secretion

Excessive glucocorticoid exposure has been shown to be deleterious for pancreatic β-cell function and insulin release. However, glucocorticoids at physiological levels are essential for many homeostatic processes, including glycemic control. We show that corticosterone and cortisol and their less active precursors 11-dehydrocorticosterone (11-DHC) and cortisone suppress voltage-dependent Ca²⁺ channel function and Ca²⁺ fluxes in rodent as well as in human β-cells. However, insulin secretion, maximal ATP/ADP responses to glucose, and β-cell identity were all unaffected. Further examination revealed the upregulation of parallel amplifying cAMP signals and an increase in the number of membrane-docked insulin secretory granules. Effects of 11-DHC could be prevented by lipotoxicity and were associated with paracrine regulation of glucocorticoid activity because global deletion of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 normalized Ca²⁺ and cAMP responses. Thus, we have identified an enzymatically amplified feedback loop whereby glucocorticoids boost cAMP to maintain insulin secretion in the face of perturbed ionic signals. Failure of this protective mechanism may contribute to diabetes in states of glucocorticoid excess, such as Cushing syndrome, which are associated with frank dyslipidemia.

Cytokine-mediated changes in K+ channel activity promotes an adaptive Ca2+ response that sustains β-cell insulin secretion during inflammation

Cytokines present during low-grade inflammation contribute to β-cell dysfunction and diabetes. Cytokine signaling disrupts β-cell glucose-stimulated Ca2+ influx (GSCI) and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ ([Ca2+]ER) handling, leading to diminished glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). However, cytokine-mediated changes in ion channel activity that alter β-cell Ca2+ handling remain unknown. Here we investigated the role of K+ currents in cytokine-mediated β-cell dysfunction. Kslow currents, which control the termination of intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) oscillations, were reduced following cytokine exposure. As a consequence, [Ca2+]i and electrical oscillations were accelerated. Cytokine exposure also increased basal islet [Ca2+]i and decreased GSCI. The effect of cytokines on TALK-1 K+ currents were also examined as TALK-1 mediates Kslow by facilitating [Ca2+]ER release. Cytokine exposure decreased KCNK16 transcript abundance and associated TALK-1 protein expression, increasing [Ca2+]ER storage while maintaining 2nd phase GSCI and GSIS. This adaptive Ca2+ response was absent in TALK-1 KO islets, which exhibited decreased 2nd phase GSCI and diminished GSIS. These findings suggest that Kslow and TALK-1 currents play important roles in altered β-cell Ca2+ handling and electrical activity during low-grade inflammation. These results also reveal that a cytokine-mediated reduction in TALK-1 serves an acute protective role in β-cells by facilitating increased Ca2+ content to maintain GSIS.

Simultaneous Real-Time Measurement of the β-Cell Membrane Potential and Ca2+ Influx to Assess the Role of Potassium Channels on β-Cell Function

Stimulus-secretion coupling in pancreatic β-cells requires Ca2+ influx through voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels, whose activity is controlled by the plasma membrane potential (V m). Here, we present a method of measuring fluctuations in the β-cell V m and Ca2+ influx simultaneously, which provides valuable information about the ionic signaling mechanisms that underlie insulin secretion. This chapter describes the use of perforated patch clamp electrophysiology on cells loaded with a fluorescent intracellular Ca2+ indicator, which permits the stable recording conditions needed to monitor the V m and Ca2+ influx in β-cells. Moreover, this chapter describes the protocols necessary for the preparation of mouse and human islet cells for the simultaneous recording of V m and Ca2+ as well as determining the specific islet cell type assessed in each experiment.

Pancreatic β-Cell Electrical Activity and Insulin Secretion: Of Mice and Men

The pancreatic β-cell plays a key role in glucose homeostasis by secreting insulin, the only hormone capable of lowering the blood glucose concentration. Impaired insulin secretion results in the chronic hyperglycemia that characterizes type 2 diabetes (T2DM), which currently afflicts >450 million people worldwide. The healthy β-cell acts as a glucose sensor matching its output to the circulating glucose concentration. It does so via metabolically induced changes in electrical activity, which culminate in an increase in the cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration and initiation of Ca2+-dependent exocytosis of insulin-containing secretory granules. Here, we review recent advances in our understanding of the β-cell transcriptome, electrical activity, and insulin exocytosis. We highlight salient differences between mouse and human β-cells, provide models of how the different ion channels contribute to their electrical activity and insulin secretion, and conclude by discussing how these processes become perturbed in T2DM.

Isopimaric acid - a multi-targeting ion channel modulator reducing excitability and arrhythmicity in a spontaneously beating mouse atrial cell line

AIM

Atrial fibrillation is the most common persistent cardiac arrhythmia, and it is not well controlled by present drugs. Because some resin acids open voltage-gated potassium channels and reduce neuronal excitability, we explored the effects of the resin acid isopimaric acid (IPA) on action potentials and ion currents in cardiomyocytes.

METHODS

Spontaneously beating mouse atrial HL-1 cells were investigated with the whole-cell patch-clamp technique.

RESULTS

1-25 μmol L^-1 IPA reduced the action potential frequency by up to 50%. The effect of IPA on six different voltage-gated ion channels was investigated; most voltage-dependent parameters of ion channel gating were shifted in the negative direction along the voltage axis, consistent with a hypothesis that a lipophilic and negatively charged compound binds to the lipid membrane close to the positively charged voltage sensor of the ion channels. The major finding was that IPA inactivated sodium channels and L- and T-type calcium channels and activated the rapidly activating potassium channel and the transient outward potassium channel. Computer simulations of IPA effects on all of the ion currents were consistent with a reduced excitability, and they also showed that effects on the Na channel played the largest role to reduce the action potential frequency. Finally, induced arrhythmia in the HL-1 cells was reversed by IPA.

CONCLUSION

Low concentrations of IPA reduced the action potential frequency and restored regular firing by altering the voltage dependencies of several voltage-gated ion channels. These findings can form the basis for a new pharmacological strategy to treat atrial fibrillation.

The triggering pathway to insulin secretion: Functional similarities and differences between the human and the mouse β cells and their translational relevance

In β cells, stimulation by metabolic, hormonal, neuronal, and pharmacological factors is coupled to secretion of insulin through different intracellular signaling pathways. Our knowledge about the molecular machinery supporting these pathways and the patterns of signals it generates comes mostly from rodent models, especially the laboratory mouse. The increased availability of human islets for research during the last few decades has yielded new insights into the specifics in signaling pathways leading to insulin secretion in humans. In this review, we follow the most central triggering pathway to insulin secretion from its very beginning when glucose enters the β cell to the calcium oscillations it produces to trigger fusion of insulin containing granules with the plasma membrane. Along the way, we describe the crucial building blocks that contribute to the flow of information and focus on their functional role in mice and humans and on their translational implications.

Gap-junction coupling and ATP-sensitive potassium channels in human β-cell clusters: Effects on emergent dynamics

The importance of gap-junction coupling between β cells in pancreatic islets is well established in mouse. Such ultrastructural connections synchronize cellular activity, confine biological heterogeneity, and enhance insulin pulsatility. Dysfunction of coupling has been associated with diabetes and altered β-cell function. However, the role of gap junctions between human β cells is still largely unexplored. By using patch-clamp recordings of β cells from human donors, we previously estimated electrical properties of these channels by mathematical modeling of pairs of human β cells. In this work we revise our estimate by modeling triplet configurations and larger heterogeneous clusters. We find that a coupling conductance in the range 0.005-0.020 nS/pF can reproduce experiments in almost all the simulated arrangements. We finally explore the consequence of gap-junction coupling of this magnitude between β cells with mutant variants of the ATP-sensitive potassium channels involved in some metabolic disorders and diabetic conditions, translating studies performed on rodents to the human case. Our results are finally discussed from the perspective of therapeutic strategies. In summary, modeling of more realistic clusters with more than two β cells slightly lowers our previous estimate of gap-junction conductance and gives rise to patterns that more closely resemble experimental traces.

Pharmacological approach to understanding the control of insulin secretion in human islets

AIMS

To understand better the control of insulin secretion by human β cells and to identify similarities to and differences from rodent models.

METHODS

Dynamic insulin secretion was measured in perifused human islets treated with pharmacological agents of known modes of action.

RESULTS

Glucokinase activation (Ro28-1675) lowered the glucose threshold for stimulation of insulin secretion to 1 mmol/L (G1), augmented the response to G3-G5 but not to G8-G15, whereas tolbutamide remained active in G20, which indicates that not all K_ATP channels were closed by high glucose concentrations. An almost 2-fold greater response to G15 than to supramaximal tolbutamide in G3 or to KCl+diazoxide in G15 vs G3 quantified the contribution of metabolic amplification to insulin secretion. Both disruption (latrunculin-B) and stabilization (jasplakinolide) of microfilaments augmented insulin secretion without affecting metabolic amplification. Tolbutamide-induced insulin secretion was consistently greater in G10 than G3, with a threshold at 1 and maximum at 10 µmol/L tolbutamide in G10, vs 10 and 25 µmol/L in G3. Sulphonylurea effects were thus clearly glucose-dependent. Insulin secretion was also increased by inhibiting K channels other than K_ATP channels: Kv or BK channels (tetraethylammonium), TASK-1 channels (ML-365) and SK4 channels (TRAM-34). Opening K_ATP channels with diazoxide inhibited glucose-induced insulin secretion with half maximum inhibitory concentrations of 9.6 and 24 µmol/L at G7 and G15. Blockade of L-type Ca channels (nimodipine) abolished insulin secretion, whereas a blocker of T-type Ca channels (NNC-55-0396) was ineffective at specific concentrations. Blockade of Na channels (tetrodotoxin) did not affect glucose-induced insulin secretion.

CONCLUSIONS

In addition to sharing a K_ATP channel-dependent triggering pathway and a metabolic amplifying pathway, human and rodent β cells were found to display more similarities than differences in the control of insulin secretion.

A Critical Role for β-Catenin in Modulating Levels of Insulin Secretion from β-Cells by Regulating Actin Cytoskeleton and Insulin Vesicle Localization

The processes regulating glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) and its modulation by incretins in pancreatic β-cells are only partly understood. Here we investigate the involvement of β-catenin in these processes. Reducing β-catenin levels using siRNA knockdown attenuated GSIS in a range of β-cell models and blocked the ability of GLP-1 agonists and the depolarizing agent KCl to potentiate this. This could be mimicked in both β-cell models and isolated islets by short-term exposure to the β-catenin inhibitory drug pyrvinium. In addition, short-term treatment with a drug that increases β-catenin levels results in an increase in insulin secretion. The timing of these effects suggests that β-catenin is required for the processes regulating trafficking and/or release of pre-existing insulin granules rather than for those regulated by gene expression. This was supported by the finding that the overexpression of the transcriptional co-activator of β-catenin, transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2), attenuated insulin secretion, consistent with the extra TCF7L2 translocating β-catenin from the plasma membrane pool to the nucleus. We show that β-catenin depletion disrupts the intracellular actin cytoskeleton, and by using total internal reflectance fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy, we found that β-catenin is required for the glucose- and incretin-induced depletion of insulin vesicles from near the plasma membrane. In conclusion, we find that β-catenin levels modulate Ca²⁺-dependent insulin exocytosis under conditions of glucose, GLP-1, or KCl stimulation through a role in modulating insulin secretory vesicle localization and/or fusion via actin remodeling. These findings also provide insights as to how the overexpression of TCF7L2 may attenuate insulin secretion.

Photoswitchable diacylglycerols enable optical control of protein kinase C

Increased levels of the second messenger lipid diacylglycerol (DAG) induce downstream signaling events including the translocation of C1-domain-containing proteins toward the plasma membrane. Here, we introduce three light-sensitive DAGs, termed PhoDAGs, which feature a photoswitchable acyl chain. The PhoDAGs are inactive in the dark and promote the translocation of proteins that feature C1 domains toward the plasma membrane upon a flash of UV-A light. This effect is quickly reversed after the termination of photostimulation or by irradiation with blue light, permitting the generation of oscillation patterns. Both protein kinase C and Munc13 can thus be put under optical control. PhoDAGs control vesicle release in excitable cells, such as mouse pancreatic islets and hippocampal neurons, and modulate synaptic transmission in Caenorhabditis elegans. As such, the PhoDAGs afford an unprecedented degree of spatiotemporal control and are broadly applicable tools to study DAG signaling.

SP6616 as a new Kv2.1 channel inhibitor efficiently promotes β-cell survival involving both PKC/Erk1/2 and CaM/PI3K/Akt signaling pathways

Kv2.1 as a voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channel subunit has a pivotal role in the regulation of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) and pancreatic β-cell apoptosis, and is believed to be a promising target for anti-diabetic drug discovery, although the mechanism underlying the Kv2.1-mediated β-cell apoptosis is obscure. Here, the small molecular compound, ethyl 5-(3-ethoxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylidene)-7-methyl-3-oxo-2,3-dihydro-5H-[1,3]thiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidine-6-carboxylate (SP6616) was discovered to be a new Kv2.1 inhibitor. It was effective in both promoting GSIS and protecting β cells from apoptosis. Evaluation of SP6616 on either high-fat diet combined with streptozocin-induced type 2 diabetic mice or db/db mice further verified its efficacy in the amelioration of β-cell dysfunction and glucose homeostasis. SP6616 treatment efficiently increased serum insulin level, restored β-cell mass, decreased fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin levels, and improved oral glucose tolerance. Mechanism study indicated that the promotion of SP6616 on β-cell survival was tightly linked to its regulation against both protein kinases C (PKC)/extracellular-regulated protein kinases 1/2 (Erk1/2) and calmodulin(CaM)/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K)/serine/threonine-specific protein kinase (Akt) signaling pathways. To our knowledge, this may be the first report on the underlying pathway responsible for the Kv2.1-mediated β-cell protection. In addition, our study has also highlighted the potential of SP6616 in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Concerted Trafficking Regulation of Kv2.1 and KATP Channels by Leptin in Pancreatic β-Cells

In pancreatic β-cells, voltage-gated potassium 2.1 (Kv2.1) channels are the dominant delayed rectifier potassium channels responsible for action potential repolarization. Here, we report that leptin, a hormone secreted by adipocytes known to inhibit insulin secretion, causes a transient increase in surface expression of Kv2.1 channels in rodent and human β-cells. The effect of leptin on Kv2.1 surface expression is mediated by the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Activation of AMPK mimics whereas inhibition of AMPK occludes the effect of leptin. Inhibition of Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase β, a known upstream kinase of AMPK, also blocks the effect of leptin. In addition, the cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) is involved in Kv2.1 channel trafficking regulation. Inhibition of PKA prevents leptin or AMPK activators from increasing Kv2.1 channel density, whereas stimulation of PKA is sufficient to promote Kv2.1 channel surface expression. The increased Kv2.1 surface expression by leptin is dependent on actin depolymerization, and pharmacologically induced actin depolymerization is sufficient to enhance Kv2.1 surface expression. The signaling and cellular mechanisms underlying Kv2.1 channel trafficking regulation by leptin mirror those reported recently for ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels, which are critical for coupling glucose stimulation with membrane depolarization. We show that the leptin-induced increase in surface KATP channels results in more hyperpolarized membrane potentials than control cells at stimulating glucose concentrations, and the increase in Kv2.1 channels leads to a more rapid repolarization of membrane potential in cells firing action potentials. This study supports a model in which leptin exerts concerted trafficking regulation of KATP and Kv2.1 channels to coordinately inhibit insulin secretion.

Mathematical modeling of gap junction coupling and electrical activity in human β-cells

Coordinated insulin secretion is controlled by electrical coupling of pancreatic β-cells due to connexin-36 gap junctions. Gap junction coupling not only synchronizes the heterogeneous β-cell population, but can also modify the electrical behavior of the cells. These phenomena have been widely studied with mathematical models based on data from mouse β-cells. However, it is now known that human β-cell electrophysiology shows important differences to its rodent counterpart, and although human pancreatic islets express connexin-36 and show evidence of β-cell coupling, these aspects have been little investigated in human β-cells. Here we investigate theoretically, the gap junction coupling strength required for synchronizing electrical activity in a small cluster of cells simulated with a recent mathematical model of human β-cell electrophysiology. We find a lower limit for the coupling strength of approximately 20 pS (i.e., normalized to cell size, ∼2 pS pF(-1)) below which spiking electrical activity is asynchronous. To confront this theoretical lower bound with data, we use our model to estimate from an experimental patch clamp recording that the coupling strength is approximately 100-200 pS (10-20 pS pF(-1)), similar to previous estimates in mouse β-cells. We then investigate the role of gap junction coupling in synchronizing and modifying other forms of electrical activity in human β-cell clusters. We find that electrical coupling can prolong the period of rapid bursting electrical activity, and synchronize metabolically driven slow bursting, in particular when the metabolic oscillators are in phase. Our results show that realistic coupling conductances are sufficient to promote synchrony in small clusters of human β-cells as observed experimentally, and provide motivation for further detailed studies of electrical coupling in human pancreatic islets.

A whole-genome RNAi screen uncovers a novel role for human potassium channels in cell killing by the parasite Entamoeba histolytica

The parasite Entamoeba histolytica kills human cells resulting in ulceration, inflammation and invasion of the colonic epithelium. We used the cytotoxic properties of ameba to select a genome-wide RNAi library to reveal novel host factors that control susceptibility to amebic killing. We identified 281 candidate susceptibility genes and bioinformatics analyses revealed that ion transporters were significantly enriched among susceptibility genes. Potassium (K⁺) channels were the most common transporter identified. Their importance was further supported by colon biopsy of humans with amebiasis that demonstrated suppressed K⁺ channel expression. Inhibition of human K⁺ channels by genetic silencing, pharmacologic inhibitors and with excess K⁺ protected diverse cell types from E. histolytica-induced death. Contact with E. histolytica parasites triggered K⁺ channel activation and K⁺ efflux by intestinal epithelial cells, which preceded cell killing. Specific inhibition of Ca²⁺-dependent K⁺ channels was highly effective in preventing amebic cytotoxicity in intestinal epithelial cells and macrophages. Blockade of K⁺ efflux also inhibited caspase-1 activation, IL-1β secretion and pyroptotic death in THP-1 macrophages. We concluded that K⁺ channels are host mediators of amebic cytotoxicity in multiple cells types and of inflammasome activation in macrophages.

Expression and function of a CP339,818-sensitive K⁺ current in a subpopulation of putative nociceptive neurons from adult mouse trigeminal ganglia

Trigeminal ganglion (TG) neurons are functionally and morphologically heterogeneous, and the molecular basis of this heterogeneity is still not fully understood. Here we describe experiments showing that a subpopulation of neurons expresses a delayed-rectifying K(+) current (IDRK) with a characteristically high (nanomolar) sensitivity to the dihydroquinoline CP339,818 (CP). Although submicromolar CP has previously been shown to selectively block Kv1.3 and Kv1.4 channels, the CP-sensitive IDRK found in TG neurons could not be associated with either of these two K(+) channels. It could neither be associated with Kv2.1 channels homomeric or heteromerically associated with the Kv9.2, Kv9.3, or Kv6.4 subunits, whose block by CP, tested using two-electrode voltage-clamp recordings from Xenopus oocytes, resulted in the low micromolar range, nor to the Kv7 subfamily, given the lack of blocking efficacy of 3 μM XE991. Within the group of multiple-firing neurons considered in this study, the CP-sensitive IDRK was preferentially expressed in a subpopulation showing several nociceptive markers, such as small membrane capacitance, sensitivity to capsaicin, and slow afterhyperpolarization (AHP); in these neurons the CP-sensitive IDRK controls the membrane resting potential, the firing frequency, and the AHP duration. A biophysical study of the CP-sensitive IDRK indicated the presence of two kinetically distinct components: a fast deactivating component having a relatively depolarized steady-state inactivation (IDRKf) and a slow deactivating component with a more hyperpolarized V1/2 for steady-state inactivation (IDRKs).

Enhanced glucose-induced intracellular signaling promotes insulin hypersecretion: pancreatic beta-cell functional adaptations in a model of genetic obesity and prediabetes

Obesity is associated with insulin resistance and is known to be a risk factor for type-2 diabetes. In obese individuals, pancreatic beta-cells try to compensate for the increased insulin demand in order to maintain euglycemia. Most studies have reported that this adaptation is due to morphological changes. However, the involvement of beta-cell functional adaptations in this process needs to be clarified. For this purpose, we evaluated different key steps in the glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) in intact islets from female ob/ob obese mice and lean controls. Obese mice showed increased body weight, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, glucose intolerance and fed hyperglycemia. Islets from ob/ob mice exhibited increased glucose-induced mitochondrial activity, reflected by enhanced NAD(P)H production and mitochondrial membrane potential hyperpolarization. Perforated patch-clamp examination of beta-cells within intact islets revealed several alterations in the electrical activity such as increased firing frequency and higher sensitivity to low glucose concentrations. A higher intracellular Ca(2+) mobilization in response to glucose was also found in ob/ob islets. Additionally, they displayed a change in the oscillatory pattern and Ca(2+) signals at low glucose levels. Capacitance experiments in intact islets revealed increased exocytosis in individual ob/ob beta-cells. All these up-regulated processes led to increased GSIS. In contrast, we found a lack of beta-cell Ca(2+) signal coupling, which could be a manifestation of early defects that lead to beta-cell malfunction in the progression to diabetes. These findings indicate that beta-cell functional adaptations are an important process in the compensatory response to obesity.

Ionic mechanisms in pancreatic β cell signaling

The function and survival of pancreatic β cells critically rely on complex electrical signaling systems composed of a series of ionic events, namely fluxes of K(+), Na(+), Ca(2+) and Cl(-) across the β cell membranes. These electrical signaling systems not only sense events occurring in the extracellular space and intracellular milieu of pancreatic islet cells, but also control different β cell activities, most notably glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Three major ion fluxes including K(+) efflux through ATP-sensitive K(+) (KATP) channels, the voltage-gated Ca(2+) (CaV) channel-mediated Ca(2+) influx and K(+) efflux through voltage-gated K(+) (KV) channels operate in the β cell. These ion fluxes set the resting membrane potential and the shape, rate and pattern of firing of action potentials under different metabolic conditions. The KATP channel-mediated K(+) efflux determines the resting membrane potential and keeps the excitability of the β cell at low levels. Ca(2+) influx through CaV1 channels, a major type of β cell CaV channels, causes the upstroke or depolarization phase of the action potential and regulates a wide range of β cell functions including the most elementary β cell function, insulin secretion. K(+) efflux mediated by KV2.1 delayed rectifier K(+) channels, a predominant form of β cell KV channels, brings about the downstroke or repolarization phase of the action potential, which acts as a brake for insulin secretion owing to shutting down the CaV channel-mediated Ca(2+) entry. These three ion channel-mediated ion fluxes are the most important ionic events in β cell signaling. This review concisely discusses various ionic mechanisms in β cell signaling and highlights KATP channel-, CaV1 channel- and KV2.1 channel-mediated ion fluxes.

Pancreatic β-cell-specific ablation of TASK-1 channels augments glucose-stimulated calcium entry and insulin secretion, improving glucose tolerance

Calcium entry through voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channels (VDCCs) is required for pancreatic β-cell insulin secretion. The 2-pore-domain acid-sensitive potassium channel (TASK-1) regulates neuronal excitability and VDCC activation by hyperpolarizing the plasma membrane potential (Δψp); however, a role for pancreatic β-cell TASK-1 channels is unknown. Here we examined the influence of TASK-1 channel activity on the β-cell Δψp and insulin secretion during secretagogue stimulation. TASK-1 channels were found to be highly expressed in human and rodent islets and localized to the plasma membrane of β-cells. TASK-1-like currents of mouse and human β-cells were blocked by the potent TASK-1 channel inhibitor, A1899 (250nM). Although inhibition of TASK-1 currents did not influence the β-cell Δψp in the presence of low (2mM) glucose, A1899 significantly enhanced glucose-stimulated (14mM) Δψp depolarization of human and mouse β-cells. TASK-1 inhibition also resulted in greater secretagogue-stimulated Ca(2+) influx in both human and mouse islets. Moreover, conditional ablation of mouse β-cell TASK-1 channels reduced K2P currents, increased glucose-stimulated Δψp depolarization, and augmented secretagogue-stimulated Ca(2+) influx. The Δψp depolarization caused by TASK-1 inhibition resulted in a transient increase in glucose-stimulated mouse β-cell action potential (AP) firing frequency. However, secretagogue-stimulated β-cell AP duration eventually increased in the presence of A1899 as well as in β-cells without TASK-1, causing a decrease in AP firing frequency. Ablation or inhibition of mouse β-cell TASK-1 channels also significantly enhanced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, which improved glucose tolerance. Conversely, TASK-1 ablation did not perturb β-cell Δψp, Ca(2+) influx, or insulin secretion under low-glucose conditions (2mM). These results reveal a glucose-dependent role for β-cell TASK-1 channels of limiting glucose-stimulated Δψp depolarization and insulin secretion, which modulates glucose homeostasis.

Moving gating charges through the gating pore in a Kv channel voltage sensor

Voltage sensor domains (VSDs) regulate ion channels and enzymes by transporting electrically charged residues across a hydrophobic VSD constriction called the gating pore or hydrophobic plug. How the gating pore controls the gating charge movement presently remains debated. Here, using saturation mutagenesis and detailed analysis of gating currents from gating pore mutations in the Shaker Kv channel, we identified statistically highly significant correlations between VSD function and physicochemical properties of gating pore residues. A necessary small residue at position S240 in S1 creates a "steric gap" that enables an intracellular access pathway for the transport of the S4 Arg residues. In addition, the stabilization of the depolarized VSD conformation, a hallmark for most Kv channels, requires large side chains at positions F290 in S2 and F244 in S1 acting as "molecular clamps," and a hydrophobic side chain at position I237 in S1 acting as a local intracellular hydrophobic barrier. Finally, both size and hydrophobicity of I287 are important to control the main VSD energy barrier underlying transitions between resting and active states. Taken together, our study emphasizes the contribution of several gating pore residues to catalyze the gating charge transfer. This work paves the way toward understanding physicochemical principles underlying conformational dynamics in voltage sensors.

Uncoupling of Cav1.2 from Ca(2+)-induced Ca(2+) release and SK channel regulation in pancreatic β-cells

We investigated the role of Cav1.2 in pancreatic β-cell function by expressing a Cav1.2 II-III loop/green fluorescent protein fusion in INS-1 cells (Cav1.2/II-III cells) to disrupt channel-protein interactions. Neither block of KATP channels nor stimulation of membrane depolarization by tolbutamide was different in INS-1 cells compared with Cav1.2/II-III cells, but whole-cell Cav current density was significantly increased in Cav1.2/II-III cells. Tolbutamide (200 μM) stimulated insulin secretion and Ca(2+) transients in INS-1 cells, and Cav1.2/II-III cells were completely blocked by nicardipine (2 μM), but thapsigargin (1 μM) blocked tolbutamide-stimulated secretion and Ca(2+) transients only in INS-1 cells. Tolbutamide-stimulated endoplasmic reticulum [Ca(2+)] decrease was reduced in Cav1.2/II-III cells compared with INS-1 cells. However, Ca(2+) transients in both INS-1 cells and Cav1.2/II-III cells were significantly potentiated by 8-pCPT-2'-O-Me-cAMP (5 μM), FPL-64176 (0.5 μM), or replacement of extracellular Ca(2+) with Sr(2+). Glucose (10 mM) + glucagon-like peptide-1 (10 nM) stimulated discrete spikes in [Ca(2+)]i in the presence of verapamil at a higher frequency in INS-1 cells than in Cav1.2/II-II cells. Glucose (18 mM) stimulated more frequent action potentials in Cav1.2/II-III cells and primary rat β-cells expressing the Cav1.2/II-II loop than in control cells. Further, apamin (1 μM) increased glucose-stimulated action potential frequency in INS-1 cells, but not Cav1.2/II-III cells, suggesting that SK channels were not activated under these conditions in Cav1.2/II-III loop-expressing cells. We propose the II-III loop of Cav1.2 as a key molecular determinant that couples the channel to Ca(2+)-induced Ca(2+) release and activation of SK channels in pancreatic β-cells.

Mathematical modeling of heterogeneous electrophysiological responses in human β-cells

Electrical activity plays a pivotal role in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells. Recent findings have shown that the electrophysiological characteristics of human β-cells differ from their rodent counterparts. We show that the electrophysiological responses in human β-cells to a range of ion channels antagonists are heterogeneous. In some cells, inhibition of small-conductance potassium currents has no effect on action potential firing, while it increases the firing frequency dramatically in other cells. Sodium channel block can sometimes reduce action potential amplitude, sometimes abolish electrical activity, and in some cells even change spiking electrical activity to rapid bursting. We show that, in contrast to L-type Ca2+-channels, P/Q-type Ca2+-currents are not necessary for action potential generation, and, surprisingly, a P/Q-type Ca2+-channel antagonist even accelerates action potential firing. By including SK-channels and Ca2+ dynamics in a previous mathematical model of electrical activity in human β-cells, we investigate the heterogeneous and nonintuitive electrophysiological responses to ion channel antagonists, and use our findings to obtain insight in previously published insulin secretion measurements. Using our model we also study paracrine signals, and simulate slow oscillations by adding a glycolytic oscillatory component to the electrophysiological model. The heterogenous electrophysiological responses in human β-cells must be taken into account for a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying insulin secretion in health and disease, and as shown here, the interdisciplinary combination of experiments and modeling increases our understanding of human β-cell physiology.

Minireview: intraislet regulation of insulin secretion in humans

The higher organization of β-cells into spheroid structures termed islets of Langerhans is critical for the proper regulation of insulin secretion. Thus, rodent β-cells form a functional syncytium that integrates and propagates information encoded by secretagogues, producing a "gain-of-function" in hormone release through the generation of coordinated cell-cell activity. By contrast, human islets possess divergent topology, and this may have repercussions for the cell-cell communication pathways that mediate the population dynamics underlying the intraislet regulation of insulin secretion. This is pertinent for type 2 diabetes mellitus pathogenesis, and its study in rodent models, because environmental and genetic factors may converge on these processes in a species-specific manner to precipitate the defective insulin secretion associated with glucose intolerance. The aim of the present minireview is therefore to discuss the structural and functional underpinnings that influence insulin secretion from human islets, and the possibility that dyscoordination between individual β-cells may play an important role in some forms of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Insulin hypersecretion in islets from diet-induced hyperinsulinemic obese female mice is associated with several functional adaptations in individual β-cells

Insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia are generally associated with obesity. Obese nondiabetic individuals develop a compensatory β-cell response to adjust insulin levels to the increased demand, maintaining euglycemia. Although several studies indicate that this compensation relies on structural changes, the existence of β-cell functional adaptations is incompletely understood. Here, we fed female mice with a high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks. These animals became obese, hyperinsulinemic, insulin-resistant, and mildly glucose-intolerant while fed, and fasting glycemia was comparable in HFD and control mice. Islets from HFD animals exhibited increased β-cell mass and hypertrophy. Additionally, they had enhanced insulin gene expression and content and augmented glucose-induced insulin secretion. Electrophysiological examination of β-cells from both groups showed no differences in KATP channel open probability and conductance. However, action potentials elicited by glucose had larger amplitude in obese mice. Glucose-induced Ca²⁺ signals in intact islets, in isolated β-cells, and individual β-cells within islets were also increased in HFD mice. Additionally, a higher proportion of glucose-responsive cells was present in obese mice. In contrast, whole-cell Ca²⁺ current densities were similar in both groups. Capacitance measurements showed that depolarization-evoked exocytosis was enhanced in HFD β-cells compared with controls. Although this augment was not significant when capacitance increases of the whole β-cell population were normalized to cell size, the exocytotic output varied significantly when β-cells were distributed by size ranges. All these findings indicate that β-cell functional adaptations are present in the islet compensatory response to obesity.

Intermediate state trapping of a voltage sensor

Voltage sensor domains (VSDs) regulate ion channels and enzymes by undergoing conformational changes depending on membrane electrical signals. The molecular mechanisms underlying the VSD transitions are not fully understood. Here, we show that some mutations of I241 in the S1 segment of the Shaker Kv channel positively shift the voltage dependence of the VSD movement and alter the functional coupling between VSD and pore domains. Among the I241 mutants, I241W immobilized the VSD movement during activation and deactivation, approximately halfway between the resting and active states, and drastically shifted the voltage activation of the ionic conductance. This phenotype, which is consistent with a stabilization of an intermediate VSD conformation by the I241W mutation, was diminished by the charge-conserving R2K mutation but not by the charge-neutralizing R2Q mutation. Interestingly, most of these effects were reproduced by the F244W mutation located one helical turn above I241. Electrophysiology recordings using nonnatural indole derivatives ruled out the involvement of cation-Π interactions for the effects of the Trp inserted at positions I241 and F244 on the channel’s conductance, but showed that the indole nitrogen was important for the I241W phenotype. Insight into the molecular mechanisms responsible for the stabilization of the intermediate state were investigated by creating in silico the mutations I241W, I241W/R2K, and F244W in intermediate conformations obtained from a computational VSD transition pathway determined using the string method. The experimental results and computational analysis suggest that the phenotype of I241W may originate in the formation of a hydrogen bond between the indole nitrogen atom and the backbone carbonyl of R2. This work provides new information on intermediate states in voltage-gated ion channels with an approach that produces minimum chemical perturbation.

Determination of beta-cell function: ion channel function in beta cells

For the regulation of beta-cell function ion channels are of outstanding importance. Beta cells are specialized to convert changes in blood glucose concentration to an adequate secretory response. To achieve this, nutrient-induced alterations of electrical activity are directly coupled to changes in insulin release. Consequently, determination and analysis of ion channel activity are important tools for the characterization of beta-cell (patho)physiology and for the investigation of drugs that influence insulin release. With implementation of the patch-clamp technique it has become possible to analyze ion currents in beta cells under various conditions (e.g., in intact cells or independent of cell metabolism, as whole-cell currents or on a single channel level). In addition, this method enables to combine ion current recordings with determination of membrane potential and exocytosis. This chapter introduces the basic principles of different patch-clamp configurations and focuses on experimental protocols for ion channel recordings in beta cells.

Ion channels and regulation of insulin secretion in human β-cells: a computational systems analysis

In mammals an increase in glucose leads to block of ATP dependent potassium channels in pancreatic β cells leading to membrane depolarization. This leads to the repetitive firing of action potentials that increases calcium influx and triggers insulin granule exocytosis. Several important differences between species in this process suggest that a dedicated human-oriented approach is advantageous as extrapolating from rodent data may be misleading in several respects. We examined depolarization-induced spike activity in pancreatic human islet-attached β-cells employing whole-cell patch-clamp methods. We also reviewed the literature concerning regulation of insulin secretion by channel activity and constructed a data-based computer model of human β cell function. The model couples the Hodgkin-Huxley-type ionic equations to the equations describing intracellular Ca²⁺ homeostasis and insulin release. On the basis of this model we employed computational simulations to better understand the behavior of action potentials, calcium handling and insulin secretion in human β cells under a wide range of experimental conditions. This computational system approach provides a framework to analyze the mechanisms of human β cell insulin secretion.

Glucose-sensitivity of the afterhyperpolarization potential: role of SK1 channel in insulin-secreting cells

The role of the small-conductance, calcium-activated SK potassium channel in regulating pancreatic β cell function remains controversial with conflicting pharmacological results. In this study, we used current clamp recordings to further characterize the function of SK channels in INS-1 cell line. We compared afterhyperpolarization potential (AHP) responses of SK1-downregulated cells with those of control INS-1 cells. They were tested with and without the presence of glucose. We found that cells in which SK1 channel subunit expression had been downregulated exhibited AHPs in the presence of 20mM glucose while control INS-1 cells had AHPs only in the absence of glucose. Our findings show that the glucose-dependence of the AHP in the rat INS-1 cell line depends only on SK1 channel subunit expression.

Regulation of insulin secretion in human pancreatic islets

Pancreatic β cells secrete insulin, the body's only hormone capable of lowering plasma glucose levels. Impaired or insufficient insulin secretion results in diabetes mellitus. The β cell is electrically excitable; in response to an elevation of glucose, it depolarizes and starts generating action potentials. The electrophysiology of mouse β cells and the cell's role in insulin secretion have been extensively investigated. More recently, similar studies have been performed on human β cells. These studies have revealed numerous and important differences between human and rodent β cells. Here we discuss the properties of human pancreatic β cells: their glucose sensing, the ion channel complement underlying glucose-induced electrical activity that culminates in exocytotic release of insulin, the cellular control of exocytosis, and the modulation of insulin secretion by circulating hormones and locally released neurotransmitters. Finally, we consider the pathophysiology of insulin secretion and the interactions between genetics and environmental factors that may explain the current diabetes epidemic.

The voltage-dependent potassium channel subunit Kv2.1 regulates insulin secretion from rodent and human islets independently of its electrical function

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

It is thought that the voltage-dependent potassium channel subunit Kv2.1 (Kv2.1) regulates insulin secretion by controlling beta cell electrical excitability. However, this role of Kv2.1 in human insulin secretion has been questioned. Interestingly, Kv2.1 can also regulate exocytosis through direct interaction of its C-terminus with the soluble NSF attachment receptor (SNARE) protein, syntaxin 1A. We hypothesised that this interaction mediates insulin secretion independently of Kv2.1 electrical function.

METHODS

Wild-type Kv2.1 or mutants lacking electrical function and syntaxin 1A binding were studied in rodent and human beta cells, and in INS-1 cells. Small intracellular fragments of the channel were used to disrupt native Kv2.1-syntaxin 1A complexes. Single-cell exocytosis and ion channel currents were monitored by patch-clamp electrophysiology. Interaction between Kv2.1, syntaxin 1A and other SNARE proteins was probed by immunoprecipitation. Whole-islet Ca(2+)-responses were monitored by ratiometric Fura red fluorescence and insulin secretion was measured.

RESULTS

Upregulation of Kv2.1 directly augmented beta cell exocytosis. This happened independently of channel electrical function, but was dependent on the Kv2.1 C-terminal syntaxin 1A-binding domain. Intracellular fragments of the Kv2.1 C-terminus disrupted native Kv2.1-syntaxin 1A interaction and impaired glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. This was not due to altered ion channel activity or impaired Ca(2+)-responses to glucose, but to reduced SNARE complex formation and Ca(2+)-dependent exocytosis.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

Direct interaction between syntaxin 1A and the Kv2.1 C-terminus is required for efficient insulin exocytosis and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. This demonstrates that native Kv2.1-syntaxin 1A interaction plays a key role in human insulin secretion, which is separate from the channel's electrical function.

Block of Kv1.7 potassium currents increases glucose-stimulated insulin secretion

Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) relies on repetitive, electrical spiking activity of the beta cell membrane. Cyclic activation of voltage-gated potassium channels (K_v) generates an outward, ‘delayed rectifier’ potassium current, which drives the repolarizing phase of each spike and modulates insulin release. Although several K_v channels are expressed in pancreatic islets, their individual contributions to GSIS remain incompletely understood. We take advantage of a naturally occurring cone-snail peptide toxin, Conkunitzin-S1 (Conk-S1), which selectively blocks K_v1.7 channels to provide an intrinsically limited, finely graded control of total beta cell delayed rectifier current and hence of GSIS. Conk-S1 increases GSIS in isolated rat islets, likely by reducing K_v1.7-mediated delayed rectifier currents in beta cells, which yields increases in action potential firing and cytoplasmic free calcium. In rats, Conk-S1 increases glucose-dependent insulin secretion without decreasing basal glucose. Thus, we conclude that K_v1.7 contributes to the membrane-repolarizing current of beta cells during GSIS and that block of this specific component of beta cell K_v current offers a potential strategy for enhancing GSIS with minimal risk of hypoglycaemia during metabolic disorders such as Type 2 diabetes.