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Delgadillo-Silva LF, Tasöz E, Singh SP, Chawla P, Georgiadou E, Gompf A, Rutter GA, Ninov N. Optogenetic β cell interrogation in vivo reveals a functional hierarchy directing the Ca 2+ response to glucose supported by vitamin B6. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eado4513. [PMID: 38924394 PMCID: PMC11204215 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ado4513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Coordination of cellular activity through Ca2+ enables β cells to secrete precise quantities of insulin. To explore how the Ca2+ response is orchestrated in space and time, we implement optogenetic systems to probe the role of individual β cells in the glucose response. By targeted β cell activation/inactivation in zebrafish, we reveal a hierarchy of cells, each with a different level of influence over islet-wide Ca2+ dynamics. First-responder β cells lie at the top of the hierarchy, essential for initiating the first-phase Ca2+ response. Silencing first responders impairs the Ca2+ response to glucose. Conversely, selective activation of first responders demonstrates their increased capability to raise pan-islet Ca2+ levels compared to followers. By photolabeling and transcriptionally profiling β cells that differ in their thresholds to a glucose-stimulated Ca2+ response, we highlight vitamin B6 production as a signature pathway of first responders. We further define an evolutionarily conserved requirement for vitamin B6 in enabling the Ca2+ response to glucose in mammalian systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Fernando Delgadillo-Silva
- Centre for Regenerative Therapies TU Dresden, Dresden 01307, Germany
- Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden of the Helmholtz Center Munich at the University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus of TU Dresden, German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD e.V.), Dresden 01307, Germany
- Cardiometabolic Axis, CR-CHUM, and University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada; 1IRIBHM, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), 1070 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Emirhan Tasöz
- Centre for Regenerative Therapies TU Dresden, Dresden 01307, Germany
- Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden of the Helmholtz Center Munich at the University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus of TU Dresden, German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD e.V.), Dresden 01307, Germany
| | | | - Prateek Chawla
- Centre for Regenerative Therapies TU Dresden, Dresden 01307, Germany
| | - Eleni Georgiadou
- Section of Cell Biology and Functional Genomics, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London W12 ONN, UK
| | - Anne Gompf
- Centre for Regenerative Therapies TU Dresden, Dresden 01307, Germany
| | - Guy A. Rutter
- Cardiometabolic Axis, CR-CHUM, and University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada; 1IRIBHM, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), 1070 Brussels, Belgium
- Section of Cell Biology and Functional Genomics, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London W12 ONN, UK
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological College, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Nikolay Ninov
- Centre for Regenerative Therapies TU Dresden, Dresden 01307, Germany
- Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden of the Helmholtz Center Munich at the University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus of TU Dresden, German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD e.V.), Dresden 01307, Germany
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2
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Johansen CG, Holcomb K, Sela A, Morrall S, Park D, Farnsworth NL. Extracellular matrix stiffness mediates insulin secretion in pancreatic islets via mechanosensitive Piezo1 channel regulated Ca 2+ dynamics. Matrix Biol Plus 2024; 22:100148. [PMID: 38803329 PMCID: PMC11128509 DOI: 10.1016/j.mbplus.2024.100148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The pancreatic islet is surrounded by ECM that provides both biochemical and mechanical cues to the islet β-cell to regulate cell survival and insulin secretion. Changes in ECM composition and mechanical properties drive β-cell dysfunction in many pancreatic diseases. While several studies have characterized changes in islet insulin secretion with changes in substrate stiffness, little is known about the mechanotransduction signaling driving altered islet function in response to mechanical cues. We hypothesized that increasing matrix stiffness will lead to insulin secretion dysfunction by opening the mechanosensitive ion channel Piezo1 and disrupting intracellular Ca2+ dynamics in mouse and human islets. To test our hypothesis, mouse and human cadaveric islets were encapsulated in a biomimetic reverse thermal gel (RTG) scaffold with tailorable stiffness that allows formation of islet focal adhesions with the scaffold and activation of Piezo1 in 3D. Our results indicate that increased scaffold stiffness causes insulin secretion dysfunction mediated by increases in Ca2+ influx and altered Ca2+ dynamics via opening of the mechanosensitive Piezo1 channel. Additionally, inhibition of Piezo1 rescued glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) in islets in stiff scaffolds. Overall, our results emphasize the role mechanical properties of the islet microenvironment plays in regulating function. It also supports further investigation into the modulation of Piezo1 channel activity to restore islet function in diseases like type 2 diabetes (T2D) and pancreatic cancer where fibrosis of the peri-islet ECM leads to increased tissue stiffness and islet dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea G Johansen
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Keifer Holcomb
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Amit Sela
- Quantitative Biosciences & Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Stephanie Morrall
- Quantitative Biosciences & Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Daewon Park
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Nikki L Farnsworth
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA
- Quantitative Biosciences & Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA
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Šterk M, Zhang Y, Pohorec V, Leitgeb EP, Dolenšek J, Benninger RKP, Stožer A, Kravets V, Gosak M. Network representation of multicellular activity in pancreatic islets: Technical considerations for functional connectivity analysis. PLoS Comput Biol 2024; 20:e1012130. [PMID: 38739680 PMCID: PMC11115366 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Within the islets of Langerhans, beta cells orchestrate synchronized insulin secretion, a pivotal aspect of metabolic homeostasis. Despite the inherent heterogeneity and multimodal activity of individual cells, intercellular coupling acts as a homogenizing force, enabling coordinated responses through the propagation of intercellular waves. Disruptions in this coordination are implicated in irregular insulin secretion, a hallmark of diabetes. Recently, innovative approaches, such as integrating multicellular calcium imaging with network analysis, have emerged for a quantitative assessment of the cellular activity in islets. However, different groups use distinct experimental preparations, microscopic techniques, apply different methods to process the measured signals and use various methods to derive functional connectivity patterns. This makes comparisons between findings and their integration into a bigger picture difficult and has led to disputes in functional connectivity interpretations. To address these issues, we present here a systematic analysis of how different approaches influence the network representation of islet activity. Our findings show that the choice of methods used to construct networks is not crucial, although care is needed when combining data from different islets. Conversely, the conclusions drawn from network analysis can be heavily affected by the pre-processing of the time series, the type of the oscillatory component in the signals, and by the experimental preparation. Our tutorial-like investigation aims to resolve interpretational issues, reconcile conflicting views, advance functional implications, and encourage researchers to adopt connectivity analysis. As we conclude, we outline challenges for future research, emphasizing the broader applicability of our conclusions to other tissues exhibiting complex multicellular dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marko Šterk
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Yaowen Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Viljem Pohorec
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | | | - Jurij Dolenšek
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Richard K. P. Benninger
- Department of Bioengineering, Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
- Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Andraž Stožer
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Vira Kravets
- Department of Pediatrics, Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Department of Bioengineering, Jacobs School of Engineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Marko Gosak
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Alma Mater Europaea, Maribor
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Paradiž Leitgeb E, Kerčmar J, Križančić Bombek L, Pohorec V, Skelin Klemen M, Slak Rupnik M, Gosak M, Dolenšek J, Stožer A. Exendin-4 affects calcium signalling predominantly during activation and activity of beta cell networks in acute mouse pancreas tissue slices. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 14:1315520. [PMID: 38292770 PMCID: PMC10826511 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1315520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Tight control of beta cell stimulus-secretion coupling is crucial for maintaining homeostasis of energy-rich nutrients. While glucose serves as a primary regulator of this process, incretins augment beta cell function, partly by enhancing cytosolic [Ca2+] dynamics. However, the details of how precisely they affect beta cell recruitment during activation, their active time, and functional connectivity during plateau activity, and how they influence beta cell deactivation remain to be described. Performing functional multicellular Ca2+ imaging in acute mouse pancreas tissue slices enabled us to systematically assess the effects of the GLP-1 receptor agonist exendin-4 (Ex-4) simultaneously in many coupled beta cells with high resolution. In otherwise substimulatory glucose, Ex-4 was able to recruit approximately a quarter of beta cells into an active state. Costimulation with Ex-4 and stimulatory glucose shortened the activation delays and accelerated beta cell activation dynamics. More specifically, active time increased faster, and the time required to reach half-maximal activation was effectively halved in the presence of Ex-4. Moreover, the active time and regularity of [Ca2+]IC oscillations increased, especially during the first part of beta cell response. In contrast, subsequent addition of Ex-4 to already active cells did not significantly enhance beta cell activity. Network analyses further confirmed increased connectivity during activation and activity in the presence of Ex-4, with hub cell roles remaining rather stable in both control experiments and experiments with Ex-4. Interestingly, Ex-4 demonstrated a biphasic effect on deactivation, slightly prolonging beta cell activity at physiological concentrations and shortening deactivation delays at supraphysiological concentrations. In sum, costimulation by Ex-4 and glucose increases [Ca2+]IC during beta cell activation and activity, indicating that the effect of incretins may, to an important extent, be explained by enhanced [Ca2+]IC signals. During deactivation, previous incretin stimulation does not critically prolong cellular activity, which corroborates their low risk of hypoglycemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Paradiž Leitgeb
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Jasmina Kerčmar
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | | | - Vilijem Pohorec
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Maša Skelin Klemen
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Marjan Slak Rupnik
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Alma Mater Europaea-European Center Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Marko Gosak
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Alma Mater Europaea-European Center Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Jurij Dolenšek
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Andraž Stožer
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
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5
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Cohrs CM, Chen C, Atkinson MA, Drotar DM, Speier S. Bridging the Gap: Pancreas Tissue Slices From Organ and Tissue Donors for the Study of Diabetes Pathogenesis. Diabetes 2024; 73:11-22. [PMID: 38117999 PMCID: PMC10784654 DOI: 10.2337/dbi20-0018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
Over the last two decades, increased availability of human pancreatic tissues has allowed for major expansions in our understanding of islet biology in health and disease. Indeed, studies of fixed and frozen pancreatic tissues, as well as efforts using viable isolated islets obtained from organ donors, have provided significant insights toward our understanding of diabetes. However, the procedures associated with islet isolation result in distressed cells that have been removed from any surrounding influence. The pancreas tissue slice technology was developed as an in situ approach to overcome certain limitations associated with studies on isolated islets or fixed tissue. In this Perspective, we discuss the value of this novel platform and review how pancreas tissue slices, within a short time, have been integrated in numerous studies of rodent and human islet research. We show that pancreas tissue slices allow for investigations in a less perturbed organ tissue environment, ranging from cellular processes, over peri-islet modulations, to tissue interactions. Finally, we discuss the considerations and limitations of this technology in its future applications. We believe the pancreas tissue slices will help bridge the gap between studies on isolated islets and cells to the systemic conditions by providing new insight into physiological and pathophysiological processes at the organ level. ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS Human pancreas tissue slices represent a novel platform to study human islet biology in close to physiological conditions. Complementary to established technologies, such as isolated islets, single cells, and histological sections, pancreas tissue slices help bridge our understanding of islet physiology and pathophysiology from single cell to intact organ. Diverse sources of viable human pancreas tissue, each with distinct characteristics to be considered, are available to use in tissue slices for the study of diabetes pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian M. Cohrs
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden of Helmholtz Munich at the University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), München-Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Chunguang Chen
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden of Helmholtz Munich at the University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), München-Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Mark A. Atkinson
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida Diabetes Institute, Gainesville, FL
| | - Denise M. Drotar
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida Diabetes Institute, Gainesville, FL
| | - Stephan Speier
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden of Helmholtz Munich at the University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), München-Neuherberg, Germany
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6
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Briggs JK, Gresch A, Marinelli I, Dwulet JM, Albers DJ, Kravets V, Benninger RKP. β-cell intrinsic dynamics rather than gap junction structure dictates subpopulations in the islet functional network. eLife 2023; 12:e83147. [PMID: 38018905 PMCID: PMC10803032 DOI: 10.7554/elife.83147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Diabetes is caused by the inability of electrically coupled, functionally heterogeneous β-cells within the pancreatic islet to provide adequate insulin secretion. Functional networks have been used to represent synchronized oscillatory [Ca2+] dynamics and to study β-cell subpopulations, which play an important role in driving islet function. The mechanism by which highly synchronized β-cell subpopulations drive islet function is unclear. We used experimental and computational techniques to investigate the relationship between functional networks, structural (gap junction) networks, and intrinsic β-cell dynamics in slow and fast oscillating islets. Highly synchronized subpopulations in the functional network were differentiated by intrinsic dynamics, including metabolic activity and KATP channel conductance, more than structural coupling. Consistent with this, intrinsic dynamics were more predictive of high synchronization in the islet functional network as compared to high levels of structural coupling. Finally, dysfunction of gap junctions, which can occur in diabetes, caused decreases in the efficiency and clustering of the functional network. These results indicate that intrinsic dynamics rather than structure drive connections in the functional network and highly synchronized subpopulations, but gap junctions are still essential for overall network efficiency. These findings deepen our interpretation of functional networks and the formation of functional subpopulations in dynamic tissues such as the islet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer K Briggs
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraUnited States
| | - Anne Gresch
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraUnited States
- Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraUnited States
| | - Isabella Marinelli
- Centre for Systems Modelling and Quantitative Biomedicine, University of BirminghamBirminghamUnited Kingdom
| | - JaeAnn M Dwulet
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraUnited States
| | - David J Albers
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraUnited States
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraUnited States
| | - Vira Kravets
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraUnited States
| | - Richard KP Benninger
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraUnited States
- Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraUnited States
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7
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Šterk M, Barać U, Stožer A, Gosak M. Both electrical and metabolic coupling shape the collective multimodal activity and functional connectivity patterns in beta cell collectives: A computational model perspective. Phys Rev E 2023; 108:054409. [PMID: 38115462 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.108.054409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic beta cells are coupled excitable oscillators that synchronize their activity via different communication pathways. Their oscillatory activity manifests itself on multiple timescales and consists of bursting electrical activity, subsequent oscillations in the intracellular Ca^{2+}, as well as oscillations in metabolism and exocytosis. The coordination of the intricate activity on the multicellular level plays a key role in the regulation of physiological pulsatile insulin secretion and is incompletely understood. In this paper, we investigate theoretically the principles that give rise to the synchronized activity of beta cell populations by building up a phenomenological multicellular model that incorporates the basic features of beta cell dynamics. Specifically, the model is composed of coupled slow and fast oscillatory units that reflect metabolic processes and electrical activity, respectively. Using a realistic description of the intercellular interactions, we study how the combination of electrical and metabolic coupling generates collective rhythmicity and shapes functional beta cell networks. It turns out that while electrical coupling solely can synchronize the responses, the addition of metabolic interactions further enhances coordination, the spatial range of interactions increases the number of connections in the functional beta cell networks, and ensures a better consistency with experimental findings. Moreover, our computational results provide additional insights into the relationship between beta cell heterogeneity, their activity profiles, and functional connectivity, supplementing thereby recent experimental results on endocrine networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marko Šterk
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Koroška cesta 160, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Taborska ulica 8, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
- Alma Mater Europaea, Slovenska ulica 17, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Uroš Barać
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Koroška cesta 160, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Andraž Stožer
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Taborska ulica 8, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Marko Gosak
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Koroška cesta 160, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Taborska ulica 8, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
- Alma Mater Europaea, Slovenska ulica 17, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
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8
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Emfinger CH, Clark LE, Yandell B, Schueler KL, Simonett SP, Stapleton DS, Mitok KA, Merrins MJ, Keller MP, Attie AD. Novel regulators of islet function identified from genetic variation in mouse islet Ca 2+ oscillations. eLife 2023; 12:RP88189. [PMID: 37787501 PMCID: PMC10547476 DOI: 10.7554/elife.88189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Insufficient insulin secretion to meet metabolic demand results in diabetes. The intracellular flux of Ca2+ into β-cells triggers insulin release. Since genetics strongly influences variation in islet secretory responses, we surveyed islet Ca2+ dynamics in eight genetically diverse mouse strains. We found high strain variation in response to four conditions: (1) 8 mM glucose; (2) 8 mM glucose plus amino acids; (3) 8 mM glucose, amino acids, plus 10 nM glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP); and (4) 2 mM glucose. These stimuli interrogate β-cell function, α- to β-cell signaling, and incretin responses. We then correlated components of the Ca2+ waveforms to islet protein abundances in the same strains used for the Ca2+ measurements. To focus on proteins relevant to human islet function, we identified human orthologues of correlated mouse proteins that are proximal to glycemic-associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms in human genome-wide association studies. Several orthologues have previously been shown to regulate insulin secretion (e.g. ABCC8, PCSK1, and GCK), supporting our mouse-to-human integration as a discovery platform. By integrating these data, we nominate novel regulators of islet Ca2+ oscillations and insulin secretion with potential relevance for human islet function. We also provide a resource for identifying appropriate mouse strains in which to study these regulators.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lauren E Clark
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadisonUnited States
| | - Brian Yandell
- Department of Statistics, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadisonUnited States
| | - Kathryn L Schueler
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadisonUnited States
| | - Shane P Simonett
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadisonUnited States
| | - Donnie S Stapleton
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadisonUnited States
| | - Kelly A Mitok
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadisonUnited States
| | - Matthew J Merrins
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadisonUnited States
- William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans HospitalMadisonUnited States
| | - Mark P Keller
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadisonUnited States
| | - Alan D Attie
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadisonUnited States
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadisonUnited States
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadisonUnited States
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9
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Skelin Klemen M, Dolenšek J, Križančić Bombek L, Pohorec V, Gosak M, Slak Rupnik M, Stožer A. The effect of forskolin and the role of Epac2A during activation, activity, and deactivation of beta cell networks. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1225486. [PMID: 37701894 PMCID: PMC10494243 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1225486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Beta cells couple stimulation by glucose with insulin secretion and impairments in this coupling play a central role in diabetes mellitus. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) amplifies stimulus-secretion coupling via protein kinase A and guanine nucleotide exchange protein 2 (Epac2A). With the present research, we aimed to clarify the influence of cAMP-elevating diterpene forskolin on cytoplasmic calcium dynamics and intercellular network activity, which are two of the crucial elements of normal beta cell stimulus-secretion coupling, and the role of Epac2A under normal and stimulated conditions. To this end, we performed functional multicellular calcium imaging of beta cells in mouse pancreas tissue slices after stimulation with glucose and forskolin in wild-type and Epac2A knock-out mice. Forskolin evoked calcium signals in otherwise substimulatory glucose and beta cells from Epac2A knock-out mice displayed a faster activation. During the plateau phase, beta cells from Epac2A knock-out mice displayed a slightly higher active time in response to glucose compared with wild-type littermates, and stimulation with forskolin increased the active time via an increase in oscillation frequency and a decrease in oscillation duration in both Epac2A knock-out and wild-type mice. Functional network properties during stimulation with glucose did not differ in Epac2A knock-out mice, but the presence of Epac2A was crucial for the protective effect of stimulation with forskolin in preventing a decline in beta cell functional connectivity with time. Finally, stimulation with forskolin prolonged beta cell activity during deactivation, especially in Epac2A knock-out mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maša Skelin Klemen
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Jurij Dolenšek
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | | | - Viljem Pohorec
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Marko Gosak
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Alma Mater Europaea, European Center Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Marjan Slak Rupnik
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Alma Mater Europaea, European Center Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andraž Stožer
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
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10
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Šterk M, Dolenšek J, Skelin Klemen M, Križančić Bombek L, Paradiž Leitgeb E, Kerčmar J, Perc M, Slak Rupnik M, Stožer A, Gosak M. Functional characteristics of hub and wave-initiator cells in β cell networks. Biophys J 2023; 122:784-801. [PMID: 36738106 PMCID: PMC10027448 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.01.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Islets of Langerhans operate as multicellular networks in which several hundred β cells work in synchrony to produce secretory pulses of insulin, a hormone crucial for controlling metabolic homeostasis. Their collective rhythmic activity is facilitated by gap junctional coupling and affected by their functional heterogeneity, but the details of this robust and coordinated behavior are still not fully understood. Recent advances in multicellular imaging and optogenetic and photopharmacological strategies, as well as in network science, have led to the discovery of specialized β cell subpopulations that were suggested to critically determine the collective dynamics in the islets. In particular hubs, i.e., β cells with many functional connections, are believed to significantly enhance communication capacities of the intercellular network and facilitate an efficient spreading of intercellular Ca2+ waves, whereas wave-initiator cells trigger intercellular signals in their cohorts. Here, we determined Ca2+ signaling characteristics of these two β cell subpopulations and the relationship between them by means of functional multicellular Ca2+ imaging in mouse pancreatic tissue slices in combination with methods of complex network theory. We constructed network layers based on individual Ca2+ waves to identify wave initiators, and functional correlation-based networks to detect hubs. We found that both cell types exhibit a higher-than-average active time under both physiological and supraphysiological glucose concentrations, but also that they differ significantly in many other functional characteristics. Specifically, Ca2+ oscillations in hubs are more regular, and their role appears to be much more stable over time than for initiator cells. Moreover, in contrast to wave initiators, hubs transmit intercellular signals faster than other cells, which implies a stronger intercellular coupling. Our research indicates that hubs and wave-initiator cell subpopulations are both natural features of healthy pancreatic islets, but their functional roles in principle do not overlap and should thus not be considered equal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marko Šterk
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Jurij Dolenšek
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | | | | | | | - Jasmina Kerčmar
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Matjaž Perc
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia; Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Alma Mater Europaea, Maribor, Slovenia; Complexity Science Hub Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Department of Physics, Kyung Hee University, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Marjan Slak Rupnik
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia; Alma Mater Europaea, Maribor, Slovenia; Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andraž Stožer
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia.
| | - Marko Gosak
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia; Alma Mater Europaea, Maribor, Slovenia.
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11
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Postić S, Sarikas S, Pfabe J, Pohorec V, Križančić Bombek L, Sluga N, Skelin Klemen M, Dolenšek J, Korošak D, Stožer A, Evans-Molina C, Johnson JD, Slak Rupnik M. High-resolution analysis of the cytosolic Ca 2+ events in β cell collectives in situ. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2023; 324:E42-E55. [PMID: 36449570 PMCID: PMC9829482 DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00165.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
The release of peptide hormones is predominantly regulated by a transient increase in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]c). To trigger exocytosis, Ca2+ ions enter the cytosol from intracellular Ca2+ stores or from the extracellular space. The molecular events of late stages of exocytosis, and their dependence on [Ca2+]c, were extensively described in isolated single cells from various endocrine glands. Notably, less work has been done on endocrine cells in situ to address the heterogeneity of [Ca2+]c events contributing to a collective functional response of a gland. For this, β cell collectives in a pancreatic islet are particularly well suited as they are the smallest, experimentally manageable functional unit, where [Ca2+]c dynamics can be simultaneously assessed on both cellular and collective level. Here, we measured [Ca2+]c transients across all relevant timescales, from a subsecond to a minute time range, using high-resolution imaging with a low-affinity Ca2+ sensor. We quantified the recordings with a novel computational framework for automatic image segmentation and [Ca2+]c event identification. Our results demonstrate that under physiological conditions the duration of [Ca2+]c events is variable, and segregated into three reproducible modes, subsecond, second, and tens of seconds time range, and are a result of a progressive temporal summation of the shortest events. Using pharmacological tools we show that activation of intracellular Ca2+ receptors is both sufficient and necessary for glucose-dependent [Ca2+]c oscillations in β cell collectives, and that a subset of [Ca2+]c events could be triggered even in the absence of Ca2+ influx across the plasma membrane. In aggregate, our experimental and analytical platform was able to readily address the involvement of intracellular Ca2+ receptors in shaping the heterogeneity of [Ca2+]c responses in collectives of endocrine cells in situ.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Physiological glucose or ryanodine stimulation of β cell collectives generates a large number of [Ca2+]c events, which can be rapidly assessed with our newly developed automatic image segmentation and [Ca2+]c event identification pipeline. The event durations segregate into three reproducible modes produced by a progressive temporal summation. Using pharmacological tools, we show that activation of ryanodine intracellular Ca2+ receptors is both sufficient and necessary for glucose-dependent [Ca2+]c oscillations in β cell collectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Postić
- Center for physiology and pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Srdjan Sarikas
- Center for physiology and pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Johannes Pfabe
- Center for physiology and pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Viljem Pohorec
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | | | - Nastja Sluga
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Maša Skelin Klemen
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Jurij Dolenšek
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Dean Korošak
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Faculty of Civil Engineering, Transportation Engineering and Architecture, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Andraž Stožer
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Carmella Evans-Molina
- Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases and the Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - James D Johnson
- Diabetes Research Group, Life Sciences Institute, Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Marjan Slak Rupnik
- Center for physiology and pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Alma Mater Europaea-European Center Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
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12
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Gosak M, Yan-Do R, Lin H, MacDonald PE, Stožer A. Ca2+ Oscillations, Waves, and Networks in Islets From Human Donors With and Without Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes 2022; 71:2584-2596. [PMID: 36084321 PMCID: PMC9750953 DOI: 10.2337/db22-0004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic islets are highly interconnected structures that produce pulses of insulin and other hormones, maintaining normal homeostasis of glucose and other nutrients. Normal stimulus-secretion and intercellular coupling are essential to regulated secretory responses, and these hallmarks are known to be altered in diabetes. In the current study, we used calcium imaging of isolated human islets to assess their collective behavior. The activity occurred in the form of calcium oscillations, was synchronized across different regions of islets through calcium waves, and was glucose dependent: higher glucose enhanced the activity, elicited a greater proportion of global calcium waves, and led to denser and less fragmented functional networks. Hub regions were identified in stimulatory conditions, and they were characterized by long active times. Moreover, calcium waves were found to be initiated in different subregions and the roles of initiators and hubs did not overlap. In type 2 diabetes, glucose dependence was retained, but reduced activity, locally restricted waves, and more segregated networks were detected compared with control islets. Interestingly, hub regions seemed to suffer the most by losing a disproportionately large fraction of connections. These changes affected islets from donors with diabetes in a heterogeneous manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marko Gosak
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Richard Yan-Do
- Hong Kong Centre for Cerebro-Cardiovascular Health Engineering, Hong Kong Science Park, Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
- Department of Pharmacology and Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Haopeng Lin
- Department of Pharmacology and Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Patrick E. MacDonald
- Department of Pharmacology and Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Andraž Stožer
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
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13
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Andrean D, Pedersen MG. Machine learning provides insight into models of heterogeneous electrical activity in human beta-cells. Math Biosci 2022; 354:108927. [PMID: 36332730 DOI: 10.1016/j.mbs.2022.108927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Understanding how heterogeneous cellular responses emerge from cell-to-cell variations in expression and function of subcellular components is of general interest. Here, we focus on human insulin-secreting beta-cells, which are believed to constitute a population in which heterogeneity is of physiological importance. We exploit recent single-cell electrophysiological data that allow biologically realistic population modeling of human beta-cells that accounts for cellular heterogeneity and correlation between ion channel parameters. To investigate how ion channels influence the dynamics of our updated mathematical model of human pancreatic beta-cells, we explore several machine learning techniques to determine which model parameters are important for determining the qualitative patterns of electrical activity of the model cells. As expected, K+ channels promote absence of activity, but once a cell is active, they increase the likelihood of having action potential firing. HERG channels were of great importance for determining cell behavior in most of the investigated scenarios. Fast bursting is influenced by the time scales of ion channel activation and, interestingly, by the type of Ca2+ channels coupled to BK channels in BK-CaV complexes. Slow, metabolically driven oscillations are promoted mostly by K(ATP) channels. In summary, combining population modeling with machine learning analysis provides insight into the model and generates new hypotheses to be investigated both experimentally, via simulations and through mathematical analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Andrean
- Department of Information Engineering, University of Padova, Via Gradenigo 6/b, I-35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Morten Gram Pedersen
- Department of Information Engineering, University of Padova, Via Gradenigo 6/b, I-35131 Padova, Italy.
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14
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Sluga N, Križančić Bombek L, Kerčmar J, Sarikas S, Postić S, Pfabe J, Skelin Klemen M, Korošak D, Stožer A, Slak Rupnik M. Physiological levels of adrenaline fail to stop pancreatic beta cell activity at unphysiologically high glucose levels. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:1013697. [PMID: 36387857 PMCID: PMC9640998 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1013697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Adrenaline inhibits insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells to allow an organism to cover immediate energy needs by unlocking internal nutrient reserves. The stimulation of α2-adrenergic receptors on the plasma membrane of beta cells reduces their excitability and insulin secretion mostly through diminished cAMP production and downstream desensitization of late step(s) of exocytotic machinery to cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]c). In most studies unphysiologically high adrenaline concentrations have been used to evaluate the role of adrenergic stimulation in pancreatic endocrine cells. Here we report the effect of physiological adrenaline levels on [Ca2+]c dynamics in beta cell collectives in mice pancreatic tissue slice preparation. We used confocal microscopy with a high spatial and temporal resolution to evaluate glucose-stimulated [Ca2+]c events and their sensitivity to adrenaline. We investigated glucose concentrations from 8-20 mM to assess the concentration of adrenaline that completely abolishes [Ca2+]c events. We show that 8 mM glucose stimulation of beta cell collectives is readily inhibited by the concentration of adrenaline available under physiological conditions, and that sequent stimulation with 12 mM glucose or forskolin in high nM range overrides this inhibition. Accordingly, 12 mM glucose stimulation required at least an order of magnitude higher adrenaline concentration above the physiological level to inhibit the activity. To conclude, higher glucose concentrations stimulate beta cell activity in a non-linear manner and beyond levels that could be inhibited with physiologically available plasma adrenaline concentration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nastja Sluga
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Physiology, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | | | - Jasmina Kerčmar
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Physiology, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Srdjan Sarikas
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sandra Postić
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Johannes Pfabe
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Maša Skelin Klemen
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Physiology, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Dean Korošak
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Physiology, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Andraž Stožer
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Physiology, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Marjan Slak Rupnik
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Physiology, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Alma Mater Europaea, European Center Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
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15
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Čater M, Bombek LK. Protective Role of Mitochondrial Uncoupling Proteins against Age-Related Oxidative Stress in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11081473. [PMID: 36009191 PMCID: PMC9404801 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11081473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The accumulation of oxidative damage to DNA and other biomolecules plays an important role in the etiology of aging and age-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D), atherosclerosis, and neurodegenerative disorders. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is especially sensitive to oxidative stress. Mitochondrial dysfunction resulting from the accumulation of mtDNA damage impairs normal cellular function and leads to a bioenergetic crisis that accelerates aging and associated diseases. Age-related mitochondrial dysfunction decreases ATP production, which directly affects insulin secretion by pancreatic beta cells and triggers the gradual development of the chronic metabolic dysfunction that characterizes T2D. At the same time, decreased glucose oxidation in skeletal muscle due to mitochondrial damage leads to prolonged postprandial blood glucose rise, which further worsens glucose homeostasis. ROS are not only highly reactive by-products of mitochondrial respiration capable of oxidizing DNA, proteins, and lipids but can also function as signaling and effector molecules in cell membranes mediating signal transduction and inflammation. Mitochondrial uncoupling proteins (UCPs) located in the inner mitochondrial membrane of various tissues can be activated by ROS to protect cells from mitochondrial damage. Mitochondrial UCPs facilitate the reflux of protons from the mitochondrial intermembrane space into the matrix, thereby dissipating the proton gradient required for oxidative phosphorylation. There are five known isoforms (UCP1-UCP5) of mitochondrial UCPs. UCP1 can indirectly reduce ROS formation by increasing glutathione levels, thermogenesis, and energy expenditure. In contrast, UCP2 and UCP3 regulate fatty acid metabolism and insulin secretion by beta cells and modulate insulin sensitivity. Understanding the functions of UCPs may play a critical role in developing pharmacological strategies to combat T2D. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the protective role of various UCP homologs against age-related oxidative stress in T2D.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maša Čater
- Correspondence: (M.Č.); (L.K.B.); Tel.: +386-2-2345-847 (L.K.B.)
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16
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Farnsworth NL, Piscopio RA, Schleicher WE, Ramirez DG, Miranda JG, Benninger RKP. Modulation of Gap Junction Coupling Within the Islet of Langerhans During the Development of Type 1 Diabetes. Front Physiol 2022; 13:913611. [PMID: 35837011 PMCID: PMC9274093 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.913611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In type 1 diabetes (T1D), islet dysfunction occurs prior to diabetes onset. Pro-inflammatory cytokines can disrupt insulin secretion and Ca2+ homeostasis. Connexin36 (Cx36) gap junctions electrically couple β-cells to coordinate glucose-stimulated Ca2+ and insulin secretion. Cx36 gap junction coupling can also protect against cytokine-induced apoptosis. Our goal was to determine how islet gap junction coupling and Ca2+ dynamics are altered in mouse models of T1D prior to diabetes. Glucose tolerance was assessed in NOD and immunodeficient NOD-RAG1KO mice at 6-12 weeks age. Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, Ca2+ dynamics, and gap junction coupling were measured in islets isolated at each age. Gap junction coupling was also measured in islets from mice that underwent transfer of diabetogenic splenocytes and from chromograninA knockout NOD mice. Cell death was measured in islets isolated from wild-type, Cx36 knockout or Cx36 over-expression mice, each treated with a cocktail of pro-inflammatory cytokines and KATP or SERCA activators/inhibitors. NOD mice over-expressing Cx36 were also monitored for diabetes development, and islets assessed for insulitis and apoptosis. NOD and NOD-RAG1KO controls showed similar glucose tolerance at all ages. Ca2+ dynamics and gap junction coupling were disrupted in islets of NOD mice at 9 weeks, compared to controls. Transfer of diabetogenic splenocytes also decreased gap junction coupling. Islets from chromograninA knockout mice displayed normal coupling. Overexpression of Cx36 protected islets from cytokine-induced apoptosis. A knockout of Cx36 amplified cytokine-induced apoptosis, which was reversed by KATP activation or SERCA activation. Cx36 overexpression in NOD mice delayed diabetes development compared to NOD controls. However, apoptosis and insulitis were not improved. Decreases in islet gap junction coupling occur prior to T1D onset. Such decreases alter islet susceptibility to apoptosis due to altered Ca2+. Future studies will determine if increasing Cx36 gap junction coupling in combination with restoring Ca2+ homeostasis protects against islet decline in T1D.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikki L. Farnsworth
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, United States,Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes, Universty of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Robert A. Piscopio
- Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes, Universty of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States,Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Wolfgang E. Schleicher
- Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes, Universty of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States,Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - David G. Ramirez
- Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes, Universty of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States,Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Jose G. Miranda
- Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes, Universty of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States,Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Richard K. P. Benninger
- Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes, Universty of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States,Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States,*Correspondence: Richard K. P. Benninger,
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17
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Marolt U, Paradiž Leitgeb E, Pohorec V, Lipovšek S, Venglovecz V, Gál E, Ébert A, Menyhárt I, Potrč S, Gosak M, Dolenšek J, Stožer A. Calcium imaging in intact mouse acinar cells in acute pancreas tissue slices. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0268644. [PMID: 35657915 PMCID: PMC9165796 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0268644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The physiology and pathophysiology of the exocrine pancreas are in close connection to changes in intra-cellular Ca2+ concentration. Most of our knowledge is based on in vitro experiments on acinar cells or acini enzymatically isolated from their surroundings, which can alter their structure, physiology, and limit our understanding. Due to these limitations, the acute pancreas tissue slice technique was introduced almost two decades ago as a complementary approach to assess the morphology and physiology of both the endocrine and exocrine pancreas in a more conserved in situ setting. In this study, we extend previous work to functional multicellular calcium imaging on acinar cells in tissue slices. The viability and morphological characteristics of acinar cells within the tissue slice were assessed using the LIVE/DEAD assay, transmission electron microscopy, and immunofluorescence imaging. The main aim of our study was to characterize the responses of acinar cells to stimulation with acetylcholine and compare them with responses to cerulein in pancreatic tissue slices, with special emphasis on inter-cellular and inter-acinar heterogeneity and coupling. To this end, calcium imaging was performed employing confocal microscopy during stimulation with a wide range of acetylcholine concentrations and selected concentrations of cerulein. We show that various calcium oscillation parameters depend monotonically on the stimulus concentration and that the activity is rather well synchronized within acini, but not between acini. The acute pancreas tissue slice represents a viable and reliable experimental approach for the evaluation of both intra- and inter-cellular signaling characteristics of acinar cell calcium dynamics. It can be utilized to assess many cells simultaneously with a high spatiotemporal resolution, thus providing an efficient and high-yield platform for future studies of normal acinar cell biology, pathophysiology, and screening pharmacological substances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urška Marolt
- Clinical department for abdominal and general surgery, University Medical Centre Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- * E-mail: (UM); (JD); (AS)
| | - Eva Paradiž Leitgeb
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Viljem Pohorec
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Saška Lipovšek
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Viktória Venglovecz
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Eleonóra Gál
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Attila Ébert
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - István Menyhárt
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Stojan Potrč
- Clinical department for abdominal and general surgery, University Medical Centre Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Marko Gosak
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Jurij Dolenšek
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- * E-mail: (UM); (JD); (AS)
| | - Andraž Stožer
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- * E-mail: (UM); (JD); (AS)
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18
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Jevon D, Deng K, Hallahan N, Kumar K, Tong J, Gan WJ, Tran C, Bilek MM, Thorn P. Local activation of focal adhesion kinase orchestrates the positioning of presynaptic scaffold proteins and Ca 2+ signalling to control glucose dependent insulin secretion. eLife 2022; 11:76262. [PMID: 35559734 PMCID: PMC9126582 DOI: 10.7554/elife.76262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A developing understanding suggests that spatial compartmentalisation in pancreatic β cells is critical in controlling insulin secretion. To investigate the mechanisms, we have developed live-cell sub-cellular imaging methods using the mouse organotypic pancreatic slice. We demonstrate that the organotypic pancreatic slice, when compared with isolated islets, preserves intact β cell structure, and enhances glucose dependent Ca2+ responses and insulin secretion. Using the slice technique, we have discovered the essential role of local activation of integrins and the downstream component, focal adhesion kinase, in regulating β cells. Integrins and focal adhesion kinase are exclusively activated at the β cell capillary interface and using in situ and in vitro models we show their activation both positions presynaptic scaffold proteins, like ELKS and liprin, and regulates glucose dependent Ca2+ responses and insulin secretion. We conclude that focal adhesion kinase orchestrates the final steps of glucose dependent insulin secretion within the restricted domain where β cells contact the islet capillaries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dillon Jevon
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Kylie Deng
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Nicole Hallahan
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Krish Kumar
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jason Tong
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Wan Jun Gan
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Clara Tran
- School of Physics, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Peter Thorn
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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19
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20
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Pohorec V, Križančić Bombek L, Skelin Klemen M, Dolenšek J, Stožer A. Glucose-Stimulated Calcium Dynamics in Beta Cells From Male C57BL/6J, C57BL/6N, and NMRI Mice: A Comparison of Activation, Activity, and Deactivation Properties in Tissue Slices. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:867663. [PMID: 35399951 PMCID: PMC8988149 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.867663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although mice are a very instrumental model in islet beta cell research, possible phenotypic differences between strains and substrains are largely neglected in the scientific community. In this study, we show important phenotypic differences in beta cell responses to glucose between C57BL/6J, C57BL/6N, and NMRI mice, i.e., the three most commonly used strains. High-resolution multicellular confocal imaging of beta cells in acute pancreas tissue slices was used to measure and quantitatively compare the calcium dynamics in response to a wide range of glucose concentrations. Strain- and substrain-specific features were found in all three phases of beta cell responses to glucose: a shift in the dose-response curve characterizing the delay to activation and deactivation in response to stimulus onset and termination, respectively, and distinct concentration-encoding principles during the plateau phase in terms of frequency, duration, and active time changes with increasing glucose concentrations. Our results underline the significance of carefully choosing and reporting the strain to enable comparison and increase reproducibility, emphasize the importance of analyzing a number of different beta cell physiological parameters characterizing the response to glucose, and provide a valuable standard for future studies on beta cell calcium dynamics in health and disease in tissue slices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viljem Pohorec
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | | | - Maša Skelin Klemen
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Jurij Dolenšek
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- *Correspondence: Andraž Stožer, ; Jurij Dolenšek,
| | - Andraž Stožer
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- *Correspondence: Andraž Stožer, ; Jurij Dolenšek,
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21
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Stožer A, Šterk M, Paradiž Leitgeb E, Markovič R, Skelin Klemen M, Ellis CE, Križančić Bombek L, Dolenšek J, MacDonald PE, Gosak M. From Isles of Königsberg to Islets of Langerhans: Examining the Function of the Endocrine Pancreas Through Network Science. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:922640. [PMID: 35784543 PMCID: PMC9240343 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.922640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Islets of Langerhans are multicellular microorgans located in the pancreas that play a central role in whole-body energy homeostasis. Through secretion of insulin and other hormones they regulate postprandial storage and interprandial usage of energy-rich nutrients. In these clusters of hormone-secreting endocrine cells, intricate cell-cell communication is essential for proper function. Electrical coupling between the insulin-secreting beta cells through gap junctions composed of connexin36 is particularly important, as it provides the required, most important, basis for coordinated responses of the beta cell population. The increasing evidence that gap-junctional communication and its modulation are vital to well-regulated secretion of insulin has stimulated immense interest in how subpopulations of heterogeneous beta cells are functionally arranged throughout the islets and how they mediate intercellular signals. In the last decade, several novel techniques have been proposed to assess cooperation between cells in islets, including the prosperous combination of multicellular imaging and network science. In the present contribution, we review recent advances related to the application of complex network approaches to uncover the functional connectivity patterns among cells within the islets. We first provide an accessible introduction to the basic principles of network theory, enumerating the measures characterizing the intercellular interactions and quantifying the functional integration and segregation of a multicellular system. Then we describe methodological approaches to construct functional beta cell networks, point out possible pitfalls, and specify the functional implications of beta cell network examinations. We continue by highlighting the recent findings obtained through advanced multicellular imaging techniques supported by network-based analyses, giving special emphasis to the current developments in both mouse and human islets, as well as outlining challenges offered by the multilayer network formalism in exploring the collective activity of islet cell populations. Finally, we emphasize that the combination of these imaging techniques and network-based analyses does not only represent an innovative concept that can be used to describe and interpret the physiology of islets, but also provides fertile ground for delineating normal from pathological function and for quantifying the changes in islet communication networks associated with the development of diabetes mellitus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andraž Stožer
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Marko Šterk
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Eva Paradiž Leitgeb
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Rene Markovič
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Institute of Mathematics and Physics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Maša Skelin Klemen
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Cara E. Ellis
- Department of Pharmacology and Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | | | - Jurij Dolenšek
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Patrick E. MacDonald
- Department of Pharmacology and Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Marko Gosak
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- *Correspondence: Marko Gosak,
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22
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Benninger RKP, Kravets V. The physiological role of β-cell heterogeneity in pancreatic islet function. Nat Rev Endocrinol 2022; 18:9-22. [PMID: 34667280 PMCID: PMC8915749 DOI: 10.1038/s41574-021-00568-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Endocrine cells within the pancreatic islets of Langerhans are heterogeneous in terms of transcriptional profile, protein expression and the regulation of hormone release. Even though this heterogeneity has long been appreciated, only within the past 5 years have detailed molecular analyses led to an improved understanding of its basis. Although we are beginning to recognize why some subpopulations of endocrine cells are phenotypically different to others, arguably the most important consideration is how this heterogeneity affects the regulation of hormone release to control the homeostasis of glucose and other energy-rich nutrients. The focus of this Review is the description of how endocrine cell heterogeneity (and principally that of insulin-secreting β-cells) affects the regulation of hormone secretion within the islets of Langerhans. This discussion includes an overview of the functional characteristics of the different islet cell subpopulations and describes how they can communicate to influence islet function under basal and glucose-stimulated conditions. We further discuss how changes to the specific islet cell subpopulations or their numbers might underlie islet dysfunction in type 2 diabetes mellitus. We conclude with a discussion of several key open questions regarding the physiological role of islet cell heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard K P Benninger
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
- Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
| | - Vira Kravets
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
- Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
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23
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Postić S, Gosak M, Tsai WH, Pfabe J, Sarikas S, Stožer A, Korošak D, Yang SB, Slak Rupnik M. pH-Dependence of Glucose-Dependent Activity of Beta Cell Networks in Acute Mouse Pancreatic Tissue Slice. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:916688. [PMID: 35837307 PMCID: PMC9273738 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.916688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular pH has the potential to affect various aspects of the pancreatic beta cell function. To explain this effect, a number of mechanisms was proposed involving both extracellular and intracellular targets and pathways. Here, we focus on reassessing the influence of extracellular pH on glucose-dependent beta cell activation and collective activity in physiological conditions. To this end we employed mouse pancreatic tissue slices to perform high-temporally resolved functional imaging of cytosolic Ca2+ oscillations. We investigated the effect of either physiological H+ excess or depletion on the activation properties as well as on the collective activity of beta cell in an islet. Our results indicate that lowered pH invokes activation of a subset of beta cells in substimulatory glucose concentrations, enhances the average activity of beta cells, and alters the beta cell network properties in an islet. The enhanced average activity of beta cells was determined indirectly utilizing cytosolic Ca2+ imaging, while direct measuring of insulin secretion confirmed that this enhanced activity is accompanied by a higher insulin release. Furthermore, reduced functional connectivity and higher functional segregation at lower pH, both signs of a reduced intercellular communication, do not necessary result in an impaired insulin release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Postić
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- *Correspondence: Sandra Postić,
| | - Marko Gosak
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Wen-Hao Tsai
- Taiwan International Graduate Program in Molecular Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University and Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Johannes Pfabe
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Srdjan Sarikas
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andraž Stožer
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Dean Korošak
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Shi-Bing Yang
- Taiwan International Graduate Program in Molecular Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University and Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Marjan Slak Rupnik
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Alma Mater Europaea – European Center Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
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24
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Korošak D, Jusup M, Podobnik B, Stožer A, Dolenšek J, Holme P, Rupnik MS. Autopoietic Influence Hierarchies in Pancreatic β Cells. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2021; 127:168101. [PMID: 34723613 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.127.168101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
β cells are biologically essential for humans and other vertebrates. Because their functionality arises from cell-cell interactions, they are also a model system for collective organization among cells. There are currently two contradictory pictures of this organization: the hub-cell idea pointing at leaders who coordinate the others, and the electrophysiological theory describing all cells as equal. We use new data and computational modeling to reconcile these pictures. We find via a network representation of interacting β cells that leaders emerge naturally (confirming the hub-cell idea), yet all cells can take the hub role following a perturbation (in line with electrophysiology).
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Affiliation(s)
- Dean Korošak
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
- Faculty of Civil Engineering, Transportation Engineering and Architecture, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Marko Jusup
- Tokyo Tech World Research Hub Initiative (WRHI), Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan
| | - Boris Podobnik
- Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
- Center for Polymer Studies, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
- Zagreb School of Economics and Management, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
- Luxembourg School of Business, 2453 Luxembourg, Luxembourg
- Faculty of Information Studies in Novo mesto, 8000 Novo Mesto, Slovenia
| | - Andraž Stožer
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Jurij Dolenšek
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Petter Holme
- Tokyo Tech World Research Hub Initiative (WRHI), Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan
| | - Marjan Slak Rupnik
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Alma Mater Europaea-European Center Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
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25
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Sluga N, Postić S, Sarikas S, Huang YC, Stožer A, Slak Rupnik M. Dual Mode of Action of Acetylcholine on Cytosolic Calcium Oscillations in Pancreatic Beta and Acinar Cells In Situ. Cells 2021; 10:1580. [PMID: 34201461 PMCID: PMC8305080 DOI: 10.3390/cells10071580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholinergic innervation in the pancreas controls both the release of digestive enzymes to support the intestinal digestion and absorption, as well as insulin release to promote nutrient use in the cells of the body. The effects of muscarinic receptor stimulation are described in detail for endocrine beta cells and exocrine acinar cells separately. Here we describe morphological and functional criteria to separate these two cell types in situ in tissue slices and simultaneously measure their response to ACh stimulation on cytosolic Ca2+ oscillations [Ca2+]c in stimulatory glucose conditions. Our results show that both cell types respond to glucose directly in the concentration range compatible with the glucose transporters they express. The physiological ACh concentration increases the frequency of glucose stimulated [Ca2+]c oscillations in both cell types and synchronizes [Ca2+]c oscillations in acinar cells. The supraphysiological ACh concentration further increases the oscillation frequency on the level of individual beta cells, inhibits the synchronization between these cells, and abolishes oscillatory activity in acinar cells. We discuss possible mechanisms leading to the observed phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nastja Sluga
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia; (N.S.); (A.S.)
| | - Sandra Postić
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (S.P.); (S.S.); (Y.-C.H.)
| | - Srdjan Sarikas
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (S.P.); (S.S.); (Y.-C.H.)
| | - Ya-Chi Huang
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (S.P.); (S.S.); (Y.-C.H.)
| | - Andraž Stožer
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia; (N.S.); (A.S.)
| | - Marjan Slak Rupnik
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia; (N.S.); (A.S.)
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (S.P.); (S.S.); (Y.-C.H.)
- Alma Mater Europaea, European Center Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
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