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Zhao MM, Lu J, Li S, Wang H, Cao X, Li Q, Shi TT, Matsunaga K, Chen C, Huang H, Izumi T, Yang JK. Berberine is an insulin secretagogue targeting the KCNH6 potassium channel. Nat Commun 2021; 12:5616. [PMID: 34556670 PMCID: PMC8460738 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25952-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Coptis chinensis is an ancient Chinese herb treating diabetes in China for thousands of years. However, its underlying mechanism remains poorly understood. Here, we report the effects of its main active component, berberine (BBR), on stimulating insulin secretion. In mice with hyperglycemia induced by a high-fat diet, BBR significantly increases insulin secretion and reduced blood glucose levels. However, in mice with hyperglycemia induced by global or pancreatic islet β-cell-specific Kcnh6 knockout, BBR does not exert beneficial effects. BBR directly binds KCNH6 potassium channels, significantly accelerates channel closure, and subsequently reduces KCNH6 currents. Consequently, blocking KCNH6 currents prolongs high glucose-dependent cell membrane depolarization and increases insulin secretion. Finally, to assess the effect of BBR on insulin secretion in humans, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-period crossover, single-dose, phase 1 clinical trial (NCT03972215) including 15 healthy men receiving a 160-min hyperglycemic clamp experiment is performed. The pre-specified primary outcomes are assessment of the differences of serum insulin and C-peptide levels between BBR and placebo treatment groups during the hyperglycemic clamp study. BBR significantly promotes insulin secretion under hyperglycemic state comparing with placebo treatment, while does not affect basal insulin secretion in humans. All subjects tolerate BBR well, and we observe no side effects in the 14-day follow up period. In this study, we identify BBR as a glucose-dependent insulin secretagogue for treating diabetes without causing hypoglycemia that targets KCNH6 channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao-Miao Zhao
- Department of Endocrinology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100730, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Diabetes Research and Care, Beijing Diabetes Institute, 100730, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Lu
- Department of Endocrinology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100730, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Diabetes Research and Care, Beijing Diabetes Institute, 100730, Beijing, China
| | - Sen Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Diabetes Research and Care, Beijing Diabetes Institute, 100730, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Endocrinology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100730, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Diabetes Research and Care, Beijing Diabetes Institute, 100730, Beijing, China
- Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Xi Cao
- Department of Endocrinology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100730, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Diabetes Research and Care, Beijing Diabetes Institute, 100730, Beijing, China
| | - Qi Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Diabetes Research and Care, Beijing Diabetes Institute, 100730, Beijing, China
| | - Ting-Ting Shi
- Department of Endocrinology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100730, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Diabetes Research and Care, Beijing Diabetes Institute, 100730, Beijing, China
| | - Kohichi Matsunaga
- Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Chen Chen
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Haixia Huang
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, 100069, Beijing, China
| | - Tetsuro Izumi
- Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Jin-Kui Yang
- Department of Endocrinology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100730, Beijing, China.
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Diabetes Research and Care, Beijing Diabetes Institute, 100730, Beijing, China.
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