Human GLUT-2 overexpression does not affect glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in MIN6 cells

Hexokinase-linked glycolytic overload and unscheduled glycolysis in hyperglycemia-induced pathogenesis of insulin resistance, beta-cell glucotoxicity, and diabetic vascular complications

Hyperglycemia is a risk factor for the development of insulin resistance, beta-cell glucotoxicity, and vascular complications of diabetes. We propose the hypothesis, hexokinase-linked glycolytic overload and unscheduled glycolysis, in explanation. Hexokinases (HKs) catalyze the first step of glucose metabolism. Increased flux of glucose metabolism through glycolysis gated by HKs, when occurring without concomitant increased activity of glycolytic enzymes-unscheduled glycolysis-produces increased levels of glycolytic intermediates with overspill into effector pathways of cell dysfunction and pathogenesis. HK1 is saturated with glucose in euglycemia and, where it is the major HK, provides for basal glycolytic flux without glycolytic overload. HK2 has similar saturation characteristics, except that, in persistent hyperglycemia, it is stabilized to proteolysis by high intracellular glucose concentration, increasing HK activity and initiating glycolytic overload and unscheduled glycolysis. This drives the development of vascular complications of diabetes. Similar HK2-linked unscheduled glycolysis in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue in impaired fasting glucose drives the development of peripheral insulin resistance. Glucokinase (GCK or HK4)-linked glycolytic overload and unscheduled glycolysis occurs in persistent hyperglycemia in hepatocytes and beta-cells, contributing to hepatic insulin resistance and beta-cell glucotoxicity, leading to the development of type 2 diabetes. Downstream effector pathways of HK-linked unscheduled glycolysis are mitochondrial dysfunction and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation; activation of hexosamine, protein kinase c, and dicarbonyl stress pathways; and increased Mlx/Mondo A signaling. Mitochondrial dysfunction and increased ROS was proposed as the initiator of metabolic dysfunction in hyperglycemia, but it is rather one of the multiple downstream effector pathways. Correction of HK2 dysregulation is proposed as a novel therapeutic target. Pharmacotherapy addressing it corrected insulin resistance in overweight and obese subjects in clinical trial. Overall, the damaging effects of hyperglycemia are a consequence of HK-gated increased flux of glucose metabolism without increased glycolytic enzyme activities to accommodate it.

A large-scale functional analysis of genes expressed differentially in insulin secreting MIN6 sublines with high versus mildly reduced glucose-responsiveness

Molecular mechanisms of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) from pancreatic β-cells are not fully understood. GSIS deteriorations are believed to underlie the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus. By comparing transcript levels of 3 insulin secreting MIN6 cell sublines with strong glucose-responsiveness and 3 with mildly reduced responsiveness, we identified 630 differentially expressed genes. Using our recently developed system based on recombinase-mediated cassette exchange, we conducted large-scale generation of stable clones overexpressing such genes in the doxycycline-regulated manner. We found that overexpressions of 18, out of 83, genes altered GSIS. Sox11 ((sex determining region Y)-box 11) was selected to confirm its roles in regulating insulin secretion, and the gene was subjected to shRNA-mediated suppression. While Sox11 overexpression decreased GSIS, its suppression increased GSIS, confirming the role of Sox11 as a negative regulator of insulin secretion. Furthermore, metabolic experiments using radiolabelled glucose showed Sox11 to participate in regulating glucose metabolism. Our data suggested that overexpression screening is a feasible option for systemic functional testing to identify important genes in GSIS.

Propofol inhibits stromatoxin-1-sensitive voltage-dependent K+ channels in pancreatic β-cells and enhances insulin secretion

Background

Proper glycemic control is an important goal of critical care medicine, including perioperative patient care that can influence patients’ prognosis. Insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells is generally assumed to play a critical role in glycemic control in response to an elevated blood glucose concentration. Many animal and human studies have demonstrated that perioperative drugs, including volatile anesthetics, have an impact on glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). However, the effects of the intravenous anesthetic propofol on glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity are largely unknown at present.

Methods

The effect of propofol on insulin secretion under low glucose or high glucose was examined in mouse MIN6 cells, rat INS-1 cells, and mouse pancreatic β-cells/islets. Cellular oxygen or energy metabolism was measured by Extracellular Flux Analyzer. Expression of glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2), potassium channels, and insulin mRNA was assessed by qRT-PCR. Protein expression of voltage-dependent potassium channels (Kv2) was also assessed by immunoblot. Propofol’s effects on potassium channels including stromatoxin-1-sensitive Kv channels and cellular oxygen and energy metabolisms were also examined.

Results

We showed that propofol, at clinically relevant doses, facilitates insulin secretion under low glucose conditions and GSIS in MIN6, INS-1 cells, and pancreatic β-cells/islets. Propofol did not affect intracellular ATP or ADP concentrations and cellular oxygen or energy metabolism. The mRNA expression of GLUT2 and channels including the voltage-dependent calcium channels Cav1.2, Kir6.2, and SUR1 subunit of K_ATP, and Kv2 were not affected by glucose or propofol. Finally, we demonstrated that propofol specifically blocks Kv currents in β-cells, resulting in insulin secretion in the presence of glucose.

Conclusions

Our data support the hypothesis that glucose induces membrane depolarization at the distal site, leading to K_ATP channel closure, and that the closure of Kv channels by propofol depolarization in β-cells enhances Ca²⁺ entry, leading to insulin secretion. Because its activity is dependent on GSIS, propofol and its derivatives are potential compounds that enhance and initiate β-cell electrical activity.

Neurexin-1α contributes to insulin-containing secretory granule docking

Neurexins are a family of transmembrane, synaptic adhesion molecules. In neurons, neurexins bind to both sub-plasma membrane and synaptic vesicle-associated constituents of the secretory machinery, play a key role in the organization and stabilization of the presynaptic active zone, and help mediate docking of synaptic vesicles. We have previously shown that neurexins, like many other protein constituents of the neurotransmitter exocytotic machinery, are expressed in pancreatic β cells. We hypothesized that the role of neurexins in β cells parallels their role in neurons, with β-cell neurexins helping to mediate insulin granule docking and secretion. Here we demonstrate that β cells express a more restricted pattern of neurexin transcripts than neurons, with a clear predominance of neurexin-1α expressed in isolated islets. Using INS-1E β cells, we found that neurexin-1α interacts with membrane-bound components of the secretory granule-docking machinery and with the granule-associated protein granuphilin. Decreased expression of neurexin-1α, like decreased expression of granuphilin, reduces granule docking at the β-cell membrane and improves insulin secretion. Perifusion of neurexin-1α KO mouse islets revealed a significant increase in second-phase insulin secretion with a trend toward increased first-phase secretion. Upon glucose stimulation, neurexin-1α protein levels decrease. This glucose-induced down-regulation may enhance glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. We conclude that neurexin-1α is a component of the β-cell secretory machinery and contributes to secretory granule docking, most likely through interactions with granuphilin. Neurexin-1α is the only transmembrane component of the docking machinery identified thus far. Our findings provide new insights into the mechanisms of insulin granule docking and exocytosis.