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Briggs JK, Jin E, Merrins MJ, Benninger RK. CRISP: Correlation-Refined Image Segmentation Process. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.23.609461. [PMID: 39253465 PMCID: PMC11383049 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.23.609461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/11/2024]
Abstract
Calcium imaging enables real-time recording of cellular activity across various biological contexts. To assess the activity of individual cells, scientists typically manually outline the cells based on visual inspection. This manual cell masking introduces potential user error. To ameliorate this error, we developed the Correlation-Refined Image Segmentation Process (CRISP), a two-part automated algorithm designed to both enhance the accuracy of user-drawn cell masks and to automatically identify cell masks. We developed and tested CRISP on calcium images of densely packed β-cells within the islet of Langerhans. Because these β-cells are densely packed within the islet, traditional clustering-based image segmentation methods struggle to identify individual cell outlines. Using β-cells isolated from two different mouse phenotypes and imaged on two different confocal microscopes, we show that CRISP is generalizable and accurate. To test the benefit of using CRISP in functional biological analyses, we show that CRISP improves accuracy of functional network analysis and utilize CRISP to characterize the distribution of β-cell size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer K. Briggs
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, United States; Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, United States
| | - Erli Jin
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Matthew J. Merrins
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Richard K.P. Benninger
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, United States; Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, United States
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Jin E, Briggs JK, Benninger RKP, Merrins MJ. Glucokinase activity controls subpopulations of β-cells that alternately lead islet Ca 2+ oscillations. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.21.608680. [PMID: 39229244 PMCID: PMC11370332 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.21.608680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2024]
Abstract
Oscillations in insulin secretion, driven by islet Ca2+ waves, are crucial for glycemic control. Prior studies, performed with single-plane imaging, suggest that subpopulations of electrically coupled β-cells have privileged roles in leading and coordinating the propagation of Ca2+ waves. Here, we used 3D light-sheet imaging to analyze the location and Ca2+ activity of single β-cells within the entire islet at >2 Hz. In contrast with single-plane studies, 3D network analysis indicates that the most highly synchronized β-cells are located at the islet center, and remain regionally but not cellularly stable between oscillations. This subpopulation, which includes 'hub cells', is insensitive to changes in fuel metabolism induced by glucokinase and pyruvate kinase activation. β-cells that initiate the Ca2+ wave ('leaders') are located at the islet periphery, and strikingly, change their identity over time via rotations in the wave axis. Glucokinase activation, which increased oscillation period, reinforced leader cells and stabilized the wave axis. Pyruvate kinase activation, despite increasing oscillation frequency, had no effect on leader cells, indicating the wave origin is patterned by fuel input. These findings emphasize the stochastic nature of the β-cell subpopulations that control Ca2+ oscillations and identify a role for glucokinase in spatially patterning 'leader' β-cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erli Jin
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Jennifer K Briggs
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, United States; Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, United States
| | - Richard K P Benninger
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, United States; Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, United States
| | - Matthew J Merrins
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
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Rutter GA, Gresch A, Delgadillo Silva L, Benninger RKP. Exploring pancreatic beta-cell subgroups and their connectivity. Nat Metab 2024:10.1038/s42255-024-01097-6. [PMID: 39117960 DOI: 10.1038/s42255-024-01097-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
Functional pancreatic islet beta cells are essential to ensure glucose homeostasis across species from zebrafish to humans. These cells show significant heterogeneity, and emerging studies have revealed that connectivity across a hierarchical network is required for normal insulin release. Here, we discuss current thinking and areas of debate around intra-islet connectivity, cellular hierarchies and potential "controlling" beta-cell populations. We focus on methodologies, including comparisons of different cell preparations as well as in vitro and in vivo approaches to imaging and controlling the activity of human and rodent islet preparations. We also discuss the analytical approaches that can be applied to live-cell data to identify and study critical subgroups of cells with a disproportionate role in control Ca2+ dynamics and thus insulin secretion (such as "first responders", "leaders" and "hubs", as defined by Ca2+ responses to glucose stimulation). Possible mechanisms by which this hierarchy is achieved, its physiological relevance and how its loss may contribute to islet failure in diabetes mellitus are also considered. A glossary of terms and links to computational resources are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guy A Rutter
- CHUM Research Center and Faculty of Medicine, University of Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK.
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Anne Gresch
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Luis Delgadillo Silva
- CHUM Research Center and Faculty of Medicine, University of Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Richard K P Benninger
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
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Suba K, Patel Y, Martin-Alonso A, Hansen B, Xu X, Roberts A, Norton M, Chung P, Shrewsbury J, Kwok R, Kalogianni V, Chen S, Liu X, Kalyviotis K, Rutter GA, Jones B, Minnion J, Owen BM, Pantazis P, Distaso W, Drucker DJ, Tan TM, Bloom SR, Murphy KG, Salem V. Intra-islet glucagon signalling regulates beta-cell connectivity, first-phase insulin secretion and glucose homoeostasis. Mol Metab 2024; 85:101947. [PMID: 38677509 PMCID: PMC11177084 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2024.101947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is characterised by the loss of first-phase insulin secretion. We studied mice with β-cell selective loss of the glucagon receptor (Gcgrfl/fl X Ins-1Cre), to investigate the role of intra-islet glucagon receptor (GCGR) signalling on pan-islet [Ca2+]I activity and insulin secretion. METHODS Metabolic profiling was conducted on Gcgrβ-cell-/- and littermate controls. Crossing with GCaMP6f (STOP flox) animals further allowed for β-cell specific expression of a fluorescent calcium indicator. These islets were functionally imaged in vitro and in vivo. Wild-type mice were transplanted with islets expressing GCaMP6f in β-cells into the anterior eye chamber and placed on a high fat diet. Part of the cohort received a glucagon analogue (GCG-analogue) for 40 days and the control group were fed to achieve weight matching. Calcium imaging was performed regularly during the development of hyperglycaemia and in response to GCG-analogue treatment. RESULTS Gcgrβ-cell-/- mice exhibited higher glucose levels following intraperitoneal glucose challenge (control 12.7 mmol/L ± 0.6 vs. Gcgrβ-cell-/- 15.4 mmol/L ± 0.0 at 15 min, p = 0.002); fasting glycaemia was not different to controls. In vitro, Gcgrβ-cell-/- islets showed profound loss of pan-islet [Ca2+]I waves in response to glucose which was only partially rescued in vivo. Diet induced obesity and hyperglycaemia also resulted in a loss of co-ordinated [Ca2+]I waves in transplanted islets. This was reversed with GCG-analogue treatment, independently of weight-loss (n = 8). CONCLUSION These data provide novel evidence for the role of intra-islet GCGR signalling in sustaining synchronised [Ca2+]I waves and support a possible therapeutic role for glucagonergic agents to restore the insulin secretory capacity lost in T2D.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Suba
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom; Section of Investigative Medicine, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom
| | - Y Patel
- Section of Investigative Medicine, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom
| | - A Martin-Alonso
- Section of Investigative Medicine, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom
| | - B Hansen
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - X Xu
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - A Roberts
- Section of Investigative Medicine, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom
| | - M Norton
- Section of Investigative Medicine, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom
| | - P Chung
- Section of Investigative Medicine, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom
| | - J Shrewsbury
- Section of Investigative Medicine, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom
| | - R Kwok
- Section of Investigative Medicine, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom
| | - V Kalogianni
- Section of Investigative Medicine, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom
| | - S Chen
- Section of Investigative Medicine, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom
| | - X Liu
- Section of Investigative Medicine, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom
| | - K Kalyviotis
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - G A Rutter
- CHUM Research Center, University of Montreal, QC, Canada; Section of Cell Biology and Functional Genomics, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom; Lee Kong Chian Imperial Medical School, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - B Jones
- Section of Investigative Medicine, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom
| | - J Minnion
- Section of Investigative Medicine, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom
| | - B M Owen
- Section of Investigative Medicine, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom
| | - P Pantazis
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - W Distaso
- Imperial College Business School, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - D J Drucker
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - T M Tan
- Section of Investigative Medicine, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom
| | - S R Bloom
- Section of Investigative Medicine, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom
| | - K G Murphy
- Section of Investigative Medicine, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom
| | - V Salem
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom; Section of Investigative Medicine, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom; Section of Cell Biology and Functional Genomics, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom.
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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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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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Puginier E, Leal-Fischer K, Gaitan J, Lallouet M, Scotti PA, Raoux M, Lang J. Extracellular electrophysiology on clonal human β-cell spheroids. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 15:1402880. [PMID: 38883608 PMCID: PMC11176477 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1402880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Pancreatic islets are important in nutrient homeostasis and improved cellular models of clonal origin may very useful especially in view of relatively scarce primary material. Close 3D contact and coupling between β-cells are a hallmark of physiological function improving signal/noise ratios. Extracellular electrophysiology using micro-electrode arrays (MEA) is technically far more accessible than single cell patch clamp, enables dynamic monitoring of electrical activity in 3D organoids and recorded multicellular slow potentials (SP) provide unbiased insight in cell-cell coupling. Objective We have therefore asked whether 3D spheroids enhance clonal β-cell function such as electrical activity and hormone secretion using human EndoC-βH1, EndoC-βH5 and rodent INS-1 832/13 cells. Methods Spheroids were formed either by hanging drop or proprietary devices. Extracellular electrophysiology was conducted using multi-electrode arrays with appropriate signal extraction and hormone secretion measured by ELISA. Results EndoC-βH1 spheroids exhibited increased signals in terms of SP frequency and especially amplitude as compared to monolayers and even single cell action potentials (AP) were quantifiable. Enhanced electrical signature in spheroids was accompanied by an increase in the glucose stimulated insulin secretion index. EndoC-βH5 monolayers and spheroids gave electrophysiological profiles similar to EndoC-βH1, except for a higher electrical activity at 3 mM glucose, and exhibited moreover a biphasic profile. Again, physiological concentrations of GLP-1 increased AP frequency. Spheroids also exhibited a higher secretion index. INS-1 cells did not form stable spheroids, but overexpression of connexin 36, required for cell-cell coupling, increased glucose responsiveness, dampened basal activity and consequently augmented the stimulation index. Conclusion In conclusion, spheroid formation enhances physiological function of the human clonal β-cell lines and these models may provide surrogates for primary islets in extracellular electrophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Puginier
- Univiversity of Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, Laboratoire de Chimie et Biologie des Membranes CBMN, UMR 5248, Pessac, Bordeaux, France
| | - Karen Leal-Fischer
- Univiversity of Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, Laboratoire de Chimie et Biologie des Membranes CBMN, UMR 5248, Pessac, Bordeaux, France
| | - Julien Gaitan
- Univiversity of Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, Laboratoire de Chimie et Biologie des Membranes CBMN, UMR 5248, Pessac, Bordeaux, France
| | - Marie Lallouet
- Univiversity of Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, Laboratoire de Chimie et Biologie des Membranes CBMN, UMR 5248, Pessac, Bordeaux, France
| | - Pier-Arnaldo Scotti
- Univiversity of Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, Laboratoire de Chimie et Biologie des Membranes CBMN, UMR 5248, Pessac, Bordeaux, France
| | - Matthieu Raoux
- Univiversity of Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, Laboratoire de Chimie et Biologie des Membranes CBMN, UMR 5248, Pessac, Bordeaux, France
| | - Jochen Lang
- Univiversity of Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, Laboratoire de Chimie et Biologie des Membranes CBMN, UMR 5248, Pessac, Bordeaux, France
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8
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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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9
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Alsup AM, Fowlds K, Cho M, Luber JM. BetaBuddy: An automated end-to-end computer vision pipeline for analysis of calcium fluorescence dynamics in β-cells. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0299549. [PMID: 38489336 PMCID: PMC10942061 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299549] [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: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells is integral in maintaining the delicate equilibrium of blood glucose levels. Calcium is known to be a key regulator and triggers the release of insulin. This sub-cellular process can be monitored and tracked through live-cell imaging and subsequent cell segmentation, registration, tracking, and analysis of the calcium level in each cell. Current methods of analysis typically require the manual outlining of β-cells, involve multiple software packages, and necessitate multiple researchers-all of which tend to introduce biases. Utilizing deep learning algorithms, we have therefore created a pipeline to automatically segment and track thousands of cells, which greatly reduces the time required to gather and analyze a large number of sub-cellular images and improve accuracy. Tracking cells over a time-series image stack also allows researchers to isolate specific calcium spiking patterns and spatially identify those of interest, creating an efficient and user-friendly analysis tool. Using our automated pipeline, a previous dataset used to evaluate changes in calcium spiking activity in β-cells post-electric field stimulation was reanalyzed. Changes in spiking activity were found to be underestimated previously with manual segmentation. Moreover, the machine learning pipeline provides a powerful and rapid computational approach to examine, for example, how calcium signaling is regulated by intracellular interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne M. Alsup
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States of America
| | - Kelli Fowlds
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States of America
| | - Michael Cho
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States of America
| | - Jacob M. Luber
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States of America
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States of America
- Multi-Interprofessional Center for Health Informatics, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States of America
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10
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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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11
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Fazli M, Bertram R. Conversion of spikers to bursters in pituitary cell networks: Is it better to disperse for maximum exposure or circle the wagons? PLoS Comput Biol 2024; 20:e1011811. [PMID: 38289902 PMCID: PMC10826967 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011811] [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: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The endocrine cells of the pituitary gland are electrically active, and in vivo they form small networks where the bidirectional cell-cell coupling is through gap junctions. Numerous studies of dispersed pituitary cells have shown that typical behaviors are tonic spiking and bursting, the latter being more effective at evoking secretion. In this article, we use mathematical modeling to examine the dynamics of small networks of spiking and bursting pituitary cells. We demonstrate that intrinsic bursting cells are capable of converting intrinsic spikers into bursters, and perform a fast/slow analysis to show why this occurs. We then demonstrate the sensitivity of network dynamics to the placement of bursting cells within the network, and demonstrate strategies that are most effective at maximizing secretion from the population of cells. This study provides insights into the in vivo behavior of cells such as the stress-hormone-secreting pituitary corticotrophs that are switched from spiking to bursting by hypothalamic neurohormones. While much is known about the electrical properties of these cells when isolated from the pituitary, how they behave when part of an electrically coupled network has been largely unstudied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehran Fazli
- Department of Mathematics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, United States of America
| | - Richard Bertram
- Department of Mathematics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, United States of America
- Programs in Neuroscience and Molecular Biophysics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, United States of America
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12
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Félix-Martínez GJ, Godínez-Fernández JR. A primer on modelling pancreatic islets: from models of coupled β-cells to multicellular islet models. Islets 2023; 15:2231609. [PMID: 37415423 PMCID: PMC10332213 DOI: 10.1080/19382014.2023.2231609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic islets are mini-organs composed of hundreds or thousands of ɑ, β and δ-cells, which, respectively, secrete glucagon, insulin and somatostatin, key hormones for the regulation of blood glucose. In pancreatic islets, hormone secretion is tightly regulated by both internal and external mechanisms, including electrical communication and paracrine signaling between islet cells. Given its complexity, the experimental study of pancreatic islets has been complemented with computational modeling as a tool to gain a better understanding about how all the mechanisms involved at different levels of organization interact. In this review, we describe how multicellular models of pancreatic cells have evolved from the early models of electrically coupled β-cells to models in which experimentally derived architectures and both electrical and paracrine signals have been considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerardo J. Félix-Martínez
- Investigador por México CONAHCYT-Department of Electrical Engineering, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Mexico, Mexico
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Mexico, Mexico
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13
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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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14
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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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15
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Bertram R, Marinelli I, Fletcher PA, Satin LS, Sherman AS. Deconstructing the integrated oscillator model for pancreatic β-cells. Math Biosci 2023; 365:109085. [PMID: 37802364 PMCID: PMC10991200 DOI: 10.1016/j.mbs.2023.109085] [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: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Electrical bursting oscillations in the β-cells of pancreatic islets have been a focus of investigation for more than fifty years. This has been aided by mathematical models, which are descendants of the pioneering Chay-Keizer model. This article describes the key biophysical and mathematical elements of this model, and then describes the path forward from there to the Integrated Oscillator Model (IOM). It is both a history and a deconstruction of the IOM that describes the various elements that have been added to the model over time, and the motivation for adding them. Finally, the article is a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the publication of the Chay-Keizer model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Bertram
- Department of Mathematics and Programs in Neuroscience and Molecular Biophysics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, United States.
| | - Isabella Marinelli
- Centre for Systems Modeling and Quantitative Biomedicine, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Patrick A Fletcher
- Laboratory of Biological Modeling, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Leslie S Satin
- Department of Pharmacology and Brehm Center for Diabetes Research, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Arthur S Sherman
- Laboratory of Biological Modeling, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
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16
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Thompson PJ, Pipella J, Rutter GA, Gaisano HY, Santamaria P. Islet autoimmunity in human type 1 diabetes: initiation and progression from the perspective of the beta cell. Diabetologia 2023; 66:1971-1982. [PMID: 37488322 PMCID: PMC10542715 DOI: 10.1007/s00125-023-05970-z] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Type 1 diabetes results from the poorly understood process of islet autoimmunity, which ultimately leads to the loss of functional pancreatic beta cells. Mounting evidence supports the notion that the activation and evolution of islet autoimmunity in genetically susceptible people is contingent upon early life exposures affecting the islets, especially beta cells. Here, we review some of the recent advances and studies that highlight the roles of these changes as well as antigen presentation and stress response pathways in beta cells in the onset and propagation of the autoimmune process in type 1 diabetes. Future progress in this area holds promise for advancing islet- and beta cell-directed therapies that could be implemented in the early stages of the disease and could be combined with immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J Thompson
- Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
- Department of Physiology & Pathophysiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
| | - Jasmine Pipella
- Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Department of Physiology & Pathophysiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Guy A Rutter
- CRCHUM and Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
- Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK.
- LKC School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological College, Singapore, Republic of Singapore.
| | - Herbert Y Gaisano
- Departments of Medicine and Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Pere Santamaria
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Institut D'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
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17
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Aggarwal M, Striegel DA, Hara M, Periwal V. Geometric and topological characterization of the cytoarchitecture of islets of Langerhans. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1011617. [PMID: 37943957 PMCID: PMC10662755 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011617] [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: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The islets of Langerhans are critical endocrine micro-organs that secrete hormones regulating energy metabolism in animals. Insulin and glucagon, secreted by beta and alpha cells, respectively, are responsible for metabolic switching between fat and glucose utilization. Dysfunction in their secretion and/or counter-regulatory influence leads to diabetes. Debate in the field centers on the cytoarchitecture of islets, as the signaling that governs hormonal secretion depends on structural and functional factors, including electrical connectivity, innervation, vascularization, and physical proximity. Much effort has therefore been devoted to elucidating which architectural features are significant for function and how derangements in these features are correlated or causative for dysfunction, especially using quantitative network science or graph theory characterizations. Here, we ask if there are non-local features in islet cytoarchitecture, going beyond standard network statistics, that are relevant to islet function. An example is ring structures, or cycles, of α and δ cells surrounding β cell clusters or the opposite, β cells surrounding α and δ cells. These could appear in two-dimensional islet section images if a sphere consisting of one cell type surrounds a cluster of another cell type. To address these issues, we developed two independent computational approaches, geometric and topological, for such characterizations. For the latter, we introduce an application of topological data analysis to determine locations of topological features that are biologically significant. We show that both approaches, applied to a large collection of islet sections, are in complete agreement in the context both of developmental and diabetes-related changes in islet characteristics. The topological approach can be applied to three-dimensional imaging data for islets as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manu Aggarwal
- Laboratory of Biological Modeling, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Deborah A. Striegel
- Laboratory of Biological Modeling, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Manami Hara
- Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Vipul Periwal
- Laboratory of Biological Modeling, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
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18
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Luchetti N, Filippi S, Loppini A. Multilevel synchronization of human β-cells networks. FRONTIERS IN NETWORK PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 3:1264395. [PMID: 37808419 PMCID: PMC10557430 DOI: 10.3389/fnetp.2023.1264395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
β-cells within the endocrine pancreas are fundamental for glucose, lipid and protein homeostasis. Gap junctions between cells constitute the primary coupling mechanism through which cells synchronize their electrical and metabolic activities. This evidence is still only partially investigated through models and numerical simulations. In this contribution, we explore the effect of combined electrical and metabolic coupling in β-cell clusters using a detailed biophysical model. We add heterogeneity and stochasticity to realistically reproduce β-cell dynamics and study networks mimicking arrangements of β-cells within human pancreatic islets. Model simulations are performed over different couplings and heterogeneities, analyzing emerging synchronization at the membrane potential, calcium, and metabolites levels. To describe network synchronization, we use the formalism of multiplex networks and investigate functional network properties and multiplex synchronization motifs over the structural, electrical, and metabolic layers. Our results show that metabolic coupling can support slow wave propagation in human islets, that combined electrical and metabolic synchronization is realized in small aggregates, and that metabolic long-range correlation is more pronounced with respect to the electrical one.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Luchetti
- Center for Life Nano and Neuro-Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, Italy
- Engineering Department, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Simonetta Filippi
- Engineering Department, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
- National Institute of Optics, National Research Council, Florence, Italy
- International Center for Relativistic Astrophysics Network, Pescara, Italy
| | - Alessandro Loppini
- Center for Life Nano and Neuro-Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, Italy
- Engineering Department, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
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19
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St. Clair JR, Westacott MJ, Miranda J, Farnsworth NL, Kravets V, Schleicher WE, Dwulet JM, Levitt CH, Heintz A, Ludin NWF, Benninger RKP. Restoring connexin-36 function in diabetogenic environments precludes mouse and human islet dysfunction. J Physiol 2023; 601:4053-4072. [PMID: 37578890 PMCID: PMC10508056 DOI: 10.1113/jp282114] [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] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The secretion of insulin from β-cells in the islet of Langerhans is governed by a series of metabolic and electrical events, which can fail during the progression of type 2 diabetes (T2D). β-cells are electrically coupled via connexin-36 (Cx36) gap junction channels, which coordinates the pulsatile dynamics of [Ca2+ ] and insulin release across the islet. Factors such as pro-inflammatory cytokines and free fatty acids disrupt gap junction coupling under in vitro conditions. Here we test whether gap junction coupling and coordinated [Ca2+ ] dynamics are disrupted in T2D, and whether recovery of gap junction coupling can recover islet function. We examine islets from donors with T2D, from db/db mice, and islets treated with pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IFN-ɣ) or free fatty acids (palmitate). We modulate gap junction coupling using Cx36 over-expression or pharmacological activation via modafinil. We also develop a peptide mimetic (S293) of the c-terminal regulatory site of Cx36 designed to compete against its phosphorylation. Cx36 gap junction permeability and [Ca2+ ] dynamics were disrupted in islets from both human donors with T2D and db/db mice, and in islets treated with pro-inflammatory cytokines or palmitate. Cx36 over-expression, modafinil treatment and S293 peptide all enhanced Cx36 gap junction coupling and protected against declines in coordinated [Ca2+ ] dynamics. Cx36 over-expression and S293 peptide also reduced apoptosis induced by pro-inflammatory cytokines. Critically, S293 peptide rescued gap junction coupling and [Ca2+ ] dynamics in islets from both db/db mice and a sub-set of T2D donors. Thus, recovering or enhancing Cx36 gap junction coupling can improve islet function in diabetes. KEY POINTS: Connexin-36 (Cx36) gap junction permeability and associated coordination of [Ca2+ ] dynamics is diminished in human type 2 diabetes (T2D) and mouse models of T2D. Enhancing Cx36 gap junction permeability protects against disruptions to the coordination of [Ca2+ ] dynamics. A novel peptide mimetic of the Cx36 c-terminal regulatory region protects against declines in Cx36 gap junction permeability. Pharmacological elevation in Cx36 or Cx36 peptide mimetic recovers [Ca2+ ] dynamics and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in human T2D and mouse models of T2D.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua R St. Clair
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Denver
| Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO
| | - Matthew J Westacott
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Denver
| Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO
| | - Jose Miranda
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Denver
| Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO
| | - Nikki L Farnsworth
- Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes, University of Colorado
Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO
| | - Vira Kravets
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Denver
| Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO
| | - Wolfgang E Schleicher
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Denver
| Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO
| | - JaeAnn M Dwulet
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Denver
| Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO
| | - Claire H Levitt
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Denver
| Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO
| | - Audrey Heintz
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Denver
| Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO
| | - Nurin WF Ludin
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Denver
| Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO
| | - Richard KP Benninger
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Denver
| Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO
- Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes, University of Colorado
Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO
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20
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Jeong JH, Park KN, Kim JH, Noh K, Hur SS, Kim Y, Hong M, Chung JC, Park JH, Lee J, Son YI, Lee JH, Kim SH, Hwang Y. Self-organized insulin-producing β-cells differentiated from human omentum-derived stem cells and their in vivo therapeutic potential. Biomater Res 2023; 27:82. [PMID: 37644502 PMCID: PMC10466773 DOI: 10.1186/s40824-023-00419-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human omentum-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hO-MSCs) possess great potential to differentiate into multiple lineages and have self-renewal capacity, allowing them to be utilized as patient-specific cell-based therapeutics. Although the use of various stem cell-derived β-cells has been proposed as a novel approach for treating diabetes mellitus, developing an efficient method to establish highly functional β-cells remains challenging. METHODS We aimed to develop a novel cell culture platform that utilizes a fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2)-immobilized matrix to regulate the adhesion and differentiation of hO-MSCs into insulin-producing β-cells via cell-matrix/cell-cell interactions. In our study, we evaluated the in vitro differentiation potential of hO-MSCs cultured on an FGF2-immobilized matrix and a round-bottom plate (RBP). Further, the in vivo therapeutic efficacy of the β-cells transplanted into kidney capsules was evaluated using animal models with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes. RESULTS Our findings demonstrated that cells cultured on an FGF2-immobilized matrix could self-organize into insulin-producing β-cell progenitors, as evident from the upregulation of pancreatic β-cell-specific markers (PDX-1, Insulin, and Glut-2). Moreover, we observed significant upregulation of heparan sulfate proteoglycan, gap junction proteins (Cx36 and Cx43), and cell adhesion molecules (E-cadherin and Ncam1) in cells cultured on the FGF2-immobilized matrix. In addition, in vivo transplantation of differentiated β-cells into animal models of STZ-induced diabetes revealed their survival and engraftment as well as glucose-sensitive production of insulin within the host microenvironment, at over 4 weeks after transplantation. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that the FGF2-immobilized matrix can support initial cell adhesion, maturation, and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion within the host microenvironment. Such a cell culture platform can offer novel strategies to obtain functional pancreatic β-cells from patient-specific cell sources, ultimately enabling better treatment for diabetes mellitus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Hoon Jeong
- Soonchunhyang Institute of Medi-Bio Science (SIMS), Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Chungnam-Do, 31151, Republic of Korea
- Department of Integrated Biomedical Science, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Chungnam-Do, 31538, Republic of Korea
| | - Ki Nam Park
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Bucheon, 14584, Republic of Korea
| | - Joo Hyun Kim
- Soonchunhyang Institute of Medi-Bio Science (SIMS), Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Chungnam-Do, 31151, Republic of Korea
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, Cheonan, 31151, Republic of Korea
| | - KyungMu Noh
- Soonchunhyang Institute of Medi-Bio Science (SIMS), Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Chungnam-Do, 31151, Republic of Korea
- Department of Integrated Biomedical Science, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Chungnam-Do, 31538, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Sik Hur
- Soonchunhyang Institute of Medi-Bio Science (SIMS), Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Chungnam-Do, 31151, Republic of Korea
| | - Yunhye Kim
- Soonchunhyang Institute of Medi-Bio Science (SIMS), Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Chungnam-Do, 31151, Republic of Korea
- Department of Integrated Biomedical Science, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Chungnam-Do, 31538, Republic of Korea
| | - Moonju Hong
- Soonchunhyang Institute of Medi-Bio Science (SIMS), Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Chungnam-Do, 31151, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun Chul Chung
- Department of Surgery, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Bucheon, 14584, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Hong Park
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, Cheonan, 31151, Republic of Korea
| | - Jongsoon Lee
- Soonchunhyang Institute of Medi-Bio Science (SIMS), Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Chungnam-Do, 31151, Republic of Korea
- Department of Integrated Biomedical Science, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Chungnam-Do, 31538, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Ik Son
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, 06351, Republic of Korea
| | - Ju Hun Lee
- Department of Bionano Engineering, Center for Bionano Intelligence Education and Research, Hanyang University, Ansan, 15588, Republic of Korea.
| | - Sang-Heon Kim
- Center for Biomaterials, Biomedical Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Bio-Med Engineering, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea.
| | - Yongsung Hwang
- Soonchunhyang Institute of Medi-Bio Science (SIMS), Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Chungnam-Do, 31151, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Integrated Biomedical Science, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Chungnam-Do, 31538, Republic of Korea.
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21
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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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22
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Adams MT, Waters BJ, Nimkulrat SD, Blum B. Disrupted glucose homeostasis and glucagon and insulin secretion defects in Robo βKO mice. FASEB J 2023; 37:e23106. [PMID: 37498234 PMCID: PMC10436995 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202200705rr] [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] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
The axon guidance proteins, Roundabout (Robo) receptors play a critical role in morphogenesis of the islets of Langerhans. Mice with a β cell-selective deletion of Robo (Robo βKO), show severely disrupted spatial architecture of their islets, without defects in β cell differentiation or maturity. We have recently shown that Robo βKO mice have reduced synchronous glucose-stimulated β cell calcium oscillations in their islets in vivo, likely disrupting their pulsatile insulin secretion. Here, we analyze whole-body metabolic regulation in Robo βKO mice. We show that Robo βKO mice have mild defects in glucose homeostasis, and altered glucagon and insulin secretion. However, we did not observe any severe whole-body glucoregulatory phenotype following the disruption of islet architecture in Robo βKO. Our data suggest that islet architecture plays only a mild role in overall glucoregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa T. Adams
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Bayley J. Waters
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Sutichot D. Nimkulrat
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Barak Blum
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
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23
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Rizk AA, Dybala MP, Rodriguez KC, Slak Rupnik M, Hara M. Pancreatic regional blood flow links the endocrine and exocrine diseases. J Clin Invest 2023; 133:e166185. [PMID: 37338995 PMCID: PMC10378168 DOI: 10.1172/jci166185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
An increasing number of studies have demonstrated that disease states of the endocrine or exocrine pancreas aggravate one another, which implies bidirectional blood flow between islets and exocrine cells. However, this is inconsistent with the current model of unidirectional blood flow, which is strictly from islets to exocrine tissues. This conventional model was first proposed in 1932, and it has never to our knowledge been revisited to date. Here, large-scale image capture was used to examine the spatial relationship between islets and blood vessels in the following species: human, monkey, pig, rabbit, ferret, and mouse. While some arterioles passed by or traveled through islets, the majority of islets had no association with them. Islets with direct contact with the arteriole were significantly larger in size and fewer in number than those without contact. Unique to the pancreas, capillaries directly branched out from the arterioles and have been labeled as "small arterioles" in past studies. Overall, the arterioles emerged to feed the pancreas regionally, not specifically targeting individual islets. Vascularizing the pancreas in this way may allow an entire downstream region of islets and acinar cells to be simultaneously exposed to changes in the blood levels of glucose, hormones, and other circulating factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam A. Rizk
- Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Michael P. Dybala
- Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | | | - Marjan Slak Rupnik
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Manami Hara
- Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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24
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Firth G, Georgiadou E, Griffiths A, Amrahli M, Kim J, Yu Z, Hu M, Stewart TJ, Leclerc I, Okamoto H, Gomez D, Blower PJ, Rutter GA. Impact of an SLC30A8 loss-of-function variant on the pancreatic distribution of zinc and manganese: laser ablation-ICP-MS and positron emission tomography studies in mice. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1171933. [PMID: 37396167 PMCID: PMC10313231 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1171933] [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: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Common variants in the SLC30A8 gene, encoding the secretory granule zinc transporter ZnT8 (expressed largely in pancreatic islet alpha and beta cells), are associated with altered risk of type 2 diabetes. Unexpectedly, rare loss-of-function (LoF) variants in the gene, described in heterozygous individuals only, are protective against the disease, even though knockout of the homologous SLC30A8 gene in mice leads to unchanged or impaired glucose tolerance. Here, we aimed to determine how one or two copies of the mutant R138X allele in the mouse SLC30A8 gene impacts the homeostasis of zinc at a whole-body (using non-invasive 62Zn PET imaging to assess the acute dynamics of zinc handling) and tissue/cell level [using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) to map the long-term distribution of zinc and manganese in the pancreas]. Methods Following intravenous administration of [62Zn]Zn-citrate (~7 MBq, 150 μl) in wild-type (WT), heterozygous (R138X+/-), and homozygous (R138X+/+) mutant mice (14-15 weeks old, n = 4 per genotype), zinc dynamics were measured over 60 min using PET. Histological, islet hormone immunohistochemistry, and elemental analysis with LA-ICP-MS (Zn, Mn, P) were performed on sequential pancreas sections. Bulk Zn and Mn concentration in the pancreas was determined by solution ICP-MS. Results Our findings reveal that whereas uptake into organs, assessed using PET imaging of 62Zn, is largely unaffected by the R138X variant, mice homozygous of the mutant allele show a substantial lowering (to 40% of WT) of total islet zinc, as anticipated. In contrast, mice heterozygous for this allele, thus mimicking human carriers of LoF alleles, show markedly increased endocrine and exocrine zinc content (1.6-fold increase for both compared to WT), as measured by LA-ICP-MS. Both endocrine and exocrine manganese contents were also sharply increased in R138X+/- mice, with smaller increases observed in R138X+/+ mice. Discussion These data challenge the view that zinc depletion from the beta cell is the likely underlying driver for protection from type 2 diabetes development in carriers of LoF alleles. Instead, they suggest that heterozygous LoF may paradoxically increase pancreatic β-cell zinc and manganese content and impact the levels of these metals in the exocrine pancreas to improve insulin secretion.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Firth
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, St Thomas’ Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Eleni Georgiadou
- Section of Cell Biology and Functional Genomics, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Imperial Centre for Translational and Experimental Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Maral Amrahli
- London Metallomics Facility, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jana Kim
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, St Thomas’ Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Zilin Yu
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, St Thomas’ Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ming Hu
- Section of Cell Biology and Functional Genomics, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Imperial Centre for Translational and Experimental Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Isabelle Leclerc
- Section of Cell Biology and Functional Genomics, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Imperial Centre for Translational and Experimental Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM) Research Center and Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Haruka Okamoto
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Tarrytown, NY, United States
| | - Daniel Gomez
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Tarrytown, NY, United States
| | - Philip J. Blower
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, St Thomas’ Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Guy A. Rutter
- Section of Cell Biology and Functional Genomics, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Imperial Centre for Translational and Experimental Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM) Research Center and Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological, University, Singapore, Singapore
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25
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Alsup AM, Fowlds K, Cho M, Luber JM. BetaBuddy: An end-to-end computer vision pipeline for the automated analysis of insulin secreting β-cells. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.06.535890. [PMID: 37066375 PMCID: PMC10104060 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.06.535890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
Insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells is integral in maintaining the delicate equilibrium of blood glucose levels. Calcium is known to be a key regulator and triggers the release of insulin. This sub-cellular process can be monitored and tracked through live-cell imaging and subsequent cell segmentation, registration, tracking, and analysis of the calcium level in each cell. Current methods of analysis typically require the manual outlining of β-cells, involve multiple software packages, and necessitate multiple researchers - all of which tend to introduce biases. Utilizing deep learning algorithms, we have therefore created a pipeline to automatically segment and track thousands of cells, which greatly reduces the time required to gather and analyze a large number of sub-cellular images and improve accuracy. Tracking cells over a time-series image stack also allows researchers to isolate specific calcium spiking patterns and spatially identify those of interest, creating an efficient and user-friendly analysis tool. Using our automated pipeline, a previous dataset used to evaluate changes in calcium spiking activity in β-cells post-electric field stimulation was reanalyzed. Changes in spiking activity were found to be underestimated previously with manual segmentation. Moreover, the machine learning pipeline provides a powerful and rapid computational approach to examine, for example, how calcium signaling is regulated by intracellular interactions in a cluster of β-cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne M. Alsup
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States of America
| | - Kelli Fowlds
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States of America
| | - Michael Cho
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States of America
| | - Jacob M. Luber
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States of America
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States of America
- Multi-Interprofessional Center for Health Informatics, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States of America
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26
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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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27
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Duan K, Zhou M, Wang Y, Oberholzer J, Lo JF. Visualizing hypoxic modulation of beta cell secretions via a sensor augmented oxygen gradient. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2023; 9:14. [PMID: 36760229 PMCID: PMC9902275 DOI: 10.1038/s41378-022-00482-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
One distinct advantage of microfluidic-based cell assays is their scalability for multiple concentrations or gradients. Microfluidic scaling can be extremely powerful when combining multiple parameters and modalities. Moreover, in situ stimulation and detection eliminates variability between individual bioassays. However, conventional microfluidics must combat diffusion, which limits the spatial distance and time for molecules traveling through microchannels. Here, we leveraged a multilayered microfluidic approach to integrate a novel oxygen gradient (0-20%) with an enhanced hydrogel sensor to study pancreatic beta cells. This enabled our microfluidics to achieve spatiotemporal detection that is difficult to achieve with traditional microfluidics. Using this device, we demonstrated the in situ detection of calcium, insulin, and ATP (adenosine triphosphate) in response to glucose and oxygen stimulation. Specifically, insulin was quantified at levels as low as 25 pg/mL using our imaging technique. Furthermore, by analyzing the spatial detection data dynamically over time, we uncovered a new relationship between oxygen and beta cell oscillations. We observed an optimum oxygen level between 10 and 12%, which is neither hypoxic nor normoxic in the conventional cell culture sense. These results provide evidence to support the current islet oscillator model. In future applications, this spatial microfluidic technique can be adapted for discrete protein detection in a robust platform to study numerous oxygen-dependent tissue dysfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Duan
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bioengineering Program, University of Michigan at Dearborn, Dearborn, MI 48128 USA
| | - Mengyang Zhou
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bioengineering Program, University of Michigan at Dearborn, Dearborn, MI 48128 USA
| | - Yong Wang
- Department of Surgery/Transplant, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908 USA
| | - Jose Oberholzer
- Department of Surgery/Transplant, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908 USA
| | - Joe F. Lo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bioengineering Program, University of Michigan at Dearborn, Dearborn, MI 48128 USA
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28
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Abstract
The islets of Langerhans are highly organized structures that have species-specific, three-dimensional tissue architecture. Islet architecture is critical for proper hormone secretion in response to nutritional stimuli. Islet architecture is disrupted in all types of diabetes mellitus and in cadaveric islets for transplantation during isolation, culture, and perfusion, limiting patient outcomes. Moreover, recapitulating native islet architecture remains a key challenge for in vitro generation of islets from stem cells. In this review, we discuss work that has led to the current understanding of determinants of pancreatic islet architecture, and how this architecture is maintained or disrupted during tissue remodeling in response to normal and pathological metabolic changes. We further discuss both empirical and modeling data that highlight the importance of islet architecture for islet function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa T. Adams
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Barak Blum
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- CONTACT Barak Blum Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI53705, USA
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29
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Bruce N, Wei IA, Leng W, Oh Y, Chiu YC, Roper MG, Bertram R. Coordination of pancreatic islet rhythmic activity by delayed negative feedback. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2022; 323:E492-E502. [PMID: 36223522 PMCID: PMC9722252 DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00123.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Secretion of insulin from the pancreas is pulsatile, driven by intrinsic oscillations within individual islets of Langerhans. The secretions are coordinated among the many islets distributed throughout the pancreas producing a synchronized rhythm in vivo that is essential for maintaining normal glucose levels. One hypothesized mechanism for the coordination of islet activity is negative feedback, whereby sequestration of glucose in response to elevated insulin leads to a reduction in the blood glucose level that is sensed by the islet population. This global signal of glucose then coordinates the individual islets. In this study, we tested how this coordination mechanism is affected by time delays in the negative feedback, using a microfluidic system to monitor Ca2+ levels in a small population of islets and implementing glucose control through a negative feedback system. We found that islet synchronization occurs even with time delays in the feedback of up to 7 min. We also found that a second, slower closed-loop oscillation period is produced during delayed feedback in which islet oscillations are clustered into episodes. The period of this second oscillatory mode increases with the time delay and appears to be a second stable behavior that coexists with the faster synchronized oscillation. The general conclusion is that islet coordination through negative feedback is a viable means of islet coordination that is robust to delays in the timing of the feedback, and could complement other potential coordination mechanisms such as entrainment by pancreatic ganglia.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Insulin secretion from islets of Langerhans is rhythmic, and these rhythms are coordinated to produce oscillatory plasma insulin levels. Using a combination of microfluidics and computational modeling, we demonstrate that coordination can occur through negative feedback of the type provided by the liver, even if that feedback is delayed by several minutes. We also demonstrate that a second, slower, mode of oscillations can occur when feedback is delayed where faster oscillations are grouped into episodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- N. Bruce
- Department of Mathematics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
| | - I.-A. Wei
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
| | - W. Leng
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
| | - Y. Oh
- Department of Mathematics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
| | - Y.-C. Chiu
- Department of Physics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
| | - M. G. Roper
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
| | - R. Bertram
- Department of Mathematics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
- Programs in Molecular Biophysics and Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
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30
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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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Chen KH, Doliba N, May CL, Roman J, Ustione A, Tembo T, Negron A, Radovick S, Piston DW, Glaser B, Kaestner KH, Matschinsky FM. Genetic activation of glucokinase in a minority of pancreatic beta cells causes hypoglycemia in mice. Life Sci 2022; 309:120952. [PMID: 36100080 PMCID: PMC10312065 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2022.120952] [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] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Glucokinase (GK) is expressed in the glucose-sensing cells of the islets of Langerhans and plays a critical role in glucose homeostasis. Here, we tested the hypothesis that genetic activation of GK in a small subset of β-cells is sufficient to change the glucose set-point of the whole islet. MATERIAL AND METHODS Mouse models of cell-type specific GK deficiency (GKKO) and genetic enzyme activation (GKKI) in a subset of β-cells were obtained by crossing the αGSU (gonadotropin alpha subunit)-Cre transgene with the appropriate GK mutant alleles. Metabolic analyses consisted of glucose tolerance tests, perifusion of isolated islets and intracellular calcium measurements. KEY FINDINGS The αGSU-Cre transgene produced genetically mosaic islets, as Cre was active in 15 ± 1.2 % of β-cells. While mice deficient for GK in a subset of islet cells were normal, unexpectedly, GKKI mice were chronically hypoglycemic, glucose intolerant, and had a lower threshold for glucose stimulated insulin secretion. GKKI mice exhibited an average fasting blood glucose level of 3.5 mM. GKKI islets responded with intracellular calcium signals that spread through the whole islets at 1 mM and secreted insulin at 3 mM glucose. SIGNIFICANCE Genetic activation of GK in a minority of β-cells is sufficient to change the glucose threshold for insulin secretion in the entire islet and thereby glucose homeostasis in the whole animal. These data support the model in which β-cells with higher GK activity function as 'hub' or 'trigger' cells and thus control insulin secretion by the β-cell collective within the islet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin H Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19014, USA
| | - Nicolai Doliba
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19014, USA
| | - Catherine L May
- Department of Genetics and Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19014, USA
| | - Jeffrey Roman
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19014, USA
| | - Alessandro Ustione
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Teguru Tembo
- Department of Genetics and Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19014, USA
| | - Ariel Negron
- Department of Medicine and Pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Sally Radovick
- Department of Medicine and Pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - David W Piston
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Benjamin Glaser
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Department, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Klaus H Kaestner
- Department of Genetics and Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19014, USA.
| | - Franz M Matschinsky
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19014, USA.
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32
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Functional architecture of pancreatic islets identifies a population of first responder cells that drive the first-phase calcium response. PLoS Biol 2022; 20:e3001761. [PMID: 36099294 PMCID: PMC9506623 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Insulin-secreting β-cells are functionally heterogeneous. Whether there exist cells driving the first-phase calcium response in individual islets, has not been examined. We examine “first responder” cells, defined by the earliest [Ca2+] response during first-phase [Ca2+] elevation, distinct from previously identified “hub” and “leader” cells. We used islets isolated from Mip-CreER; Rosa-Stop-Lox-Stop-GCamP6s mice (β-GCamP6s) that show β-cell-specific GCamP6s expression following tamoxifen-induced CreER-mediated recombination. First responder cells showed characteristics of high membrane excitability and lower electrical coupling to their neighbors. The first-phase response time of β-cells in the islet was spatially organized, dependent on the cell’s distance to the first responder cell, and consistent over time up to approximately 24 h. When first responder cells were laser ablated, the first-phase [Ca2+] was slowed down, diminished, and discoordinated compared to random cell ablation. Cells that were next earliest to respond often took over the role of the first responder upon ablation. In summary, we discover and characterize a distinct first responder β-cell state, critical for the islet first-phase response to glucose. A hallmark of the early stages in diabetes is the disruption of the first-phase peak of insulin secretion. This study reveals a state of beta cells that drives the first-phase calcium response (a precursor to insulin secretion), challenging the existing paradigm that first-phase calcium response to glucose is not organized within the islet.
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Abstract
Diabetes has become one of the most prevalent endocrine and metabolic diseases that threaten human health, and it is accompanied by serious complications. Therefore, it is vital and pressing to develop novel strategies or tools for prewarning and therapy of diabetes and its complications. Fluorescent probes have been widely applied in the detection of diabetes due to the fact of their attractive advantages. In this report, we comprehensively summarize the recent progress and development of fluorescent probes in detecting the changes in the various biomolecules in diabetes and its complications. We also discuss the design of fluorescent probes for monitoring diabetes in detail. We expect this review will provide new ideas for the development of fluorescent probes suitable for the prewarning and therapy of diabetes in future clinical transformation and application.
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34
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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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35
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Ren H, Li Y, Han C, Yu Y, Shi B, Peng X, Zhang T, Wu S, Yang X, Kim S, Chen L, Tang C. Pancreatic α and β cells are globally phase-locked. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3721. [PMID: 35764654 PMCID: PMC9240067 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31373-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The Ca2+ modulated pulsatile glucagon and insulin secretions by pancreatic α and β cells play a crucial role in glucose homeostasis. However, how α and β cells coordinate to produce various Ca2+ oscillation patterns is still elusive. Using a microfluidic device and transgenic mice, we recorded Ca2+ signals from islet α and β cells, and observed heterogeneous Ca2+ oscillation patterns intrinsic to each islet. After a brief period of glucose stimulation, α and β cells’ oscillations were globally phase-locked. While the activation of α cells displayed a fixed time delay of ~20 s to that of β cells, β cells activated with a tunable period. Moreover, islet α cell number correlated with oscillation frequency. We built a mathematical model of islet Ca2+ oscillation incorporating paracrine interactions, which quantitatively agreed with the experimental data. Our study highlights the importance of cell-cell interaction in generating stable but tunable islet oscillation patterns. The Ca2+ modulated pulsatile glucagon and insulin secretions by pancreatic α and β cells are critical in glucose homeostasis. Here the authors show that the Ca2+ oscillations of α and β cells are phase-locked, and that the oscillation pattern is tuned by paracrine interactions between α and β cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huixia Ren
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.,Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Yanjun Li
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.,Institute of Molecular Medicine, School of Future Technology, National Biomedical Imaging Center, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Chengsheng Han
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, School of Future Technology, National Biomedical Imaging Center, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Yi Yu
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Bowen Shi
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Xiaohong Peng
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, School of Future Technology, National Biomedical Imaging Center, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Tianming Zhang
- Yuanpei College, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Shufang Wu
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Xiaojing Yang
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.,Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Sneppen Kim
- Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Liangyi Chen
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China. .,Institute of Molecular Medicine, School of Future Technology, National Biomedical Imaging Center, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
| | - Chao Tang
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China. .,Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
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36
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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
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37
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Collares-Buzato CB, Carvalho CP. Is type 2 diabetes mellitus another intercellular junction-related disorder? Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2022; 247:743-755. [PMID: 35466731 DOI: 10.1177/15353702221090464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) is nowadays a worldwide epidemic and has become a major challenge for health systems around the world. It is a multifactorial disorder, characterized by a chronic state of hyperglycemia caused by defects in the production as well as in the peripheral action of insulin. This minireview highlights the experimental and clinical evidence that supports the novel idea that intercellular junctions (IJs)-mediated cell-cell contacts play a role in the pathogenesis of T2D. It focuses on IJs repercussion for endocrine pancreas, intestinal barrier, and kidney dysfunctions that contribute to the onset and evolution of this metabolic disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla B Collares-Buzato
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, CEP 13083-970, Brazil
| | - Carolina Pf Carvalho
- Department of Biosciences, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Santos, SP, CEP 11015-020, Brazil
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38
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Yang YHC, Briant LJB, Raab CA, Mullapudi ST, Maischein HM, Kawakami K, Stainier DYR. Innervation modulates the functional connectivity between pancreatic endocrine cells. eLife 2022; 11:64526. [PMID: 35373736 PMCID: PMC9007585 DOI: 10.7554/elife.64526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The importance of pancreatic endocrine cell activity modulation by autonomic innervation has been debated. To investigate this question, we established an in vivo imaging model that also allows chronic and acute neuromodulation with genetic and optogenetic tools. Using the GCaMP6s biosensor together with endocrine cell fluorescent reporters, we imaged calcium dynamics simultaneously in multiple pancreatic islet cell types in live animals in control states and upon changes in innervation. We find that by 4 days post fertilization in zebrafish, a stage when islet architecture is reminiscent of that in adult rodents, prominent activity coupling between beta cells is present in basal glucose conditions. Furthermore, we show that both chronic and acute loss of nerve activity result in diminished beta–beta and alpha–beta activity coupling. Pancreatic nerves are in contact with all islet cell types, but predominantly with beta and delta cells. Surprisingly, a subset of delta cells with detectable peri-islet neural activity coupling had significantly higher homotypic coupling with other delta cells suggesting that some delta cells receive innervation that coordinates their output. Overall, these data show that innervation plays a vital role in the maintenance of homotypic and heterotypic cellular connectivity in pancreatic islets, a process critical for islet function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Hsuan Carol Yang
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | | | - Christopher A Raab
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Sri Teja Mullapudi
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Hans-Martin Maischein
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Koichi Kawakami
- Division of Molecular and Developmental Biology, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
| | - Didier Y R Stainier
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
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39
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Martinez C, Maschio DA, de Fontes CC, Vanzela EC, Benfato ID, Gazarini ML, Carneiro EM, de Oliveira CA, Collares-Buzato CB, de F. Carvalho CP. EARLY DECREASE IN CX36 IS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED CELL ADHESION MOLECULES (CAMs) JUNCTIONAL CONTENT IN MOUSE PANCREATIC ISLETS AFTER SHORT-TERM HIGH-FAT DIET FEEDING. Ann Anat 2022; 241:151891. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aanat.2022.151891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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40
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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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41
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Donati V, Peres C, Nardin C, Scavizzi F, Raspa M, Ciubotaru CD, Bortolozzi M, Pedersen MG, Mammano F. Calcium Signaling in the Photodamaged Skin: In Vivo Experiments and Mathematical Modeling. FUNCTION 2021; 3:zqab064. [PMID: 35330924 PMCID: PMC8788836 DOI: 10.1093/function/zqab064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The epidermis forms an essential barrier against a variety of insults. The overall goal of this study was to shed light not only on the effects of accidental epidermal injury, but also on the mechanisms that support laser skin resurfacing with intra-epidermal focal laser-induced photodamage, a widespread medical practice used to treat a range of skin conditions. To this end, we selectively photodamaged a single keratinocyte with intense, focused and pulsed laser radiation, triggering Ca2+ waves in the epidermis of live anesthetized mice with ubiquitous expression of a genetically encoded Ca2+ indicator. Waves expanded radially and rapidly, reaching up to eight orders of bystander cells that remained activated for tens of minutes, without displaying oscillations of the cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Formula: see text]). By combining in vivo pharmacological dissection with mathematical modeling, we demonstrate that Ca2+ wave propagation depended primarily on the release of ATP, a prime damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), from the hit cell. Increments of the [Formula: see text] in bystander cells were chiefly due to Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), downstream of ATP binding to P2Y purinoceptors. ATP-dependent ATP release though connexin hemichannels (HCs) affected wave propagation at larger distances, where the extracellular ATP concentration was reduced by the combined effect of passive diffusion and hydrolysis due to the action of ectonucleotidases, whereas pannexin channels had no role. Bifurcation analysis suggests basal keratinocytes have too few P2Y receptors (P2YRs) and/or phospholipase C (PLC) to transduce elevated extracellular ATP levels into inositol trisphosphate (IP3) production rates sufficiently large to sustain [Formula: see text] oscillations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viola Donati
- Department of Physics and Astronomy “G. Galilei”, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC)-CNR, 00015 Monterotondo (RM), Italy
| | - Chiara Peres
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC)-CNR, 00015 Monterotondo (RM), Italy
| | - Chiara Nardin
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC)-CNR, 00015 Monterotondo (RM), Italy
| | - Ferdinando Scavizzi
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC)-CNR, 00015 Monterotondo (RM), Italy
| | - Marcello Raspa
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC)-CNR, 00015 Monterotondo (RM), Italy
| | | | - Mario Bortolozzi
- Department of Physics and Astronomy “G. Galilei”, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC)-CNR, 00015 Monterotondo (RM), Italy
- Foundation for Advanced Biomedical Research, Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), 35129 Padova (PD), Italy
| | - Morten Gram Pedersen
- Department of Information Engineering, University of Padova, 35131 Padova (PD), Italy
- Department of Mathematics “Tullio Levi-Civita”, University of Padova, 35121 Padova (PD), Italy
| | - Fabio Mammano
- Department of Physics and Astronomy “G. Galilei”, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC)-CNR, 00015 Monterotondo (RM), Italy
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42
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Ferri G, Pesce L, Tesi M, Marchetti P, Cardarelli F. β-Cell Pathophysiology: A Review of Advanced Optical Microscopy Applications. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222312820. [PMID: 34884624 PMCID: PMC8657725 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222312820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
β-cells convert glucose (input) resulting in the controlled release of insulin (output), which in turn has the role to maintain glucose homeostasis. β-cell function is regulated by a complex interplay between the metabolic processing of the input, its transformation into second-messenger signals, and final mobilization of insulin-containing granules towards secretion of the output. Failure at any level in this process marks β-cell dysfunction in diabetes, thus making β-cells obvious potential targets for therapeutic purposes. Addressing quantitatively β-cell (dys)function at the molecular level in living samples requires probing simultaneously the spatial and temporal dimensions at the proper resolution. To this aim, an increasing amount of research efforts are exploiting the potentiality of biophysical techniques. In particular, using excitation light in the visible/infrared range, a number of optical-microscopy-based approaches have been tailored to the study of β-cell-(dys)function at the molecular level, either in label-free mode (i.e., exploiting intrinsic autofluorescence of cells) or by the use of organic/genetically-encoded fluorescent probes. Here, relevant examples from the literature are reviewed and discussed. Based on this, new potential lines of development in the field are drawn.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianmarco Ferri
- NEST Laboratory, Scuola Normale Superiore, Piazza San Silvestro 12, 56127 Pisa, Italy; (G.F.); (L.P.)
| | - Luca Pesce
- NEST Laboratory, Scuola Normale Superiore, Piazza San Silvestro 12, 56127 Pisa, Italy; (G.F.); (L.P.)
| | - Marta Tesi
- Islet Cell Laboratory, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56127 Pisa, Italy; (M.T.); (P.M.)
| | - Piero Marchetti
- Islet Cell Laboratory, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56127 Pisa, Italy; (M.T.); (P.M.)
| | - Francesco Cardarelli
- NEST Laboratory, Scuola Normale Superiore, Piazza San Silvestro 12, 56127 Pisa, Italy; (G.F.); (L.P.)
- Correspondence:
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43
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Cell Systems Bioelectricity: How Different Intercellular Gap Junctions Could Regionalize a Multicellular Aggregate. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13215300. [PMID: 34771463 PMCID: PMC8582473 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13215300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Electric potential distributions can act as instructive pre-patterns for development, regeneration, and tumorigenesis in cell systems. The biophysical states influence transcription, proliferation, cell shape, migration, and differentiation through biochemical and biomechanical downstream transduction processes. A major knowledge gap is the origin of spatial patterns in vivo, and their relationship to the ion channels and the electrical synapses known as gap junctions. Understanding this is critical for basic evolutionary developmental biology as well as for regenerative medicine. We computationally show that cells may express connexin proteins with different voltage-gated gap junction conductances as a way to maintain multicellular regions at distinct membrane potentials. We show that increasing the multicellular connectivity via enhanced junction function does not always contribute to the bioelectrical normalization of abnormally depolarized multicellular patches. From a purely electrical junction view, this result suggests that the reduction rather than the increase of specific connexin levels can also be a suitable bioelectrical approach in some cases and time stages. We offer a minimum model that incorporates effective conductances ultimately related to specific ion channel and junction proteins that are amenable to external regulation. We suggest that the bioelectrical patterns and their encoded instructive information can be externally modulated by acting on the mean fields of cell systems, a complementary approach to that of acting on the molecular characteristics of individual cells. We believe that despite the limitations of a biophysically focused model, our approach can offer useful qualitative insights into the collective dynamics of cell system bioelectricity.
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Stožer A, Skelin Klemen M, Gosak M, Križančić Bombek L, Pohorec V, Slak Rupnik M, Dolenšek J. Glucose-dependent activation, activity, and deactivation of beta cell networks in acute mouse pancreas tissue slices. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2021; 321:E305-E323. [PMID: 34280052 DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00043.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Many details of glucose-stimulated intracellular calcium changes in β cells during activation, activity, and deactivation, as well as their concentration-dependence, remain to be analyzed. Classical physiological experiments indicated that in islets, functional differences between individual cells are largely attenuated, but recent findings suggest considerable intercellular heterogeneity, with some cells possibly coordinating the collective responses. To address the above with an emphasis on heterogeneity and describing the relations between classical physiological and functional network properties, we performed functional multicellular calcium imaging in mouse pancreas tissue slices over a wide range of glucose concentrations. During activation, delays to activation of cells and any-cell-to-first-responder delays are shortened, and the sizes of simultaneously responding clusters increased with increasing glucose concentrations. Exactly the opposite characterized deactivation. The frequency of fast calcium oscillations during activity increased with increasing glucose up to 12 mM glucose concentration, beyond which oscillation duration became longer, resulting in a homogenous increase in active time. In terms of functional connectivity, islets progressed from a very segregated network to a single large functional unit with increasing glucose concentration. A comparison between classical physiological and network parameters revealed that the first-responders during activation had longer active times during plateau and the most active cells during the plateau tended to deactivate later. Cells with the most functional connections tended to activate sooner, have longer active times, and deactivate later. Our findings provide a common ground for recent differing views on β cell heterogeneity and an important baseline for future studies of stimulus-secretion and intercellular coupling.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We assessed concentration-dependence in coupled β cells, degree of functional heterogeneity, and uncovered possible specialized subpopulations during the different phases of the response to glucose at the level of many individual cells. To this aim, we combined acute mouse pancreas tissue slices with functional multicellular calcium imaging over a wide range from threshold (7 mM) and physiological (8 and 9 mM) to supraphysiological (12 and 16 mM) glucose concentrations, classical physiological, and advanced network analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andraž Stožer
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Physiology, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Maša Skelin Klemen
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Physiology, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Marko Gosak
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Physiology, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | | | - Viljem Pohorec
- 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
| | - Jurij Dolenšek
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Physiology, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
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45
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Adams MT, Dwulet JM, Briggs JK, Reissaus CA, Jin E, Szulczewski JM, Lyman MR, Sdao SM, Kravets V, Nimkulrat SD, Ponik SM, Merrins MJ, Mirmira RG, Linnemann AK, Benninger RKP, Blum B. Reduced synchroneity of intra-islet Ca 2+ oscillations in vivo in Robo-deficient β cells. eLife 2021; 10:e61308. [PMID: 34231467 PMCID: PMC8289414 DOI: 10.7554/elife.61308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The spatial architecture of the islets of Langerhans is hypothesized to facilitate synchronized insulin secretion among β cells, yet testing this in vivo in the intact pancreas is challenging. Robo βKO mice, in which the genes Robo1 and Robo2 are deleted selectively in β cells, provide a unique model of altered islet spatial architecture without loss of β cell differentiation or islet damage from diabetes. Combining Robo βKO mice with intravital microscopy, we show here that Robo βKO islets have reduced synchronized intra-islet Ca2+ oscillations among β cells in vivo. We provide evidence that this loss is not due to a β cell-intrinsic function of Robo, mis-expression or mis-localization of Cx36 gap junctions, or changes in islet vascularization or innervation, suggesting that the islet architecture itself is required for synchronized Ca2+ oscillations. These results have implications for understanding structure-function relationships in the islets during progression to diabetes as well as engineering islets from stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa T Adams
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadisonUnited States
| | - JaeAnn M Dwulet
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraUnited States
| | - Jennifer K Briggs
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraUnited States
| | - Christopher A Reissaus
- Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research and Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, Indiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisUnited States
| | - Erli Jin
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadisonUnited States
| | - Joseph M Szulczewski
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadisonUnited States
| | - Melissa R Lyman
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadisonUnited States
| | - Sophia M Sdao
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadisonUnited States
| | - Vira Kravets
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraUnited States
- Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraUnited States
| | - Sutichot D Nimkulrat
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadisonUnited States
| | - Suzanne M Ponik
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadisonUnited States
| | - Matthew J Merrins
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadisonUnited States
| | - Raghavendra G Mirmira
- Kovler Diabetes Center and the Department of Medicine, University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
| | - Amelia K Linnemann
- Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research and Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, Indiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisUnited States
| | - Richard KP Benninger
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraUnited States
- Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraUnited States
| | - Barak Blum
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadisonUnited States
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46
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Stožer A, Paradiž Leitgeb E, Pohorec V, Dolenšek J, Križančić Bombek L, Gosak M, Skelin Klemen M. The Role of cAMP in Beta Cell Stimulus-Secretion and Intercellular Coupling. Cells 2021; 10:1658. [PMID: 34359828 PMCID: PMC8304079 DOI: 10.3390/cells10071658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic beta cells secrete insulin in response to stimulation with glucose and other nutrients, and impaired insulin secretion plays a central role in development of diabetes mellitus. Pharmacological management of diabetes includes various antidiabetic drugs, including incretins. The incretin hormones, glucagon-like peptide-1 and gastric inhibitory polypeptide, potentiate glucose-stimulated insulin secretion by binding to G protein-coupled receptors, resulting in stimulation of adenylate cyclase and production of the secondary messenger cAMP, which exerts its intracellular effects through activation of protein kinase A or the guanine nucleotide exchange protein 2A. The molecular mechanisms behind these two downstream signaling arms are still not fully elucidated and involve many steps in the stimulus-secretion coupling cascade, ranging from the proximal regulation of ion channel activity to the central Ca2+ signal and the most distal exocytosis. In addition to modifying intracellular coupling, the effect of cAMP on insulin secretion could also be at least partly explained by the impact on intercellular coupling. In this review, we systematically describe the possible roles of cAMP at these intra- and inter-cellular signaling nodes, keeping in mind the relevance for the whole organism and translation to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andraž Stožer
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia; (A.S.); (E.P.L.); (V.P.); (J.D.); (L.K.B.); (M.G.)
| | - Eva Paradiž Leitgeb
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia; (A.S.); (E.P.L.); (V.P.); (J.D.); (L.K.B.); (M.G.)
| | - Viljem Pohorec
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia; (A.S.); (E.P.L.); (V.P.); (J.D.); (L.K.B.); (M.G.)
| | - Jurij Dolenšek
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia; (A.S.); (E.P.L.); (V.P.); (J.D.); (L.K.B.); (M.G.)
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Lidija Križančić Bombek
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia; (A.S.); (E.P.L.); (V.P.); (J.D.); (L.K.B.); (M.G.)
| | - Marko Gosak
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia; (A.S.); (E.P.L.); (V.P.); (J.D.); (L.K.B.); (M.G.)
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Maša Skelin Klemen
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia; (A.S.); (E.P.L.); (V.P.); (J.D.); (L.K.B.); (M.G.)
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Bédécarrats A, Puygrenier L, Castro O'Byrne J, Lade Q, Simmers J, Nargeot R. Organelle calcium-derived voltage oscillations in pacemaker neurons drive the motor program for food-seeking behavior in Aplysia. eLife 2021; 10:68651. [PMID: 34190043 PMCID: PMC8263059 DOI: 10.7554/elife.68651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The expression of motivated behaviors depends on both external and internally arising neural stimuli, yet the intrinsic releasing mechanisms for such variably occurring behaviors remain elusive. In isolated nervous system preparations of Aplysia, we have found that irregularly expressed cycles of motor output underlying food-seeking behavior arise from regular membrane potential oscillations of varying magnitude in an identified pair of interneurons (B63) in the bilateral buccal ganglia. This rhythmic signal, which is specific to the B63 cells, is generated by organelle-derived intracellular calcium fluxes that activate voltage-independent plasma membrane channels. The resulting voltage oscillation spreads throughout a subset of gap junction-coupled buccal network neurons and by triggering plateau potential-mediated bursts in B63, can initiate motor output driving food-seeking action. Thus, an atypical neuronal pacemaker mechanism, based on rhythmic intracellular calcium store release and intercellular propagation, can act as an autonomous intrinsic releaser for the occurrence of a motivated behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura Puygrenier
- Univ. Bordeaux, INCIA, UMR 5287, F-33076 Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | | | - Quentin Lade
- Univ. Bordeaux, INCIA, UMR 5287, F-33076 Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - John Simmers
- Univ. Bordeaux, INCIA, UMR 5287, F-33076 Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Romuald Nargeot
- Univ. Bordeaux, INCIA, UMR 5287, F-33076 Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
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48
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Ng XW, Chung YH, Piston DW. Intercellular Communication in the Islet of Langerhans in Health and Disease. Compr Physiol 2021; 11:2191-2225. [PMID: 34190340 PMCID: PMC8985231 DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c200026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Blood glucose homeostasis requires proper function of pancreatic islets, which secrete insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin from the β-, α-, and δ-cells, respectively. Each islet cell type is equipped with intrinsic mechanisms for glucose sensing and secretory actions, but these intrinsic mechanisms alone cannot explain the observed secretory profiles from intact islets. Regulation of secretion involves interconnected mechanisms among and between islet cell types. Islet cells lose their normal functional signatures and secretory behaviors upon dispersal as compared to intact islets and in vivo. In dispersed islet cells, the glucose response of insulin secretion is attenuated from that seen from whole islets, coordinated oscillations in membrane potential and intracellular Ca2+ activity, as well as the two-phase insulin secretion profile, are missing, and glucagon secretion displays higher basal secretion profile and a reverse glucose-dependent response from that of intact islets. These observations highlight the critical roles of intercellular communication within the pancreatic islet, and how these communication pathways are crucial for proper hormonal and nonhormonal secretion and glucose homeostasis. Further, misregulated secretions of islet secretory products that arise from defective intercellular islet communication are implicated in diabetes. Intercellular communication within the islet environment comprises multiple mechanisms, including electrical synapses from gap junctional coupling, paracrine interactions among neighboring cells, and direct cell-to-cell contacts in the form of juxtacrine signaling. In this article, we describe the various mechanisms that contribute to proper islet function for each islet cell type and how intercellular islet communications are coordinated among the same and different islet cell types. © 2021 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 11:2191-2225, 2021.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue W Ng
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Yong H Chung
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - David W Piston
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University, St Louis, Missouri, USA
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49
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Scialla S, Loppini A, Patriarca M, Heinsalu E. Hubs, diversity, and synchronization in FitzHugh-Nagumo oscillator networks: Resonance effects and biophysical implications. Phys Rev E 2021; 103:052211. [PMID: 34134340 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.103.052211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Using the FitzHugh-Nagumo equations to represent the oscillatory electrical behavior of β-cells, we develop a coupled oscillator network model with cubic lattice topology, showing that the emergence of pacemakers or hubs in the system can be viewed as a natural consequence of oscillator population diversity. The optimal hub to nonhub ratio is determined by the position of the diversity-induced resonance maximum for a given set of FitzHugh-Nagumo equation parameters and is predicted by the model to be in a range that is fully consistent with experimental observations. The model also suggests that hubs in a β-cell network should have the ability to "switch on" and "off" their pacemaker function. As a consequence, their relative amount in the population can vary in order to ensure an optimal oscillatory performance of the network in response to environmental changes, such as variations of an external stimulus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Scialla
- Department of Engineering, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Á. del Portillo 21, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Loppini
- Department of Engineering, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Á. del Portillo 21, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Patriarca
- National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Rävala 10, Tallinn 15042, Estonia
| | - Els Heinsalu
- National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Rävala 10, Tallinn 15042, Estonia
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50
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Saadati M, Jamali Y. The effects of beta-cell mass and function, intercellular coupling, and islet synchrony on [Formula: see text] dynamics. Sci Rep 2021; 11:10268. [PMID: 33986325 PMCID: PMC8119479 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89333-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a challenging metabolic disorder characterized by a substantial loss of [Formula: see text]-cell mass and alteration of [Formula: see text]-cell function in the islets of Langerhans, disrupting insulin secretion and glucose homeostasis. The mechanisms for deficiency in [Formula: see text]-cell mass and function during the hyperglycemia development and T2D pathogenesis are complex. To study the relative contribution of [Formula: see text]-cell mass to [Formula: see text]-cell function in T2D, we make use of a comprehensive electrophysiological model of human [Formula: see text]-cell clusters. We find that defect in [Formula: see text]-cell mass causes a functional decline in single [Formula: see text]-cell, impairment in intra-islet synchrony, and changes in the form of oscillatory patterns of membrane potential and intracellular [Formula: see text] concentration, which can lead to changes in insulin secretion dynamics and in insulin levels. The model demonstrates a good correspondence between suppression of synchronizing electrical activity and published experimental measurements. We then compare the role of gap junction-mediated electrical coupling with both [Formula: see text]-cell synchronization and metabolic coupling in the behavior of [Formula: see text] concentration dynamics within human islets. Our results indicate that inter-[Formula: see text]-cellular electrical coupling depicts a more important factor in shaping the physiological regulation of islet function and in human T2D. We further predict that varying the whole-cell conductance of delayed rectifier [Formula: see text] channels modifies oscillatory activity patterns of [Formula: see text]-cell population lacking intercellular coupling, which significantly affect [Formula: see text] concentration and insulin secretion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Saadati
- Biomathematics Laboratory, Department of Applied Mathematics, School of Mathematical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Yousef Jamali
- Biomathematics Laboratory, Department of Applied Mathematics, School of Mathematical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
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