Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress has been implicated as a causative factor in the development of pancreatic beta-cell dysfunction and death resulting in type 2 diabetes. This thesis examined the role of ATF6beta in the ER stress response of beta-cells. Using an ATF6beta-specific antibody, expression of full-length ATF6beta was detected in various insulinoma cell lines and rodent islets and the induction of the active form (ATF6beta-p60) under ER stress conditions. Knock-down of ATF6beta in INS-1 832/13 cells did not affect mRNA induction of known ER stress response genes in response to tunicamycin-induced ER stress, however it increased the susceptibility of beta-cells to apoptosis. Conversely, overexpression of ATF6beta-p60 reduced the apoptotic phenotype. Microarray results suggest ATF6beta functions to induce expression of adaptive genes also regulated by ATF6alpha, but also several specific targets genes. These findings have increased our understanding of the role of ATF6beta in the ER stress response of beta-cells.

Intranuclear rodlets (INRs) are poorly understood intranuclear bodies originally identified within neuronal nuclei on the basis of their unique morphology. Their mechanism of formation, biochemical composition and physiological significance are largely unknown. To gain insight into the molecular regulators of INR formation, mice with a conditional adult β cell-specific knockout of the master regulator of β-cell metabolism, Lkb1 protein kinase (LABKO mice) were studied. The proportion of beta cells containing INRs was significantly reduced in LABKO mice. Further examination ruled out mTOR and Mark2 as downstream effectors of Lkb1 knockout INR phenotype. Instead it identified the mTOR pathway as an independent regulator of INR formation. To investigate INR changes in a pathophysiological context, β cell INRs were examined in two models of human metabolic syndrome: (1) mice maintained on a high-fat diet and (2) leptin-deficient ob/ob mice. Significant INR reduction was observed in both models. Taken together, our results support the view that INR formation in pancreatic β cells is a dynamic and regulated process. The substantial depletion of INRs in LABKO and obese diabetic mice suggests their relationship to β cell function and potential involvement in diabetes pathogenesis. The significance of these findings was further underscored by the demonstration of INRs in human endocrine pancreas, suggesting their potential relevance to the development of metabolic syndrome in humans. The existence of biochemically distinct subtypes of INRs has been suggested by previous reports of differential immunological staining of INRs in neurochemically distinct neuronal populations. Here, a novel variant of INR has been identified that is immunoreactive for the 40kDa huntingtin associated protein and ubiquitin; and evidence was provided for the existence of additional INR subtypes sharing ubiquitin immunoreactivity as a common feature. Selective association of these INRs with melanin concentrating hormone and tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive neurons of the hypothalamus and the locus coeruleus was described. It was also demonstrated for the first time that biochemically distinct INR subtypes can co-exist within a single nucleus where they engage in non-random spatial interactions. These findings highlight the biochemical diversity and cell type specific expression of these enigmatic intranuclear structures. On the basis of these findings and previous literature a hypothesis is proposed as to the overall functional significance of INRs in the cell nucleus.

Emerging evidence suggests that vitamin D may be associated with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), however current data are inconsistent regarding metabolic disorders underlying T2DM. The objectives of this thesis were to investigate the association of vitamin D with the primary pathophysiological disorders of type 2 diabetes: namely insulin resistance (IR) and beta (β)-cell dysfunction, and the metabolic syndrome (MetS). All studies included individuals participating in the PROspective Metabolism and ISlet cell Evaluation (PROMISE) cohort study, comprising 712 subjects 30 years and older, and at risk of T2DM at baseline. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] was measured to assess vitamin D nutritional status. Validated oral glucose tolerance test derived indices for IR and β-cell function were calculated. In the first cross-sectional study, multivariate linear regression analyses indicated a significant inverse association of serum 25(OH)D with IR (β=-0.003, p=0.007) and a significant positive association of 25(OH)D with β-cell function (β=0.004, p=0.03) at the baseline PROMISE clinic visit (n=712). In another cross-sectional study also conducted using data from the baseline PROMISE clinic visit, higher 25(OH)D was found to be significantly associated with a reduced presence of the MetS after multivariate adjustment (OR=0.76, 95% CI 0.62-0.93). Low serum 25(OH)D was also significantly associated with various MetS components. In light of the findings in the first cross-sectional study, the third study examined prospective associations of baseline 25(OH)D with 3-year follow-up IR and β-cell function (n=489). Although baseline 25(OH)D was not significantly associated with follow-up IR, a significant positive association of baseline 25(OH)D with β-cell function at follow-up was observed (β=0.005, p=0.015). Lastly, in a longitudinal substudy (n=127), seasonal changes in 25(OH)D over 2.5 years did not significantly affect changes in IR and β-cell function. In conclusion, results indicated that baseline serum 25(OH)D was cross-sectionally related to IR, β-cell function and the MetS, and was prospectively related to β-cell function at the 3-year follow-up. In addition, seasonal changes in 25(OH)D do not adversely affect IR and β-cell function over time. These findings suggest a potential role for higher 25(OH)D levels in reducing diabetes risk, although additional longitudinal studies are warranted.

Emerging evidence suggests that vitamin D may be associated with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), however current data are inconsistent regarding metabolic disorders underlying T2DM. The objectives of this thesis were to investigate the association of vitamin D with the primary pathophysiological disorders of type 2 diabetes: namely insulin resistance (IR) and beta (β)-cell dysfunction, and the metabolic syndrome (MetS). All studies included individuals participating in the PROspective Metabolism and ISlet cell Evaluation (PROMISE) cohort study, comprising 712 subjects 30 years and older, and at risk of T2DM at baseline. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] was measured to assess vitamin D nutritional status. Validated oral glucose tolerance test derived indices for IR and β-cell function were calculated. In the first cross-sectional study, multivariate linear regression analyses indicated a significant inverse association of serum 25(OH)D with IR (β=-0.003, p=0.007) and a significant positive association of 25(OH)D with β-cell function (β=0.004, p=0.03) at the baseline PROMISE clinic visit (n=712). In another cross-sectional study also conducted using data from the baseline PROMISE clinic visit, higher 25(OH)D was found to be significantly associated with a reduced presence of the MetS after multivariate adjustment (OR=0.76, 95% CI 0.62-0.93). Low serum 25(OH)D was also significantly associated with various MetS components. In light of the findings in the first cross-sectional study, the third study examined prospective associations of baseline 25(OH)D with 3-year follow-up IR and β-cell function (n=489). Although baseline 25(OH)D was not significantly associated with follow-up IR, a significant positive association of baseline 25(OH)D with β-cell function at follow-up was observed (β=0.005, p=0.015). Lastly, in a longitudinal substudy (n=127), seasonal changes in 25(OH)D over 2.5 years did not significantly affect changes in IR and β-cell function. In conclusion, results indicated that baseline serum 25(OH)D was cross-sectionally related to IR, β-cell function and the MetS, and was prospectively related to β-cell function at the 3-year follow-up. In addition, seasonal changes in 25(OH)D do not adversely affect IR and β-cell function over time. These findings suggest a potential role for higher 25(OH)D levels in reducing diabetes risk, although additional longitudinal studies are warranted.

Beta-cell failure is a key step in the progression from metabolic disorder to overt type 2 diabetes (T2D). This failure is characterised by both secretory defects and loss of beta-cell mass, the latter most likely through increases in the rate of apoptosis. Although the mechanisms underlying these beta-cell defects are unclear, evidence suggests that chronic exposure of beta-cells to elevated fatty acid (FA) plays a role in disease development in genetically susceptible individuals. Furthermore, it has been postulated that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress signalling pathways (the unfolded protein response; UPR) play a role in FA-induced beta-cell dysfunction. The broad aim of this thesis was to explore the nature of these relationships. Experiments detailed in this thesis demonstrate that MIN6 beta-cells mount a comprehensive ER stress response with exposure to elevated saturated fatty acid palmitate, but not the unsaturated fatty acid, oleate, within the low elevated physiological range. This response was time-dependent and involved both transcriptional and translational changes in UPR transducers and targets. The differential activation of ER stress in MIN6 beta-cells by saturated, but not unsaturated FA species may represent a mechanism of differential beta-cell death described in many studies with these FA. Furthermore, these experiments describe defects in ER to Golgi trafficking with chronic palmitate treatment, but not oleate or thapsigagin treatment, identifying this as a potential mechanism by which palmitate treatment induces ER stress. Moreover, these studies have shown the relevance to ER stress to a whole body model of T2D by demonstrating UPR activation in the islets of the db/db mouse. In conclusion, studies detailed in this thesis have demonstrated that ER stress occurs in in vitro and in vivo models of beta-cell lipotoxicity and apoptosis. In addition, these studies have identified defects in ER to Golgi trafficking as a mechanism by which palmitate treatment induces ER stress. These studies highlight the importance of ER stress in the development of T2D.

Este estudo investigou se o tratamento com glicocorticoide durante a gestação altera o metabolismo energético, hormonal e molecular materno, a função das ilhotas pancreáticas e mudanças correlativas sobre miRNAs. Foram utilizadas 80 ratas dividas em dois grupos de 40 animais, sendo um grupo destinado para envelhecimento até um ano após o desmame da prole, e o seguinte grupo destinado para experimentação no 20º dia de gestação, ambos dispostos em: CTL - controle, CTL-Dex - controle tratadas com dexametasona por 6 dias, P - prenhes e P-Dex - prenhes tratadas com dexametasona do 14º-19º dia de gestação. A expressão de miRNA das ilhotas foram analisadas em larga escala. Os genes alvos foram rastreados em banco de dados e confirmados. Por fim, investigou-se o mecanismo de modulação da homeostasia glicêmica. Inúmeras modificações resultaram da terapia com DEXA na gestação concluindo que a associação do tratamento ao período gravídico modula positivamente membros da família miRNA-29 ocasionando um desequilíbrio na homeostasia glicêmica por meio de falha na maquinaria exocitótica em longo prazo, desencadeado pela modulação negativa de progesterona e seu receptor promovendo prejuízo no processo de remodelação da ilhota pancreática na fase final da gestação. / This study investigated whether treatment with glucocorticoids during pregnancy alters the energetic, hormonal and molecular maternal metabolism, function of pancreatic islets and correlative changes of miRNAs. Were used 80 rats divided into two groups of 40 animals, one group designed to aging up one year after weaning, and the next group destined to experimentation at 20th day of gestation, both arranged: CTL - control, CTL-Dex - control treated with dexamethasone for 6 days, P - pregnant rats and P-Dex - pregnant rats treated with dexamethasone from 14th to 19th day of pregnancy. Pancreatic islets were collected for large-scale analysis of miRNA expression. The target genes were screened and confirmed by qPCR. Finally it was investigated the mechanism of modulation of glucose homeostasis through qPCR and Western Blot. We can be observed numerous changes resulting from therapy with DEXA in pregnancy concluded that the association of treatment to the pregnancy period modulates members of the miRNA-29 family causing an imbalance in glucose homeostasis through long-term failure in exocytotic machinery, triggered by the downregulation of the progesterone and its receptor promoting injury in the pancreatic islet remodeling process in late pregnancy.

Intranuclear rodlets (INRs) are poorly understood intranuclear bodies originally identified within neuronal nuclei on the basis of their unique morphology. Their mechanism of formation, biochemical composition and physiological significance are largely unknown. To gain insight into the molecular regulators of INR formation, mice with a conditional adult β cell-specific knockout of the master regulator of β-cell metabolism, Lkb1 protein kinase (LABKO mice) were studied. The proportion of beta cells containing INRs was significantly reduced in LABKO mice. Further examination ruled out mTOR and Mark2 as downstream effectors of Lkb1 knockout INR phenotype. Instead it identified the mTOR pathway as an independent regulator of INR formation. To investigate INR changes in a pathophysiological context, β cell INRs were examined in two models of human metabolic syndrome: (1) mice maintained on a high-fat diet and (2) leptin-deficient ob/ob mice. Significant INR reduction was observed in both models. Taken together, our results support the view that INR formation in pancreatic β cells is a dynamic and regulated process. The substantial depletion of INRs in LABKO and obese diabetic mice suggests their relationship to β cell function and potential involvement in diabetes pathogenesis. The significance of these findings was further underscored by the demonstration of INRs in human endocrine pancreas, suggesting their potential relevance to the development of metabolic syndrome in humans. The existence of biochemically distinct subtypes of INRs has been suggested by previous reports of differential immunological staining of INRs in neurochemically distinct neuronal populations. Here, a novel variant of INR has been identified that is immunoreactive for the 40kDa huntingtin associated protein and ubiquitin; and evidence was provided for the existence of additional INR subtypes sharing ubiquitin immunoreactivity as a common feature. Selective association of these INRs with melanin concentrating hormone and tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive neurons of the hypothalamus and the locus coeruleus was described. It was also demonstrated for the first time that biochemically distinct INR subtypes can co-exist within a single nucleus where they engage in non-random spatial interactions. These findings highlight the biochemical diversity and cell type specific expression of these enigmatic intranuclear structures. On the basis of these findings and previous literature a hypothesis is proposed as to the overall functional significance of INRs in the cell nucleus.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(医学) / 甲第22363号 / 医博第4604号 / 新制||医||1043(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院医学研究科医学専攻 / (主査)教授 川口 義弥, 教授 富樫 かおり, 教授 上本 伸二 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Medical Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

Die Pathophysiologie des Diabetes mellitus Typ 2 ist gekennzeichnet durch einen fortschreitenden Verlust an funktioneller β-Zellmasse mit unzureichender Insulinbiosynthese und Insulinsekretion. Die Transkription des Insulingens ist eine wichtige β-Zell-spezifische Funktion. Der Transkriptionsfaktor MafA ist für die Aufrechterhaltung der β-Zell-Funktion bedeutend. Die MAPK Dual Leucin-Zipper Kinase (DLK) ist an der MafA-abhängigen Insulingentranskription beteiligt. In der vorliegenden Arbeit konnte mithilfe einer β-Zelllinie gezeigt werden, dass die DLK MafA hemmt. Daten aus Luciferase-Reportergenassays zeigten, dass über eine Hemmung der transkriptionellen Aktivität von MafA und über eine Hemmung der humanen Insulingentranskription die DLK zum Verlust der Insulinbiosynthese beitrug. Aus Immunoblotanalysen ging hervor, dass die Proteinmenge von MafA durch die DLK vermindert wurde. Mithilfe von Kernerkennungssequenzmutanten der DLK konnte nachvollzogen werden, dass die hemmende Wirkung der DLK auf die transkriptionelle Aktivität von MafA außerhalb des Zellkerns stattfand, vermutlich indem die DLK die ihr untergeordnete Kinase JNK aktivierte, welche wiederum MafA phosphorylierte und hemmte. Die DLK hemmte die Transkription des als Glucosesensor fungierenden Enzyms Glucokinase, welches für eine adäquate Insulinsekretion vonnöten ist. Mit einer Hemmung des anti-apoptotischen Proteins Bcl-xL durch die DLK wurden weitere Hinweise auf eine Beteiligung der DLK an der β-Zell-Apoptose geliefert. Eine Hemmung der Funktion der DLK könnte ein therapeutischer Ansatz sein, um eine weitere Progression des Diabetes mellitus Typ 2 zu verhindern.

Le pancréas est organisé en deux compartiments : le pancréas exocrine et le pancréas endocrine. Ce dernier est constitué d’Îlots de Langerhans composés de 5 types cellulaires : les cellules α, β, δ, ε et PP, synthétisant respectivement le glucagon, l’insuline, la somatostatine, la ghréline et le polypeptide pancréatique. Le diabète de type 1 est une maladie auto-immune entrainant la destruction des cellules β productrices d’insuline, conduisant à une hyperglycémie chronique. Le remplacement des cellules β nécessite de déchiffrer les mécanismes impliqués dans leur genèse au cours du développement. La coopération de plusieurs facteurs de transcription spécifie successivement les cellules progénitrices en cellules pancréatiques, endocrines puis α, β, δ, ε ou PP. Parmi ceux-ci, Arx et Pax4, jouent un rôle essentiel dans la détermination des cellules α/ PP et β/δ, respectivement. Nous avons récemment démontré que l’expression ectopique de Pax4 dans des cellules α adultes entrainait leur régénération et leur conversion en cellules productrices d’insuline. De plus, une augmentation du nombre de cellules δ a également été notée chez ces animaux. Ces cellules n’étant pas accumulées, nous avons suggéré leur possible conversion en cellules β. Ce travail de thèse porte donc sur la génération et la caractérisation d’animaux permettant l’expression ectopique de Pax4 dans les cellules δ. Nous démontrons que l’expression de Pax4 dans ces cellules δ est suffisante pour induire leur conversion en cellules « β-like ». De plus, nous montrons que cette conversion contribue à la réactivation du développement endocrine, conduisant à une hyperplasie des cellules produisant de l'insuline / The pancreas is organized into two compartments: the exocrine and the endocrine pancreas. The latter consists of functional units named islets of Langerhans which contain five cell subtypes, α, β, δ, ε and PP-cells responsible for the secretion of glucagon, insulin, somatostatin, ghrelin and pancreatic polypeptide, respectively. Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus is an autoimmune disorder resulting in the loss of insulin-producing β-cells, leading to chronic hyperglycemia. Therefore, approaches aiming at gaining further insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying β-cell (neo)genesis, are of growing interest. A network involving numerous transcription factors was found to progressively specify endodermal progenitors toward the pancreatic, endocrine, and islet cell fates. Among these, Arx and Pax4, were found to exert key roles for the allocation to the α-/PP- and β/δ-cell lineages, respectively. Importantly, we recently showed that adult α-cells can be regenerated and converted into functional β-like cells upon the ectopic expression of Pax4. Surprisingly, an increase of δ-cells was noted in these animals, such cells not accumulating over time. We therefore wonder whether δ-cells could be regenerated and converted into β-like cells. Here, we report the generation and characterization of transgenic animals allowing the misexpression of Pax4 in somatostatin-expressing cells. We demonstrate that the sole ectopic expression of Pax4 in δ-cells is sufficient to induce their conversion into β-like cells. We show that this conversion contributes to the reactivation of endocrine developmental processes, leading to a massive β-like cell hyperplasia