<p>Type 1 diabetes is resulting from the selective destruction of insulin-producing beta-cells within the pancreatic islets. Somatostatin acts as an inhibitor of hormone secretion through specific receptors (sst1-5).</p><p>All ssts were expressed in normal rat and mouse pancreatic islets, although the expression intensity and the co-expression pattern varied between ssts as well as between species. This may reflect a difference in response to somatostatin in islet cells of the two species.</p><p>The Non-Obese Diabetic (NOD) mouse model is an experimental model of type 1 diabetes, with insulitis accompanied by spontaneous hyperglycaemia. Pancreatic specimens from NOD mice at different age and stage of disease were stained for ssts. The islet cells of diabetic NOD mice showed increased islet expression of sst2-5 compared to normoglycemic NOD mice. The increase in sst2-5 expression in the islets cells may suggest either a contributing factor in the process leading to diabetes, or a defense response against ongoing beta-cell destruction.</p><p>Somatostatin analogues were tested on a human endocrine pancreatic tumour cell line and cultured pancreatic islets. Somatostatin analogues had an effect on cAMP accumulation, chromogranin A secretion and MAP kinase activity in the cell line. Treatment of rat pancreatic islets with somatostatin analogues with selective receptor affinity was not sufficient to induce an inhibition of insulin and glucagon secretion. However, a combination of selective analogues or non-selective analogues via co-stimulation of receptors can cause inhibition of hormone production. For insulin and glucagon, combinations of sst2 + sst5 and sst1 + sst2, respectively, showed a biological effect.</p><p>In summary, knowledge of islet cell ssts expression and the effect of somatostatin analogues with high affinity to ssts may be valuable in the future attempts to influence beta-cell function in type 1 diabetes mellitus, since down-regulation of beta-cell function may promote survival of these cells during the autoimmune attack. </p>

Insulin release from single islets of Langerhans is pulsatile. The secretory activities of the islets in the pancreas are coordinated resulting in plasma insulin oscillations. Nutrients amplitude-regulate the insulin pulses without influencing their frequency. Diabetic patients show an abnormal plasma insulin pattern, but the cause of the disturbance remains to be elucidated. Ithe present thesis the influence of the cytoplasmic calcium concentratio([Ca2+]i) and cell metabolism on pulsatile insulin release was examined in single islets of Langerhans from ob/ob-mice. Glucose stimulation of insulin release involves closure of ATP-sensitive K+ channels (KATP channels), depolarization, and Ca2+ influx in β-cells. In the presence of 11 mM glucose, pulsatile insulin secretion occurs in synchrony with oscillations i[Ca2+]i. When [Ca2+]i is low and stable, e.g. under basal conditions, low amplitude insulin pulses are still observed. When [Ca2+]i is elevated and non-oscillating, e.g. when the β-cells are depolarized by potassium, high amplitude insulin pulses are observed. The frequency of the insulin pulses under these conditions is similar to that observed when [Ca2+]i oscillations are present. By permanently opening or closing the KATP channels with diazoxide or tolbutamide, respectively, it was investigated if glucose can modulate pulsatile insulin secretion when it does not influence the channel activity. Under these conditions, [Ca2+]i remained stable whereas the amplitude of the insulin pulses increased with sugar stimulation without change in the frequency. Metabolic inhibition blunted but did not prevent the insulin pulses. The results indicate that oscillations in metabolism can generate pulsatile insulin release when [Ca2+]i is stable. However, under physiological conditions, pulsatile secretion is driven by oscillations in metabolism and [Ca2+]i, acting in synergy.

The mechanisms of β-cell destruction leading to type 1 diabetes are complex and not yet fully understood, but infiltration of the islets of Langerhans by autoreactive immune cells is believed to be important. Activated macrophages and T-cells may then secrete cytokines and free radicals, which could selectively damage the β-cells. Among the cytokines, IL-1β, IFN-γ and TNF-α can induce expression of inducible nitric synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2. Subsequent nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) formation may impair islet function. In the present study, the ability of melatonin (an antioxidative and immunoregulatory hormone) to protect against β-cell damage induced by streptozotocin (STZ; a diabetogenic and free radical generating substance) or IL-1β exposure was examined. In vitro, melatonin counteracted STZ- but not IL-1β-induced islet suppression, indicating that the protective effect of melatonin is related to interference with free radical generation and DNA damage, rather than NO synthesis. In vivo, non-immune mediated diabetes induced by a single dose of STZ was prevented by melatonin. Furthermore, the effects of proinflammatory cytokines were examined in islets obtained from mice with a targeted deletion of the iNOS gene (iNOS -/- mice) and wild-type controls. The in vitro data obtained show that exposure to IL-1β or (IL-1β + IFN-γ) induce disturbances in the insulin secretory pathway, which were independent of NO or PGE2 production and cell death. Initially after addition, in particular IL-1β seems to be stimulatory for the insulin secretory machinery of iNOS –/- islets, whereas IL-1β acts inhibitory after a prolonged period. Separate experiments suggest that the stimulatory effect of IL-1β involves an increased gene expression of phospholipase D1a/b. In addition, the formation of new insulin molecules appears to be affected, since IL-1β and (IL-1β + IFN-γ) suppressed mRNA expression of both insulin convertase enzymes and insulin itself.

The blood vessels of the pancreatic islets are of crucial importance for oxygen and metabolite supply as well as dispersal of secreted hormones. In addition to this, endothelial cells have an important role in the revascularization process after islet transplantation. Previous studies have reported signs of poor engraftment of transplanted islets, presumably due to impaired revascularization. The aims of this thesis were to investigate the revascularization process of transplanted islets and to examine the role of islet endothelial cells. In this context, the lectin Bandeiraea simplicifolia was found to stain endothelium of both endogenous and transplanted pancreatic islets. By using this lectin we investigated the vascular density of both endogenous and islets transplanted syngeneically beneath the renal capsule, into the spleen or intraportally into the liver of normoglycemic C57BL/6 mice. One month post-transplantation, a time point when the grafts are assumed to be completely revascularized, the vascular density was decreased at all three implantation sites when compared to endogenous islets. Furthermore, most of the blood vessels were located in the graft connective tissue stroma. Similar results were obtained when islet transplant vascular density was determined six months post-transplantation and in cured diabetic animals after one month. In order to evaluate the function of intraportally transplanted islets, we developed a method to retrieve such islets. We treated the implantation organ (liver) first enzymatically (collagenase) and then mechanically, thereafter we could re-isolate the transplanted islets for further in vitro studies. The retrieved islets had a decreased insulin relase, insulin content and glucose oxidation rate when compared to non-transplanted control islets. To understand the role of islet endothelium in the revascularization of transplanted islets we performed angiogenesis GEArray studies on islet endothelial cells, from non-cultured, cultured and transplanted islets. We found that the islet endothelium expressed mRNA for both inhibitors and inducers of angiogenesis, and that this expression differed with time. The functional consequences of this remain to be determined. In summary, the results presented above provide a useful platform for future studies of the morphology and function of islet endothelial cells, especially with a view for elucidating changes induced by islet transplantation.

In the field of transplantation, the increasing deficit of human donors have lead to an interest in animals as an alternative source of organs and tissues. Different in vitro systems and rodent models of xenotransplantation were used to examine the most significant barriers that have to be overcome, before isolated islets of Langerhans from pigs can be used as a cure for insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in humans. In clinical transplantation, islets are infused into the liver through the portal vein. During this procedure the islets are susceptible to harmful innate reactions triggered in blood. Adenoviral vectors generating transgenic expression of human complement regulatory proteins were evaluated in pig islets and shown to confer protection against acute complement-mediated damage. Transplanted islets escaping this immediate destruction will be targets of a cellular immune response. Using a new mouse model of islet xenograft rejection, it was demonstrated that macrophages, effector cells in the rejection, were part of an MHC-restricted xenospecific immune response mediated by T cells. In a strain of knockout mice it was further shown that this process can proceed in the absence of an important signalling system, mediated by Toll-like receptors, between cells in innate and adaptive immunity. These findings illustrate some of the mechanistic differences compared to cellular islet allograft rejection which partly explain why immunosuppressive drugs used in clinical allotransplantation is not sufficient for preventing xenograft rejection. Porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERV) remain a safety concern in xenotransplantation. Characterization of PERV in pig islets indicated that virus expression is low in vitro but increases during the immediate time period following transplantation. This suggests that antiviral therapies administered at the time of transplantation could be used for preventing the risk of PERV transmission after xenotransplantation.

Type 1 diabetes is resulting from the selective destruction of insulin-producing beta-cells within the pancreatic islets. Somatostatin acts as an inhibitor of hormone secretion through specific receptors (sst1-5). All ssts were expressed in normal rat and mouse pancreatic islets, although the expression intensity and the co-expression pattern varied between ssts as well as between species. This may reflect a difference in response to somatostatin in islet cells of the two species. The Non-Obese Diabetic (NOD) mouse model is an experimental model of type 1 diabetes, with insulitis accompanied by spontaneous hyperglycaemia. Pancreatic specimens from NOD mice at different age and stage of disease were stained for ssts. The islet cells of diabetic NOD mice showed increased islet expression of sst2-5 compared to normoglycemic NOD mice. The increase in sst2-5 expression in the islets cells may suggest either a contributing factor in the process leading to diabetes, or a defense response against ongoing beta-cell destruction. Somatostatin analogues were tested on a human endocrine pancreatic tumour cell line and cultured pancreatic islets. Somatostatin analogues had an effect on cAMP accumulation, chromogranin A secretion and MAP kinase activity in the cell line. Treatment of rat pancreatic islets with somatostatin analogues with selective receptor affinity was not sufficient to induce an inhibition of insulin and glucagon secretion. However, a combination of selective analogues or non-selective analogues via co-stimulation of receptors can cause inhibition of hormone production. For insulin and glucagon, combinations of sst2 + sst5 and sst1 + sst2, respectively, showed a biological effect. In summary, knowledge of islet cell ssts expression and the effect of somatostatin analogues with high affinity to ssts may be valuable in the future attempts to influence beta-cell function in type 1 diabetes mellitus, since down-regulation of beta-cell function may promote survival of these cells during the autoimmune attack.

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic autoimmune disease targeted against the pancreatic β-cells. Proinflammatory cytokines are considered to play a major role in the destruction of the insulin-producing β-cells. This thesis studied strategies to counteract proinflammatory cytokines in experimental T1D. Both animal models for T1D as well as β-cell preparations exposed in vitro to putative noxious conditions were examined. In the first study we observed that cytokine treatment of mouse pancreatic islets lacking inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) induced a prolongation of the early stimulatory phase of glucose stimulated insulin secretion. Various experiments led to the conclusion that this prolonged stimulatory effect may involve the DAG/PLD/PKC pathway. Next, we transplanted mouse islets deficient in iNOS to spontaneously diabetic NOD mice. We observed a normalization of hyperglycemia but not a delayed allograft rejection compared to transplanted wild type islets. Thus, absence of iNOS in the graft was not sufficient to prolong allograft survival. In paper III we found that sustained glucose stimulation of rat pancreatic islets was coupled to a decreased conversion of proinsulin to insulin. Islet treatment with IL-1β was also coupled to a decreased proinsulin conversion. Islet proconvertase activity may be a target in islet damage. In paper IV prolactin (PRL) was administered to mice in the multiple low dose streptozotocin model and we observed that PRL enhanced a Th2 response. This may contribute to the protective action by PRL in this model of autoimmune T1D. Finally, by examining β-cells overexpressing Suppressor of cytokine signalling 3 (SOCS-3) it was found that this could inhibit IL-1β induced signalling through the NF-κB and MAPK pathways. SOCS-3 overexpression also inhibited apoptosis induced by cytokines in primary β-cells. Lastly, we demonstrated that SOCS-3 transgenic islets were protected in an allogeneic transplantation model.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease resulting in the selective destruction of the insulin producing β-cells in the pancreas. Pro-inflammatory cytokines and the free radical nitric oxide (NO) have been implicated in mediating the destruction of β-cells, possibly through activation of the mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs) JNK, ERK and p38. In addition to MAPKs, cytokine signaling also results in activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB). The upstream signaling events leading to MAPK and NF-κB activation in β-cells are not well known. The work presented in this thesis therefore aims at characterizing the regulation of MAPKs and NF-κB in human islets, with emphasis on the role of the MAPK activator MAP/ERK kinase kinase-1 (MEKK-1) in islet cell death. It was found that MEKK-1 was phosphorylated in response to the nitric oxide donor DETA/NONOate (DETA/NO), the β-cell toxin streptozotocin (STZ) and pro-inflammatory cytokines and that MEKK-1 downstream signaling in response to the same treatments involved activation of JNK but not ERK and p38. MEKK-1 was also found to be essential for cytokine-induced NF-κB activation. MEKK-1 downregulation protected human islet cells from DETA/NO-, STZ, and cytokine-induced cell death. Furthermore, overexpression of the NF-κB subunit c-Rel protected human islet cells from STZ and hydrogen peroxide-induced cell death indicating that NF-κB activity protects against cell death in human islets. In summary, these results support an essential role for MEKK-1 in the activation of JNK and NF-κB, with important consequences for human islet cell death and that strategies preventing human islets death by inhibition of the JNK pathway instead of NF-κB might be suitable.

Pancreatic ß-cells are heterogeneous in their secretory responsiveness, glucose sensitivity and metabolic rate. A diminished and delayed first-phase insulin release is an early sign of failing ß-cells in diabetes. Mechanisms controlling functional characteristics, such as lag time for insulin release or magnitude of the response in each individual cell are unknown. To find out whether the heterogeneity represents a random phenomenon in ß-cell or is a manifestation of reproducible characteristics, we compared parameters of Ca2+ response in Fura-2 labelled ob/ob mouse ß-cells during two consecutive stimulations with glucose. Lag times, as well as peak heights and nadirs of initial lowering showed a strong correlation between the first and second stimulation. Thus, timing and magnitude of the early Ca2+ response were specific for each cell. ß-Cells from lean mice, diabetic db/db mice and rats also showed cell-specific responses characteristics. This indicates that a cell-specific Ca2+ response to glucose is common in rodent ß-cells, both normal and diabetic. Another question was whether aggregated ß-cells show cell-specific responses. Using the same protocol as for dispersed ß-cells, we analysed Ca2+ responses in clusters of different size and in intact islets from ob/ob and lean mice. Correlations were found between the first and second stimulation for timing and magnitude of [Ca2+]i rise, and for the initial lowering. Next, we tested if the ß-cell response is cell-specific, when induced at different steps of the stimulus-secretion coupling. The glycolytic intermediate glyceraldehyde, the mitochondrial substrate KIC, the KATP-channel blocker tolbutamide and arginine were used as tools. [Ca2+]i changes were studied in dispersed ß-cells from lean, ob/ob and db/db mice. NADH responses to glucose and KIC were analyzed as a measure of metabolic flux. The correlation between Ca2+ and insulin response from individual ß-cells was tested using Fluo-3 and Fluozin-3. Both timing and magnitude of calcium responses were cell-specific in lean mouse ß-cells with all tested secretagogues. ß-Cells from ob/ob and db/db mice showed cell-specific timing of Ca2+ responses to glyceraldehyde but not to KIC, tolbutamide or arginine. However, ob/ob mouse ß-cells within intact islets showed cell-specific timing of tolbutamide-induced response. NADH responses to glucose were cell-specific in all three mouse models, but the timing of NADH responses to KIC was cell-specific only in lean mice. Thus, a cell-specific response can be induced in normal ß-cells at several steps of stimulus-secretion coupling for nutrient-stimulated insulin release. Cell-specific properties of ß-cell ion channels and the mitochondrial metabolism are affected in db/db and ob/ob mice. The relation between mitochondrial mass and parameters of Ca2+ responses were investigated in Mitotracker Red and Fluo-3 labelled ß-cells using confocal microscopy. Data show that ß-cell mitochondrial state may play an important role in determining the timing of [Ca2+]i changes. In summary, the early Ca2+ response pattern in ß-cells, including the lag time, the nadir of initial lowering and the height of the first peak response is cell-specific. Isolated and functionally coupled ß-cells show cell-specific timing of Ca2+ responses when stimulated with metabolic and non-metabolic agents. This may be a robust mechanism of importance for the adequate function of ß-cells and a basis for the pacemaker function of some cells. A disturbed cell specificity of the mitochondrial metabolism and ion channel function appears to be a marker of ß-cell dysfunction in hyperglycemia and diabetes and may explain the delayed insulin release in ß-cells from diabetic subjects.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri--Columbia, 2003. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 146-172). Also available on the Internet.