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Abstract: GLP-1 and GIP are incretins known to affect beta-cell function and turnover. However, information on the direct actions of these hormones on human islet cells is limited. We tested the effects of acute (45min) or prolonged (2days) exposure to GLP-1 or GIP, alone or in combination, on the function and some molecular features of human islets isolated from non-diabetic and type 2 diabetic multiorgan donors. Acutely, both GLP-1 and, more markedly so, GIP, significantly potentiated glucose-stimulated insulin release, with no apparent synergic action. Some of these effects were observed with type 2 diabetic islets as well. Following prolonged exposure to the incretins, improved insulin secretion was observed, and transcription of insulin, PDX-1 and Bcl-2 was increased in both non-diabetic and diabetic islets, with the combination of GLP-1 and GIP showing more significant effects. Although it is still unclear at what extent these beta-cell direct actions of individual or combined incretins occur in-vivo in humans, nevertheless the results of the present study suggest that enhancing the exposure of pancreatic islets to circulating levels of both incretins may be useful for therapeutical purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Exendin-4 is a dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV)-resistant glucagon-like peptide1 (GLP-1) mimetic and its synthetic counterpart, exenatide, is being used in the therapy of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). No information, however, is currently available as for the direct action of exendin-4 on human T2DM islets. In the present study, we exposed pancreatic islets prepared from non-diabetic and T2DM subjects to exendin-4 for 48 h and found that the compound had several, direct beneficial actions on insulin secretion and the expression of genes involved in beta-cell function and differentiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulin secretion in pancreatic islets is dependent upon mitochondrial function and production of ATP. The transcriptional coactivator peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha (protein PGC-1α; gene PPARGC1A) is a master regulator of mitochondrial genes and its expression is decreased and related to impaired oxidative phosphorylation in muscle from patients with type 2 diabetes. Whether it plays a similar role in human pancreatic islets is not known. We therefore investigated if PPARGC1A expression is altered in islets from patients with type 2 diabetes and whether this expression is influenced by genetic ( PPARGC1A Gly482Ser polymorphism) and epigenetic (DNA methylation) factors. We also tested if experimental downregulation of PPARGC1A expression in human islets influenced insulin secretion. The PPARGC1A Gly482Ser polymorphism was genotyped in human pancreatic islets from 48 non-diabetic and 12 type 2 diabetic multi-organ donors and related to PPARGC1A mRNA expression. DNA methylation of the PPARGC1A promoter was analysed in pancreatic islets from ten type 2 diabetic and nine control donors. Isolated human islets were transfected with PPARGC1A silencing RNA (siRNA). PPARGC1A mRNA expression was reduced by 90% ( p < 0.005) and correlated with the reduction in insulin secretion in islets from patients with type 2 diabetes. After downregulation of PPARGC1A expression in human islets by siRNA, insulin secretion was reduced by 41% ( p ≤ 0. 01). We were able to ascribe reduced PPARGC1A expression in islets to both genetic and epigenetic factors, i.e. a common PPARGC1A Gly482Ser polymorphism was associated with reduced PPARGC1A mRNA expression ( p < 0.00005) and reduced insulin secretion ( p < 0.05). In support of an epigenetic influence, the PPARGC1A gene promoter showed a twofold increase in DNA methylation in diabetic islets compared with non-diabetic islets ( p < 0.04). We have shown for the first time that PPARGC1A might be important in human islet insulin secretion and that expression of PPARGC1A in human islets can be regulated by both genetic and epigenetic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are a subgroup of the superfamily of nuclear receptors, with three distinct main types: α, β and γ (subdivided into γ1 and γ2). Recently, the presence of PPARγ has been reported in human islets. Whether other PPAR types can be found in human islets, how islet PPARγ mRNA expression is regulated by the metabolic milieu, their role in insulin secretion, and the effects of a PPARγ agonist are not known. In this study, human pancreatic islets were prepared by collagenase digestion and density gradient purification from nonobese adult donors. The presence of PPAR mRNAs was assessed by RT-PCR, and the effect was evaluated of exposure for up to 24 h to either 22.2 mmol/1 glucose and/or 0.25, 0.5, or 1.0 mmol/1 long-chain fatty acid mixture (oleate to palmitate, 2:1). PPARβ and, to a greater extent, total PPARγ and PPARγ2 mRNAs were expressed in human islets, whereas PPARα mRNA was not detected. Compared with human adipose tissue, PPARγ mRNA was expressed at lower levels in the islets, and PPARβ at similar levels. The expression of PPARγ2 mRNA was not affected by exposure to 22.2 mmol/1 glucose, whereas it decreased markedly and time dependently after exposure to progressively higher free fatty acids (FFA). This latter effect was not affected by the concomitant presence of high glucose. Exposure to FFA caused inhibition of insulin mRNA expression, glucose-stimulated insulin release, and reduction of islet insulin content. The PPARγ agonists rosiglitazone and 15-deoxy-Δ-12,14prostaglandin J2 prevented the cytostatic effect of FFA as well as the FFA-induced changes of PPAR and insulin mRNA expression. In conclusion, this study shows that PPARγ mRNA is expressed in human pancreatic islets, with predominance of PPARγ2; exposure to FFA downregulates PPARγ2 and insulin mRNA expression and inhibits glucose-stimulated insulin secretion; exposure to PPARγ agonists can prevent these effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]