Keizo Nakaya

TCF7L2 in mouse pancreatic beta cells plays a crucial role in glucose homeostasis by regulating beta cell mass

Aims/hypothesisCommon genetic variations of the transcription factor 7-like 2 gene (encoded by TCF7L2), one of the T cell factor/lymphoid enhancer-binding factor transcription factors for the converging wingless-type MMTV integration site family (Wnt)/β-catenin signalling pathway, are known to be associated with type 2 diabetes. Individuals with at-risk alleles of TCF7L2 exhibit impaired insulin secretion. Although previous studies using animal models have revealed the existence of a relationship between the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway and glucose homeostasis, it remains unclear whether TCF7L2 in the pancreatic beta cells might be causally involved in insulin secretion in vivo. In this study, we investigated the role of TCF7L2 expressed in the pancreatic beta cells in glucose homeostasis.MethodsThree independent groups of genetically engineered mice (DN mice) were generated, in which expression of the dominant-negative form of Tcf7l2 was driven under a rat insulin promoter. Phenotypes of both adult and newborn mice were evaluated. The levels of genes and proteins expressed in isolated islets were determined by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blot analysis, respectively.ResultsAdult DN mice showed impaired glucose tolerance and decreased insulin secretion in both oral and intraperitoneal glucose tolerance tests. Marked reduction of the beta cell area and whole-pancreas insulin content was observed in both the adult and newborn DN mice. Islets from the DN mice showed decreased gene expressions of Ccnd1, Ccnd2, Irs1, Irs2, Ins1, Ins2 and Mafa, consistent with the deleterious effects of the dominant-negative form of Tcf7l2 on beta cell proliferation and insulin production.Conclusions/interpretationTCF7L2 expressed in the pancreatic beta cells plays a crucial role in glucose metabolism through regulation of the beta cell mass.

Insulin receptor substrate-2 (Irs2) in endothelial cells plays a crucial role in insulin secretion.

Endothelial cells are considered to be essential for normal pancreatic β-cell function. The current study attempted to demonstrate the role of insulin receptor substrate-2 (Irs2) in endothelial cells with regard to insulin secretion. Endothelial cell–specific Irs2 knockout (ETIrs2KO) mice exhibited impaired glucose-induced, arginine-induced, and glucagon-induced insulin secretion and showed glucose intolerance. In batch incubation and perifusion experiments using isolated islets, glucose-induced insulin secretion was not significantly different between the control and the ETIrs2KO mice. In contrast, in perfusion experiments, glucose-induced insulin secretion was significantly impaired in the ETIrs2KO mice. The islet blood flow was significantly impaired in the ETIrs2KO mice. After the treatment of these knockout mice with enalapril maleate, which improved the islet blood flow, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion was almost completely restored to levels equal to those in the control mice. These data suggest that Irs2 deletion in endothelial cells leads to a decreased islet blood flow, which may cause impaired glucose-induced insulin secretion. Thus, Irs2 in endothelial cells may serve as a novel therapeutic target for preventing and ameliorating type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

Deregulation of pancreas-specific oxidoreductin ERO1β in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus

ABSTRACT A growing body of evidence has underlined the significance of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus. ER oxidoreductin 1β (ERO1β) is a pancreas-specific disulfide oxidase that is known to be upregulated in response to ER stress and to promote protein folding in pancreatic β cells. It has recently been demonstrated that ERO1β promotes insulin biogenesis in β cells and thus contributes to physiological glucose homeostasis, though it is unknown if ERO1β is involved in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus. Here we show that in diabetic model mice, ERO1β expression is paradoxically decreased in β cells despite the indications of increased ER stress. However, overexpression of ERO1β in β cells led to the upregulation of unfolded protein response genes and markedly enlarged ER lumens, indicating that ERO1β overexpression caused ER stress in the β cells. Insulin contents were decreased in the β cells that overexpressed ERO1β, leading to impaired insulin secretion in response to glucose stimulation. These data indicate the importance of the fine-tuning of the ER redox state, the disturbance of which would compromise the function of β cells in insulin synthesis and thus contribute to the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus.

Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor anagliptin ameliorates diabetes in mice with haploinsufficiency of glucokinase on a high-fat diet.

OBJECTIVE Type 2 diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia with insulin resistance and impaired insulin secretion. DPP-4 inhibitors have attracted attention as a new class of anti-diabetic agents for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. We investigated the effects of anagliptin, a highly selective DPP-4 inhibitor, on insulin secretion and insulin resistance in high-fat diet-fed mice with haploinsufficiency of glucokinase (GckKO) as animal models of type 2 diabetes. MATERIALS/METHODS Wild-type and GckKO mice were administered two doses of anagliptin by dietary admixture (0.05% and 0.3%) for 10weeks. RESULTS Both doses of anagliptin significantly inhibited the plasma DPP-4 activity and increased the plasma active GLP-1 levels in both the wild-type and GckKO mice to a similar degree. After 10weeks of treatment with 0.3% anagliptin, body weight gain and food intake were significantly suppressed in both wild-type and GckKO mice. In addition, 0.3% anagliptin ameliorated insulin resistance and glucose intolerance in both genotypes of mice. On the other hand, treatment with 0.05% anagliptin was not associated with any significant change of the body weight, food intake or insulin sensitivity in either genotype of mice, but it did improve the glucose tolerance by enhancing insulin secretion and increasing the β-cell mass in both genotypes of mice. CONCLUSIONS High-dose anagliptin treatment improved glucose tolerance by suppression of body weight gain and amelioration of insulin resistance, whereas low-dose anagliptin treatment improved glucose tolerance by enhancing insulin secretion.