William Montague

Biochemical studies on the release of catecholamines from the rat carotid body in vitro

The effects of hypoxia and carbachol on the release of newly synthesized catecholamines from superfused rat carotid bodies have been examined. Hypoxic superfusion medium was found to evoke catecholamine release which was dependent on the extracellular calcium concentration and was reduced by nitrendipine and atropine. Superfusion with the muscarinic agonist, carbachol, stimulated catecholamine release independently of the oxygen tension of the medium. The effect of carbachol on catecholamine release was abolished by atropine, suggesting that it was mediated by activation of cholinergic receptors of the muscarinic type. Both hypoxia and carbachol stimulated the release of 45Ca from carotid bodies prelabelled with 45Ca. The release of 45Ca with either stimulus was reduced by atropine and nitrendipine. These results suggest that although extracellular calcium plays an important role in the exocytotic secretory process of the carotid body, the mobilization of intracellular calcium pools may also contribute to the secretory response.

Stimulation of insulin secretion from isolated rat islets of Langerhans by melittin

Melittin , an amphipathic polypeptide, stimulated the secretion of insulin from rat islets of Langerhans incubated in vitro . The secretory response was dose-dependent and saturable with half the maximal response elicited by a melittin concentration of 4 μg/ml. The response was rapid in onset, an increase in secretion occurring within 2 rain of exposure of the islets to melittin (2 μg/ml). An enhanced secretory rate could be maintained for at least 40 rain in the presence of melittin but declined steadily when the agent was removed. Stimulation of secretion by melittin occurred in the absence of glucose and in the presence of both 4 mM and 8 mM glucose but not in the presence of 20 mM glucose. The effect of melittin on secretion was dependent on the presence of extracellular calcium but was not inhibited by norepinephrine. The data suggest that melittin may be a valuable agent for further study of the role played by the B-cell plasma membrane in the regulation of insulin secretion.

Studies on the mechanism by which melittin stimulates insulin secretion from isolated rat islets of Langerhans

Incubation of isolated rat islets of Langerhans with melittin resulted in a dose-dependent stimulation of insulin secretion with half the maximal response occurring at 4 micrograms/ml melittin. The effect of melittin on insulin secretion was dependent on extracellular calcium, was inhibited by the phospholipase A2 inhibitor quinacrine and by the lipoxygenase inhibitor nordihydroguaiaretic acid. Stimulation of insulin secretion by melittin was associated with a calcium-dependent loss of [3H]arachidonic acid from phospholipids in islet cells prelabelled with [3H]arachidonic acid. Analysis of the islet phospholipids involved in this response revealed that the [3H]arachidonic acid was released predominantly from phosphatidylcholine. These results suggest that melittin may stimulate insulin secretion by activating phospholipase A2 in islet cells, causing the release of arachidonic acid from membrane phospholipid. The results are consistent with suggestions that the subsequent metabolism of arachidonic acid via the lipoxygenase pathway may be involved in regulating the insulin secretory response.

Effects of guanosine on insulin secretion and adenylyl and guanylyl cyclase activities of isolated rat islets of Langerhans.

The effect of guanosine on insulin secretion, adenylyl and guanylyl cyclase activities of isolated rat islets of Langerhans was investigated. Guanosine (1-100 micron) inhibited glucose, tolbutamide, theophylline and prostaglandin E2-stimulated insulin secretion although it failed to affect glucagon stimulated secretion. Prostaglandin E2-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity of islets was inhibited by guanosine although guanosine had no effect on basal, fluoride, glucagon or GTP-stimulated activity. Guanosine markedly decreased basal guanylyl cyclase activity of islets. These results suggest that guanosine may affect insulin release by inhibiting adenylyl and guanylyl cyclase activities in the beta-cell thereby decreasing the intracellular concentrations of cyclic nucleotides. This effect may be important in modulating the secretory response of the islets to a variety of hormonal agents.

Effects of noradrenaline on45Ca2+ efflux from isolated rat islets of Langerhans

Noradrenaline caused a prompt but transient increase in the rate of45Ca2+ efflux from isolated rat islets of Langerhans perifused in Ca2+ depleted medium. The response was modest in size and was unaffected by isosmotic replacement of NaCl with choline chloride or by inclusion of 0.5 mM dibutyryl cAMP in the perifusion medium, suggesting that it was not mediated by Na+: Ca2+ exchange nor by lowered cAMP. Despite its effect on45Ca2+ efflux, noradrenaline treatment did not alter the kinetics of45Ca2+ efflux in response to the muscarinic agonist, carbamylcholine, nor did it change the magnitude of the response to this agent. Simultaneous introduction of 20 mM glucose with noradrenaline prevented a rise in45Ca2+ efflux and indeed resulted in inhibition of45Ca2+ efflux. The data suggest that noradrenaline does not directly activate the mechanisms which regulate Ca2+ extrusion from islets cells, and they do not support a primary role for the Ca2+ efflux response in mediating adrenergic inhibition of insulin secretion.

The effect of staphylococcal delta-haemolysin on the secretory activity of the pancreatic beta-cell.

The secretion of insulin from isolated rat islets of Langerhans was found to be stimulated by the surface-active staphylococcal exotoxin, δ-haemolysin. The response was dependent on the concentration of δ-haemolysin, was rapid in onset, and could be maintained for at least an hour in the presence of the agent. The rate of secretion rapidly declined on removal of δ-haemolysin and the islets remained responsive to glucose follow!ng toxin treatment.Further characterization of the interaction of this agent with the δ-cell plasma membrane may provide valuable information concerning the role played by this membrane in the regulation of insulin secretion.