sphingosine-1-phosphate and Insulinoma

Recent studies suggest that sphingolipid metabolism is altered during type 2 diabetes. Increased levels of the sphingolipid ceramide are associated with insulin resistance. However, a role for sphingolipids in pancreatic beta cell function, or insulin production, and release remains to be established. Our studies in MIN6 cells and mouse pancreatic islets demonstrate that glucose stimulates an intracellular rise in the sphingolipid, sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), whereas the levels of ceramide and sphingomyelin remain unchanged. The increase in S1P levels by glucose is due to activation of sphingosine kinase 2 (SphK2). Interestingly, rises in S1P correlate with increased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). Decreasing S1P levels by treatment of MIN6 cells or primary islets with the sphingosine kinase inhibitor reduces GSIS. Moreover, knockdown of SphK2 alone results in decreased GSIS, whereas knockdown of the S1P phosphatase, Sgpp1, leads to a rise in GSIS. Treatment of mice with the sphingosine kinase inhibitor impairs glucose disposal due to decreased plasma insulin levels. Altogether, our data suggest that glucose activates SphK2 in pancreatic beta cells leading to a rise in S1P levels, which is important for GSIS.

Topics: Animals; Cell Line, Tumor; Glucose; Glucose Intolerance; Glucose Tolerance Test; Injections, Intraperitoneal; Insulin; Insulin Secretion; Insulin-Secreting Cells; Insulinoma; Lysophospholipids; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases; Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor); RNA, Small Interfering; Sphingosine

The endothelial differentiation gene (EDG) receptors are a class of G protein-coupled receptors. EDG-1, -3, -5, -6, and -8 bind the bioactive lipid sphingosine-1-phosphate (SPP) as the primary signaling ligand. EDG-2, -4, and -7 bind the ligand lysophosphatidic acid. EDG-1, -2, -3, -5, -6, and -7, but not -8, mRNAs were expressed in isolated rat pancreatic islets, whereas INS-1 insulinoma cells expressed only EDG-1, -2, -3, and -5 mRNAs. EDG-4 mRNA was expressed in mouse islets. EDG-1 mRNA but not EDG-3 mRNA was rapidly induced relative to 18S rRNA after stimulation of isolated islets with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) or cholecystokinin-8S for 2 h. The protein kinase C inhibitor GF 109203X blocked the EDG-1 induction by PMA. Similarly, in islets stimulated for 2 h with 17 mmol/l glucose, the relative EDG-1 mRNA levels increased almost twofold compared with levels in control islets at 5.5 mmol/l glucose. In contrast, after 11 mmol/l glucose stimulation for 7 days, the relative levels of rat islet EDG-1 mRNA were significantly reduced to 54% below that of islets cultured at 5.5 mmol/l glucose. There was no change in relative EDG-3 mRNA levels. Stimulation of EDG receptors in islets and INS-1 cells with SPP inhibited glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1)-stimulated cAMP production and insulin secretion in a concentration-dependent manner. Pertussis toxin antagonized the SPP effects on insulin release. Thus, EDG receptors are expressed in pancreatic islet beta-cells and G(i) seems to mediate the inhibition by SPP of adenylyl cyclase and cAMP formation and inhibition of the stimulation of insulin secretion by GLP-1.

Topics: Animals; Carcinogens; Cell Differentiation; Cholecystokinin; Cyclic AMP; Endothelium; Gene Expression; Glucose; GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gs; In Vitro Techniques; Insulinoma; Islets of Langerhans; Lysophospholipids; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Receptors, Cell Surface; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; Receptors, Lysophospholipid; RNA, Messenger; Sphingosine; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; Tumor Cells, Cultured

The lysosphingolipids sphingosine-1-phosphate (SPP) and sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPPC) reportedly increase free cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in a variety of cell types, apparently by activating G protein-coupled plasma membrane receptors. We investigated whether and how sphingolipids modulate Ca2+ homeostasis in the insulinoma cell line RINm5F. The addition of SPPC and glucopsychosine (GPS) did not affect basal [Ca2+]i but inhibited the KCl (30 mM)-induced increase in [Ca2+]i in a pertussis toxin-insensitive and concentration-dependent manner (EC50 approximately 5 micro M). Similar inhibitory effects were observed with dihydro-SPPC and psychosine, whereas SPP and various N-acylated sphingolipids (at 10 micro M each) had little or no effect on the KCl-induced [Ca2+]i increase. Because in RINm5F cells the primary pathway for depolarization-induced [Ca2+]i increase are L-type Ca2+ channels, we studied whether sphingolipids reduce L-type Ca2+ current (ICa.L). When added to the bath, GPS and SPPC, but not SPP (10 micro M each), rapidly reduced maximal ICa.L by approximately 35%, similar to the alpha2-adrenoceptor agonist clonidine (30 micro M). However, when applied internally, GPS had no effect on ICa. L. When the electrode solution contained the stable GDP analog guanosine-5'-O-(2-thio)diphosphate (1 and 10 mM), the inhibitory effect of GPS was abolished. In conclusion, a novel cellular action of lysosphingolipids is observed in RINm5F cells (i.e., a guanine nucleotide-sensitive inhibition of L-type Ca2+ currents). The pharmacological profile of this inhibition is unique and unlike any known lysosphingolipid receptor-mediated action.

Topics: Barium; Calcium; Calcium Channel Blockers; Calcium Channels; Calcium Channels, L-Type; Cell Line; Guanine Nucleotides; Humans; Insulinoma; Lysophospholipids; Phosphorylcholine; Potassium Chloride; Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1; Receptors, Adrenergic, beta; Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-3; Sphingosine; Tumor Cells, Cultured