thapsigargin and Glucose-Intolerance

Chronic endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress was recently revealed to affect hypothalamic neuroendocrine pathways that regulate feeding and body weight. However, it remains unexplored whether brain ER stress could use a neural route to rapidly cause the peripheral disorders that underlie the development of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and the metabolic syndrome. Using a pharmacologic model that delivered ER stress inducer thapsigargin into the brain, this study demonstrated that a short-term brain ER stress over 3 d was sufficient to induce glucose intolerance, systemic and hepatic insulin resistance, and blood pressure (BP) increase. The collection of these changes was accompanied by elevated sympathetic tone and prevented by sympathetic suppression. Molecular studies revealed that acute induction of metabolic disorders via brain ER stress was abrogated by NF-κB inhibition in the hypothalamus. Therapeutic experiments further revealed that acute inhibition of brain ER stress with tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) partially reversed obesity-associated metabolic and blood pressure disorders. In conclusion, ER stress in the brain represents a mediator of the sympathetic disorders that underlie the development of insulin resistance syndrome and T2D.

Topics: Animals; Blood Pressure; Blotting, Western; Body Weight; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Eating; Endoplasmic Reticulum; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Glucose Intolerance; Green Fluorescent Proteins; Hypothalamus; Immunoprecipitation; Insulin; Insulin Resistance; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Neurosecretory Systems; NF-kappa B; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Stress, Physiological; Taurochenodeoxycholic Acid; Telemetry; Thapsigargin

Pancreatic beta-cell mass increases in response to increased demand for insulin, but the factors involved are largely unknown. Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is a growth factor that plays a role in the development and survival of the enteric nervous system. We investigated the role of GDNF in regulating beta-cell survival.. Studies were performed using the beta-TC-6 pancreatic beta-cell line, isolated mouse pancreatic beta cells, and in vivo in transgenic mice that overexpress GDNF in pancreatic glia. GDNF receptor family alpha1 and c-Ret receptor expression were assessed by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence microscopy. Apoptosis was evaluated by assessing caspase-3 cleavage. Phosphoinositol-3-kinase signaling pathway was analyzed by Akt phosphorylation. Glucose homeostasis was assessed by performing intraperitoneal glucose tolerance tests. Insulin sensitivity was assessed using intraperitoneal injection of insulin.. We demonstrate the presence of receptors for GDNF, GFRalpha1, and c-Ret on beta cells. GDNF promoted beta-cell survival and proliferation and protected them from thapsigargin-induced apoptosis (P<.0001) in vitro. Exposure of beta-cells to GDNF also resulted in phosphorylation of Akt and GSK3beta. Transgenic mice that overexpress GDNF in glia exhibit increased beta-cell mass, proliferation, and insulin content. No differences in insulin sensitivity and c-peptide levels were noted. Compared with wild-type mice, GDNF-transgenic mice have significantly lower blood glucose levels and improved glucose tolerance (P<.01). GDNF-transgenic mice are resistant to streptozotocin-induced beta-cell loss (P<.001) and subsequent hyperglycemia.. We demonstrate that over expression of GDNF in pancreatic glia improves glucose tolerance and that GDNF may be a therapeutic target for improving beta-cell mass.

Topics: Animals; Apoptosis; Blood Glucose; Cell Line; Cell Proliferation; Cell Survival; Cells, Cultured; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental; Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Receptors; Glucose Intolerance; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; Insulin; Insulin-Secreting Cells; Mice; Mice, Transgenic; Phosphorylation; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; Signal Transduction; Thapsigargin; Time Factors; Up-Regulation

Chromium has gained popularity as a nutritional supplement for diabetic patients. This study evaluated the effect of chronic administration of a chromium complex of D-phenylalanine (Cr(D-phe)(3)) on glucose and insulin tolerance in obese mice. The study tested the hypothesis that Cr(D-phe)(3) suppresses endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and insulin resistance in these animals.. C57BL lean and ob/ob obese mice were randomly divided to orally receive vehicle or Cr(D-phe)(3) (3.8 mug of elemental chromium/kg/day) for 6 months. Insulin sensitivity was evaluated by glucose and insulin tolerance tests. Protein levels of phosphorylated pancreatic ER kinase (PERK), alpha subunit of translation initiation factor 2 (eIF2alpha) and inositol-requiring enzyme-1 (IRE-1), p-c-Jun, and insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) phosphoserine-307 were assessed by western blotting. In vitro ER stress was induced by treating cultured muscle cells with thapsigargin in the presence or absence of Cr(D-phe)(3).. ob/ob mice showed poor glucose and insulin tolerance compared to the lean controls, which was attenuated by Cr(D-phe)(3). Markers of insulin resistance (phospho-c-Jun and IRS-1 phosphoserine) and ER stress (p-PERK, p-IRE-1, p-eIF2alpha), which were elevated in ob/ob mice, were attenuated following Cr(D-phe)(3) treatment. Chromium treatment was also associated with a reduction in liver triglyceride levels and lipid accumulation. In cultured myotubes, Cr(D-phe)(3) attenuated ER stress induced by thapsigargin.. Oral Cr(D-phe)(3) treatment reduces glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, and hepatic ER stress in obese, insulin-resistant mice.

Topics: Animals; Blood Glucose; Chromium; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Disease Models, Animal; eIF-2 Kinase; Endoplasmic Reticulum; Glucose Intolerance; Insulin; Insulin Resistance; Leptin; Lipids; Liver; Male; Membrane Proteins; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Obese; Obesity; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; Thapsigargin; Trace Elements