tretinoin and Insulinoma

Cytokines produced by immune cells in pancreatic islets infiltrating are important mediators of beta-cell destruction in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. In this study, the effects of retinoic acid (RA) on cytokine-induced beta-cell dysfunction were examined. RA significantly protected interleukin-1 beta (IL-1) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)-mediated cytotoxicity of rat insulinoma cell (RINm5F), and also reduced in IL-1 and IFN-gamma-induced nitric oxide (NO) production, which correlated well with reduced levels of the inducible form of NO synthase (iNOS) mRNA and protein. The molecular mechanism, by which RA inhibited iNOS gene expression, appeared to involve the inhibition of NF-kappa B activation. Our results suggest possible therapeutic value of RA for the prevention of diabetes mellitus progression.

Topics: Animals; Cells, Cultured; Enzyme Inhibitors; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; Insulinoma; Interferon-gamma; Interleukin-1; Islets of Langerhans; NF-kappa B; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; Nitric Oxide; Nitric Oxide Synthase; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; Nitrites; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Protective Agents; Rats; Tretinoin

Vitamin A (retinol) is required for insulin secretion, and retinoic acid substitutes for retinol in this function. To determine if retinol acts at the beta-cell level, we assayed beta-cells of the rat insulinoma (RINm5F) line for cytosolic retinol- and retinoic acid-binding proteins (CRBP and CRABP) by radioimmunoassay (RIA) and [3H]retinol and [3H]retinoic acid binding to cytosol extracts. Furthermore, we tested whether insulin release from cells was affected by addition of retinol or retinoic acid to culture medium. RINm5F cells were grown to near confluence before assay of CRBP and CRABP. Scatchard analysis showed the Kd for retinol to be approximately 6 nM at a level of 4.5 pmol/mg protein or 300,000 sites/cell. Sucrose density-gradient assay showed single discrete peaks migrating at 2S for both retinol and retinoic acid. RIA of whole-cell extracts showed CRBP and CRABP levels of 5.27 +/- 0.41 and 2.95 +/- 0.75 pmol/mg protein, respectively. Retinol (1.75 microM) and retinoic acid (0.175 and 1.75 microM) increased KCl-induced insulin release. Considered together, the presence of CRBP and CRABP in a beta-cell line and the increase in KCl-induced insulin release by retinol and retinoic acid are consistent with the idea that retinol has a functional role in insulin secretion and suggest a potential mechanism of action at the beta-cell level similar to that observed in other retinoid-responsive cells.

Topics: Animals; Carrier Proteins; Cell Line; Insulin; Insulin Secretion; Insulinoma; Kinetics; Neoplasm Proteins; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Potassium Chloride; Rats; Receptors, Retinoic Acid; Retinol-Binding Proteins; Retinol-Binding Proteins, Cellular; Tretinoin; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Vitamin A