Dexamethasone-induced differentiation of pancreatic AR42J cell involves p21(waf1/cip1)and MAP kinase pathway

Dexamethasone converts pluripotent pancreatic AR42J cells into exocrine cells expressing digestive enzymes. In order to address molecular mechanism of this differentiation, we have investigated the role of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway and gene expressions of p21(waf1/cip1)and nuclear oncogenes (c-fos and c-myc) during AR42J cell differentiation. Dexamethasone markedly increased the intracellular and secreted amylase contents as well as its mRNA level. However, cell growth and DNA content were significantly decreased. With these phenotypic changes, AR42J cells induced transient mRNA expression of p21(waf1/cip1)gene, which reached maximal level by 6 h and then declined gradually toward basal state. In contrast to p21(waf1/cip1), c-fos gene expression was transiently inhibited by 6 h and then recovered to basal level by 24 h. Increased c-myc expression detected after 3 h, peaked by 12 h, and remained elevated during the rest of observation. Dexamethasone inhibited epidermal growth factor-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal regulated kinase. Inhibition of MAP kinase pathway by PD98059 resulted in further elevation of the dexamethasone-induced amylase mRNA and p21(waf1/cip1)gene expression. These results suggest that p21(waf1/cip1)and nuclear oncogenes are involved in dexamethasone-induced differentiation and inhibition of MAP kinase pathway accelerates the conversion of undifferentiated AR42J cells into amylase-secreting exocrine cells.

Transduction of Tat-Superoxide Dismutase into Insulin-producing MIN6N Cells Reduces Streptozotocin-induced Cytotoxicity

The reactive oxygen species (ROS) are considered to be an important mediator in pancreatic beta cell destruction, thereby triggering the development of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. In the present study, HIV-1 Tat-mediated transduction of Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) was investigated to evaluate its protective potential against streptozotocin (STZ) -induced cytotoxicity in insulin-producing MIN6N cells. Tat-SOD fusion protein was successfully delivered into MIN6N cells in a dose-dependent manner and the transduced fusion protein was enzymatically active for 48 h. The STZ induced-cell destruction, superoxide anion radical production, and DNA fragmentation of MIN6N cells were significantly decreased in the cells pretreated with Tat-SOD for 1 h. Furthermore, the transduction of Tat-SOD increased Bcl-2 and heat shock protein 70 (hsp70) expressions in cells exposed to STZ, which might be partly responsible for the effect of Tat-SOD. These results suggest that an increased of free radical scavenging activity by transduction of Tat-SOD enhanced the tolerance of the cell against oxidative stress in STZ-treated MIN6N cells. Therefore, this Tat-SOD transduction technique may provide a new strategy to protect the pancreatic beta cell destruction in ROS-mediated diabetes.