The MODY-associated KCNK16 L114P mutation increases islet glucagon secretion and limits insulin secretion resulting in transient neonatal diabetes and glucose dyshomeostasis in adults.

The gain-of-function mutation in the TALK-1 K+ channel (p.L114P) is associated with maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY). TALK-1 is a key regulator of ß-cell electrical activity and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. The KCNK16 gene encoding TALK-1 is the most abundant and ß-cell-restricted K+ channel transcript. To investigate the impact of KCNK16 L114P on glucose homeostasis and confirm its association with MODY, a mouse model containing the Kcnk16 L114P mutation was generated. Heterozygous and homozygous Kcnk16 L114P mice exhibit increased neonatal lethality in the C57BL/6J and the CD-1 (ICR) genetic background, respectively. Lethality is likely a result of severe hyperglycemia observed in the homozygous Kcnk16 L114P neonates due to lack of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and can be reduced with insulin treatment. Kcnk16 L114P increased whole-cell ß-cell K+ currents resulting in blunted glucose-stimulated Ca2+ entry and loss of glucose-induced Ca2+ oscillations. Thus, adult Kcnk16 L114P mice have reduced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and plasma insulin levels, which significantly impairs glucose homeostasis. Taken together, this study shows that the MODY-associated Kcnk16 L114P mutation disrupts glucose homeostasis in adult mice resembling a MODY phenotype and causes neonatal lethality by inhibiting islet insulin secretion during development. These data suggest that TALK-1 is an islet-restricted target for the treatment for diabetes.

TALK-1-mediated alterations of ß-cell mitochondrial function and insulin secretion impair glucose homeostasis on a diabetogenic diet.

Mitochondrial Ca2+ ([Ca2+]m) homeostasis is critical for ß-cell function and becomes disrupted during the pathogenesis of diabetes. [Ca2+]m uptake is dependent on elevations in cytoplasmic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]c) and endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ([Ca2+]ER) release, both of which are regulated by the two-pore domain K+ channel TALK-1. Here, utilizing a novel ß-cell TALK-1-knockout (ß-TALK-1-KO) mouse model, we found that TALK-1 limited ß-cell [Ca2+]m accumulation and ATP production. However, following exposure to a high-fat diet (HFD), ATP-linked respiration, glucose-stimulated oxygen consumption rate, and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) were increased in control but not TALK1-KO mice. Although ß-TALK-1-KO animals showed similar GSIS before and after HFD treatment, these mice were protected from HFD-induced glucose intolerance. Collectively, these data identify that TALK-1 channel control of ß-cell function reduces [Ca2+]m and suggest that metabolic remodeling in diabetes drives dysglycemia.

The MODY-associated KCNK16 L114P mutation increases islet glucagon secretion and limits insulin secretion resulting in transient neonatal diabetes and glucose dyshomeostasis in adults.

The gain-of-function mutation in the TALK-1 K + channel (p.L114P) is associated with maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY). TALK-1 is a key regulator of ß-cell electrical activity and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). The KCNK16 gene encoding TALK-1, is the most abundant and ß-cell-restricted K + channel transcript. To investigate the impact of KCNK16 L114P on glucose homeostasis and confirm its association with MODY, a mouse model containing the Kcnk16 L114P mutation was generated. Heterozygous and homozygous Kcnk16 L114P mice exhibit increased neonatal lethality in the C57BL/6J and the mixed C57BL/6J:CD-1(ICR) genetic background, respectively. Lethality is likely a result of severe hyperglycemia observed in the homozygous Kcnk16 L114P neonates due to lack of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and can be reduced with insulin treatment. Kcnk16 L114P increased whole-cell ß-cell K + currents resulting in blunted glucose-stimulated Ca 2+ entry and loss of glucose-induced Ca 2+ oscillations. Thus, adult Kcnk16 L114P mice have reduced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and plasma insulin levels, which significantly impaired glucose homeostasis. Taken together, this study shows that the MODY-associated Kcnk16 L114P mutation disrupts glucose homeostasis in adult mice resembling a MODY phenotype and causes neonatal lethality by inhibiting islet hormone secretion during development. These data strongly suggest that TALK-1 is an islet-restricted target for the treatment of diabetes.

IP3Rs puff along: A SNAPpy dance with IP3 and Ca2.

Concerted openings of clustered inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (IP3Rs) result in short, localized Ca2+ bursts, also called puffs, which are crucial regulators of Ca2+-dependent signaling processes. However, the processes regulating Ca2+ puff amplitude (average ∼0.5 ΔF/F0) and duration (at half-maximal; average ∼25-30 ms) have yet to be elucidated. A recent study in JBC by Smith and Taylor determined that Ca2+ puff amplitude is independent of IP3R cluster density and that the termination of IP3R Ca2+ puff is regulated by IP3 dissociation, illuminating the steps of this regulatory dance.

Gi/o protein-coupled receptor inhibition of beta-cell electrical excitability and insulin secretion depends on Na+/K+ ATPase activation.

Gi/o-coupled somatostatin or α2-adrenergic receptor activation stimulated ß-cell NKA activity, resulting in islet Ca2+ fluctuations. Furthermore, intra-islet paracrine activation of ß-cell Gi/o-GPCRs and NKAs by δ-cell somatostatin secretion slowed Ca2+ oscillations, which decreased insulin secretion. ß-cell membrane potential hyperpolarization resulting from Gi/o-GPCR activation was dependent on NKA phosphorylation by Src tyrosine kinases. Whereas, ß-cell NKA function was inhibited by cAMP-dependent PKA activity. These data reveal that NKA-mediated ß-cell membrane potential hyperpolarization is the primary and conserved mechanism for Gi/o-GPCR control of electrical excitability, Ca2+ handling, and insulin secretion.

Liraglutide increases islet Ca2+ oscillation frequency and insulin secretion by activating hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channels.

AIM: To determine whether hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels impact glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor (GLP-1R) modulation of islet Ca2+ handling and insulin secretion. METHODS: The impact of liraglutide (GLP-1 analogue) on islet Ca2+ handling, HCN currents and insulin secretion was monitored with fluorescence microscopy, electrophysiology and enzyme immunoassays, respectively. Furthermore, liraglutide-mediated ß-to-δ-cell cross-communication was assessed following selective ablation of either mouse islet δ or ß cells. RESULTS: Liraglutide increased ß-cell Ca2+ oscillation frequency in mouse and human islets under stimulatory glucose conditions. This was dependent in part on liraglutide activation of HCN channels, which also enhanced insulin secretion. Similarly, liraglutide activation of HCN channels also increased ß-cell Ca2+ oscillation frequency in islets from rodents exposed to a diabetogenic diet. Interestingly, liraglutide accelerated Ca2+ oscillations in a majority of islet δ cells, which showed synchronized Ca2+ oscillations equivalent to ß cells; therefore, we assessed if either cell type was driving this liraglutide-mediated islet Ca2+ response. Although δ-cell loss did not impact liraglutide-mediated increase in ß-cell Ca2+ oscillation frequency, ß-cell ablation attenuated liraglutide-facilitated acceleration of δ-cell Ca2+ oscillations. CONCLUSION: The data presented here show that liraglutide-induced stimulation of islet HCN channels augments Ca2+ oscillation frequency. As insulin secretion oscillates with ß-cell Ca2+ , these findings have important implications for pulsatile insulin secretion that is probably enhanced by liraglutide activation of HCN channels and therapeutics that target GLP-1Rs for treating diabetes. Furthermore, these studies suggest that liraglutide as well as GLP-1-based therapies enhance δ-cell Ca2+ oscillation frequency and somatostatin secretion kinetics in a ß-cell-dependent manner.

Glucose-Dependent miR-125b Is a Negative Regulator of ß-Cell Function.

Impaired pancreatic ß-cell function and insulin secretion are hallmarks of type 2 diabetes. miRNAs are short, noncoding RNAs that silence gene expression vital for the development and function of ß cells. We have previously shown that ß cell-specific deletion of the important energy sensor AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) results in increased miR-125b-5p levels. Nevertheless, the function of this miRNA in ß cells is unclear. We hypothesized that miR-125b-5p expression is regulated by glucose and that this miRNA mediates some of the deleterious effects of hyperglycemia in ß cells. Here, we show that islet miR-125b-5p expression is upregulated by glucose in an AMPK-dependent manner and that short-term miR-125b-5p overexpression impairs glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) in the mouse insulinoma MIN6 cells and in human islets. An unbiased, high-throughput screen in MIN6 cells identified multiple miR-125b-5p targets, including the transporter of lysosomal hydrolases M6pr and the mitochondrial fission regulator Mtfp1. Inactivation of miR-125b-5p in the human ß-cell line EndoCß-H1 shortened mitochondria and enhanced GSIS, whereas mice overexpressing miR-125b-5p selectively in ß cells (MIR125B-Tg) were hyperglycemic and glucose intolerant. MIR125B-Tg ß cells contained enlarged lysosomal structures and had reduced insulin content and secretion. Collectively, we identify miR-125b as a glucose-controlled regulator of organelle dynamics that modulates insulin secretion.

Glucose-6-phosphatase catalytic subunit 2 negatively regulates glucose oxidation and insulin secretion in pancreatic ß-cells.

Elevated fasting blood glucose (FBG) is associated with increased risks of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular-associated mortality. G6PC2 is predominantly expressed in islets, encodes a glucose-6-phosphatase catalytic subunit that converts glucose-6-phosphate (G6P) to glucose, and has been linked with variations in FBG in genome-wide association studies. Deletion of G6pc2 in mice has been shown to lower FBG without affecting fasting plasma insulin levels in vivo. At 5 mM glucose, pancreatic islets from G6pc2 knockout (KO) mice exhibit no glucose cycling, increased glycolytic flux, and enhanced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). However, the broader effects of G6pc2 KO on ß-cell metabolism and redox regulation are unknown. Here we used CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing and metabolic flux analysis in ßTC3 cells, a murine pancreatic ß-cell line, to examine the role of G6pc2 in regulating glycolytic and mitochondrial fluxes. We found that deletion of G6pc2 led to ∼60% increases in glycolytic and citric acid cycle (CAC) fluxes at both 5 and 11 mM glucose concentrations. Furthermore, intracellular insulin content and GSIS were enhanced by approximately two-fold, along with increased cytosolic redox potential and reductive carboxylation flux. Normalization of fluxes relative to net glucose uptake revealed upregulation in two NADPH-producing pathways in the CAC. These results demonstrate that G6pc2 regulates GSIS by modulating not only glycolysis but also, independently, citric acid cycle activity in ß-cells. Overall, our findings implicate G6PC2 as a potential therapeutic target for enhancing insulin secretion and lowering FBG, which could benefit individuals with prediabetes, T2D, and obesity.

Sex-biased islet ß cell dysfunction is caused by the MODY MAFA S64F variant by inducing premature aging and senescence in males.

A heterozygous missense mutation of the islet ß cell-enriched MAFA transcription factor (p.Ser64Phe [S64F]) is found in patients with adult-onset ß cell dysfunction (diabetes or insulinomatosis), with men more prone to diabetes than women. This mutation engenders increased stability to the unstable MAFA protein. Here, we develop a S64F MafA mouse model to determine how ß cell function is affected and find sex-dependent phenotypes. Heterozygous mutant males (MafAS64F/+) display impaired glucose tolerance, while females are slightly hypoglycemic with improved blood glucose clearance. Only MafAS64F/+ males show transiently higher MafA protein levels preceding glucose intolerance and sex-dependent changes to genes involved in Ca2+ signaling, DNA damage, aging, and senescence. MAFAS64F production in male human ß cells also accelerate cellular senescence and increase senescence-associated secretory proteins compared to cells expressing MAFAWT. These results implicate a conserved mechanism of accelerated islet aging and senescence in promoting diabetes in MAFAS64F carriers in a sex-biased manner.

TRPM7 is a crucial regulator of pancreatic endocrine development and high-fat-diet-induced ß-cell proliferation.

The melastatin subfamily of the transient receptor potential channels (TRPM) are regulators of pancreatic ß-cell function. TRPM7 is the most abundant islet TRPM channel; however, the role of TRPM7 in ß-cell function has not been determined. Here, we used various spatiotemporal transgenic mouse models to investigate how TRPM7 knockout influences pancreatic endocrine development, proliferation and function. Ablation of TRPM7 within pancreatic progenitors reduced pancreatic size, and α-cell and ß-cell mass. This resulted in modestly impaired glucose tolerance. However, TRPM7 ablation following endocrine specification or in adult mice did not impact endocrine expansion or glucose tolerance. As TRPM7 regulates cell proliferation, we assessed how TRPM7 influences ß-cell hyperplasia under insulin-resistant conditions. ß-Cell proliferation induced by high-fat diet was significantly decreased in TRPM7-deficient ß-cells. The endocrine roles of TRPM7 may be influenced by cation flux through the channel, and indeed we found that TRPM7 ablation altered ß-cell Mg2+ and reduced the magnitude of elevation in ß-cell Mg2+ during proliferation. Together, these findings revealed that TRPM7 controls pancreatic development and ß-cell proliferation, which is likely due to regulation of Mg2+ homeostasis.

KCNK3 Mutation Causes Altered Immune Function in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Patients and Mouse Models.

Loss of function KCNK3 mutation is one of the gene variants driving hereditary pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). KCNK3 is expressed in several cell and tissue types on both membrane and endoplasmic reticulum and potentially plays a role in multiple pathological process associated with PAH. However, the role of various stressors driving the susceptibility of KCNK3 mutation to PAH is unknown. Hence, we exposed kcnk3fl/fl animals to hypoxia, metabolic diet and low dose lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and performed molecular characterization of their tissue. We also used tissue samples from KCNK3 patients (skin fibroblast derived inducible pluripotent stem cells, blood, lungs, peripheral blood mononuclear cells) and performed microarray, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and mass cytometry time of flight (CyTOF) experiments. Although a hypoxic insult did not alter vascular tone in kcnk3fl/fl mice, RNASeq study of these lungs implied that inflammatory and metabolic factors were altered, and the follow-up diet study demonstrated a dysregulation of bone marrow cells in kcnk3fl/fl mice. Finally, a low dose LPS study clearly showed that inflammation could be a possible second hit driving PAH in kcnk3fl/fl mice. Multiplex, IHC and CyTOF immunophenotyping studies on human samples confirmed the mouse data and strongly indicated that cell mediated, and innate immune responses may drive PAH susceptibility in these patients. In conclusion, loss of function KCNK3 mutation alters various physiological processes from vascular tone to metabolic diet through inflammation. Our data suggests that altered circulating immune cells may drive PAH susceptibility in patients with KCNK3 mutation.

Antagonistic epistasis of Hnf4α and FoxO1 metabolic networks through enhancer interactions in ß-cell function.

OBJECTIVE: Genetic and acquired abnormalities contribute to pancreatic ß-cell failure in diabetes. Transcription factors Hnf4α (MODY1) and FoxO1 are respective examples of these two components and act through ß-cell-specific enhancers. However, their relationship is unclear. METHODS: In this report, we show by genome-wide interrogation of chromatin modifications that ablation of FoxO1 in mature ß-cells enriches active Hnf4α enhancers according to a HOMER analysis. RESULTS: To model the functional significance of this predicted unusual enhancer utilization, we generated single and compound knockouts of FoxO1 and Hnf4α in ß-cells. Single knockout of either gene impaired insulin secretion in mechanistically distinct fashions as indicated by their responses to sulfonylurea and calcium fluxes. Surprisingly, the defective ß-cell secretory function of either single mutant in hyperglycemic clamps and isolated islets treated with various secretagogues was completely reversed in double mutants lacking FoxO1 and Hnf4α. Gene expression analyses revealed distinct epistatic modalities by which the two transcription factors regulate networks associated with reversal of ß-cell dysfunction. An antagonistic network regulating glycolysis, including ß-cell "disallowed" genes, and a synergistic network regulating protocadherins emerged as likely mediators of the functional restoration of insulin secretion. CONCLUSIONS: The findings provide evidence of antagonistic epistasis as a model of gene/environment interactions in the pathogenesis of ß-cell dysfunction.

A KCNK16 mutation causing TALK-1 gain of function is associated with maturity-onset diabetes of the young.

Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) is a heterogeneous group of monogenic disorders of impaired pancreatic ß cell function. The mechanisms underlying MODY include ß cell KATP channel dysfunction (e.g., KCNJ11 [MODY13] or ABCC8 [MODY12] mutations); however, no other ß cell channelopathies have been associated with MODY to date. Here, we have identified a nonsynonymous coding variant in KCNK16 (NM_001135105: c.341T>C, p.Leu114Pro) segregating with MODY. KCNK16 is the most abundant and ß cell-restricted K+ channel transcript, encoding the two-pore-domain K+ channel TALK-1. Whole-cell K+ currents demonstrated a large gain of function with TALK-1 Leu114Pro compared with TALK-1 WT, due to greater single-channel activity. Glucose-stimulated membrane potential depolarization and Ca2+ influx were inhibited in mouse islets expressing TALK-1 Leu114Pro with less endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ storage. TALK-1 Leu114Pro significantly blunted glucose-stimulated insulin secretion compared with TALK-1 WT in mouse and human islets. These data suggest that KCNK16 is a previously unreported gene for MODY.

Temporal Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Dynamic Gene Expression Patterns Driving ß-Cell Maturation.

Newly differentiated pancreatic ß cells lack proper insulin secretion profiles of mature functional ß cells. The global gene expression differences between paired immature and mature ß cells have been studied, but the dynamics of transcriptional events, correlating with temporal development of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS), remain to be fully defined. This aspect is important to identify which genes and pathways are necessary for ß-cell development or for maturation, as defective insulin secretion is linked with diseases such as diabetes. In this study, we assayed through RNA sequencing the global gene expression across six ß-cell developmental stages in mice, spanning from ß-cell progenitor to mature ß cells. A computational pipeline then selected genes differentially expressed with respect to progenitors and clustered them into groups with distinct temporal patterns associated with biological functions and pathways. These patterns were finally correlated with experimental GSIS, calcium influx, and insulin granule formation data. Gene expression temporal profiling revealed the timing of important biological processes across ß-cell maturation, such as the deregulation of ß-cell developmental pathways and the activation of molecular machineries for vesicle biosynthesis and transport, signal transduction of transmembrane receptors, and glucose-induced Ca2+ influx, which were established over a week before ß-cell maturation completes. In particular, ß cells developed robust insulin secretion at high glucose several days after birth, coincident with the establishment of glucose-induced calcium influx. Yet the neonatal ß cells displayed high basal insulin secretion, which decreased to the low levels found in mature ß cells only a week later. Different genes associated with calcium-mediated processes, whose alterations are linked with insulin resistance and deregulation of glucose homeostasis, showed increased expression across ß-cell stages, in accordance with the temporal acquisition of proper GSIS. Our temporal gene expression pattern analysis provided a comprehensive database of the underlying molecular components and biological mechanisms driving ß-cell maturation at different temporal stages, which are fundamental for better control of the in vitro production of functional ß cells from human embryonic stem/induced pluripotent cell for transplantation-based type 1 diabetes therapy.

Sexually dimorphic roles for the type 2 diabetes-associated C2cd4b gene in murine glucose homeostasis.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Variants close to the VPS13C/C2CD4A/C2CD4B locus are associated with altered risk of type 2 diabetes in genome-wide association studies. While previous functional work has suggested roles for VPS13C and C2CD4A in disease development, none has explored the role of C2CD4B. METHODS: CRISPR/Cas9-induced global C2cd4b-knockout mice and zebrafish larvae with c2cd4a deletion were used to study the role of this gene in glucose homeostasis. C2 calcium dependent domain containing protein (C2CD)4A and C2CD4B constructs tagged with FLAG or green fluorescent protein were generated to investigate subcellular dynamics using confocal or near-field microscopy and to identify interacting partners by mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Systemic inactivation of C2cd4b in mice led to marked, but highly sexually dimorphic changes in body weight and glucose homeostasis. Female C2cd4b mice displayed unchanged body weight compared with control littermates, but abnormal glucose tolerance (AUC, p = 0.01) and defective in vivo, but not in vitro, insulin secretion (p = 0.02). This was associated with a marked decrease in follicle-stimulating hormone levels as compared with wild-type (WT) littermates (p = 0.003). In sharp contrast, male C2cd4b null mice displayed essentially normal glucose tolerance but an increase in body weight (p < 0.001) and fasting blood glucose (p = 0.003) after maintenance on a high-fat and -sucrose diet vs WT littermates. No metabolic disturbances were observed after global inactivation of C2cd4a in mice, or in pancreatic beta cell function at larval stages in C2cd4a null zebrafish. Fasting blood glucose levels were also unaltered in adult C2cd4a-null fish. C2CD4B and C2CD4A were partially localised to the plasma membrane, with the latter under the control of intracellular Ca2+. Binding partners for both included secretory-granule-localised PTPRN2/phogrin. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Our studies suggest that C2cd4b may act centrally in the pituitary to influence sex-dependent circuits that control pancreatic beta cell function and glucose tolerance in rodents. However, the absence of sexual dimorphism in the impact of diabetes risk variants argues for additional roles for C2CD4A or VPS13C in the control of glucose homeostasis in humans. DATA AVAILABILITY: The datasets generated and/or analysed during the current study are available in the Biorxiv repository ( www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.18.099200v1 ). RNA-Seq (GSE152576) and proteomics (PXD021597) data have been deposited to GEO ( www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/query/acc.cgi?acc=GSE152576 ) and ProteomeXchange ( www.ebi.ac.uk/pride/archive/projects/PXD021597 ) repositories, respectively.

RIPK3-mediated inflammation is a conserved ß cell response to ER stress.

Islet inflammation is an important etiopathology of type 2 diabetes; however, the underlying mechanisms are not well defined. Using complementary experimental models, we discovered RIPK3-dependent IL1B induction in ß cells as an instigator of islet inflammation. In cultured ß cells, ER stress activated RIPK3, leading to NF-kB-mediated proinflammatory gene expression. In a zebrafish muscle insulin resistance model, overnutrition caused islet inflammation, ß cell dysfunction, and loss in an ER stress-, ripk3-, and il1b-dependent manner. In mouse islets, high-fat diet triggered the IL1B expression in ß cells before macrophage recruitment in vivo, and RIPK3 inhibition suppressed palmitate-induced ß cell dysfunction and Il1b expression in vitro. Furthermore, in human islets grafted in hyperglycemic mice, a marked increase in ER stress, RIPK3, and NF-kB activation in ß cells were accompanied with murine macrophage infiltration. Thus, RIPK3-mediated induction of proinflammatory mediators is a conserved, previously unrecognized ß cell response to metabolic stress and a mediator of the ensuing islet inflammation.

Lactate activation of α-cell KATP channels inhibits glucagon secretion by hyperpolarizing the membrane potential and reducing Ca2+ entry.

OBJECTIVE: Elevations in pancreatic α-cell intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) lead to glucagon (GCG) secretion. Although glucose inhibits GCG secretion, how lactate and pyruvate control α-cell Ca2+ handling is unknown. Lactate enters cells through monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) and is also produced during glycolysis by lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), an enzyme expressed in α-cells. As lactate activates ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channels in cardiomyocytes, lactate may also modulate α-cell KATP. Therefore, this study investigated how lactate signaling controls α-cell Ca2+ handling and GCG secretion. METHODS: Mouse and human islets were used in combination with confocal microscopy, electrophysiology, GCG immunoassays, and fluorescent thallium flux assays to assess α-cell Ca2+ handling, Vm, KATP currents, and GCG secretion. RESULTS: Lactate-inhibited mouse (75 ± 25%) and human (47 ± 9%) α-cell [Ca2+]i fluctuations only under low-glucose conditions (1 mM) but had no effect on ß- or δ-cells [Ca2+]i. Glyburide inhibition of KATP channels restored α-cell [Ca2+]i fluctuations in the presence of lactate. Lactate transport into α-cells via MCTs hyperpolarized mouse (14 ± 1 mV) and human (12 ± 1 mV) α-cell Vm and activated KATP channels. Interestingly, pyruvate showed a similar KATP activation profile and α-cell [Ca2+]i inhibition as lactate. Lactate-induced inhibition of α-cell [Ca2+]i influx resulted in reduced GCG secretion in mouse (62 ± 6%) and human (43 ± 13%) islets. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate for the first time that lactate entry into α-cells through MCTs results in KATP activation, Vm hyperpolarization, reduced [Ca2+]i, and inhibition of GCG secretion. Thus, taken together, these data indicate that lactate either within α-cells and/or elevated in serum could serve as important modulators of α-cell function.

Tetraspanin-7 regulation of L-type voltage-dependent calcium channels controls pancreatic ß-cell insulin secretion.

KEY POINTS: Tetraspanin (TSPAN) proteins regulate many biological processes, including intracellular calcium (Ca2+ ) handling. TSPAN-7 is enriched in pancreatic islet cells; however, the function of islet TSPAN-7 has not been identified. Here, we characterize how ß-cell TSPAN-7 regulates Ca2+ handling and hormone secretion. We find that TSPAN-7 reduces ß-cell glucose-stimulated Ca2+ entry, slows Ca2+ oscillation frequency and decreases glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. TSPAN-7 controls ß-cell function through a direct interaction with L-type voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels (CaV 1.2 and CaV 1.3), which reduces channel Ca2+ conductance. TSPAN-7 slows activation of CaV 1.2 and accelerates recovery from voltage-dependent inactivation; TSPAN-7 also slows CaV 1.3 inactivation kinetics. These findings strongly implicate TSPAN-7 as a key regulator in determining the set-point of glucose-stimulated Ca2+ influx and insulin secretion. ABSTRACT: Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) is regulated by calcium (Ca2+ ) entry into pancreatic ß-cells through voltage-dependent Ca2+ (CaV ) channels. Tetraspanin (TSPAN) transmembrane proteins control Ca2+ handling, and thus they may also modulate GSIS. TSPAN-7 is the most abundant islet TSPAN and immunostaining of mouse and human pancreatic slices shows that TSPAN-7 is highly expressed in ß- and α-cells; however, the function of islet TSPAN-7 has not been determined. Here, we show that TSPAN-7 knockdown (KD) increases glucose-stimulated Ca2+ influx into mouse and human ß-cells. Additionally, mouse ß-cell Ca2+ oscillation frequency was accelerated by TSPAN-7 KD. Because TSPAN-7 KD also enhanced Ca2+ entry when membrane potential was clamped with depolarization, the effect of TSPAN-7 on CaV channel activity was examined. TSPAN-7 KD enhanced L-type CaV currents in mouse and human ß-cells. Conversely, heterologous expression of TSPAN-7 with CaV 1.2 and CaV 1.3 L-type CaV channels decreased CaV currents and reduced Ca2+ influx through both channels. This was presumably the result of a direct interaction of TSPAN-7 and L-type CaV channels because TSPAN-7 coimmunoprecipitated with both CaV 1.2 and CaV 1.3 from primary human ß-cells and from a heterologous expression system. Finally, TSPAN-7 KD in human ß-cells increased basal (5.6 mM glucose) and stimulated (45 mM KCl + 14 mM glucose) insulin secretion. These findings strongly suggest that TSPAN-7 modulation of ß-cell L-type CaV channels is a key determinant of ß-cell glucose-stimulated Ca2+ entry and thus the set-point of GSIS.

TRESK and TREK-2 two-pore-domain potassium channel subunits form functional heterodimers in primary somatosensory neurons.

Two-pore-domain potassium channels (K2P) are the major determinants of the background potassium conductance. They play a crucial role in setting the resting membrane potential and regulating cellular excitability. These channels form homodimers; however, a few examples of heterodimerization have also been reported. The K2P channel subunits TRESK and TREK-2 provide the predominant background potassium current in the primary sensory neurons of the dorsal root and trigeminal ganglia. A recent study has shown that a TRESK mutation causes migraine because it leads to the formation of a dominant negative truncated TRESK fragment. Surprisingly, this fragment can also interact with TREK-2. In this study, we determined the biophysical and pharmacological properties of the TRESK/TREK-2 heterodimer using a covalently linked TRESK/TREK-2 construct to ensure the assembly of the different subunits. The tandem channel has an intermediate single-channel conductance compared with the TRESK and TREK-2 homodimers. Similar conductance values were recorded when TRESK and TREK-2 were coexpressed, demonstrating that the two subunits can spontaneously form functional heterodimers. The TRESK component confers calcineurin-dependent regulation to the heterodimer and gives rise to a pharmacological profile similar to the TRESK homodimer, whereas the presence of the TREK-2 subunit renders the channel sensitive to the selective TREK-2 activator T2A3. In trigeminal primary sensory neurons, we detected single-channel activity with biophysical and pharmacological properties similar to the TRESK/TREK-2 tandem, indicating that WT TRESK and TREK-2 subunits coassemble to form functional heterodimeric channels also in native cells.

Dapagliflozin Does Not Directly Affect Human α or ß Cells.

Selective inhibitors of sodium glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) are widely used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and act primarily to lower blood glucose by preventing glucose reabsorption in the kidney. However, it is controversial whether these agents also act on the pancreatic islet, specifically the α cell, to increase glucagon secretion. To determine the effects of SGLT2 on human islets, we analyzed SGLT2 expression and hormone secretion by human islets treated with the SGLT2 inhibitor dapagliflozin (DAPA) in vitro and in vivo. Compared to the human kidney, SLC5A2 transcript expression was 1600-fold lower in human islets and SGLT2 protein was not detected. In vitro, DAPA treatment had no effect on glucagon or insulin secretion by human islets at either high or low glucose concentrations. In mice bearing transplanted human islets, 1 and 4 weeks of DAPA treatment did not alter fasting blood glucose, human insulin, and total glucagon levels. Upon glucose stimulation, DAPA treatment led to lower blood glucose levels and proportionally lower human insulin levels, irrespective of treatment duration. In contrast, after glucose stimulation, total glucagon was increased after 1 week of DAPA treatment but normalized after 4 weeks of treatment. Furthermore, the human islet grafts showed no effects of DAPA treatment on hormone content, endocrine cell proliferation or apoptosis, or amyloid deposition. These data indicate that DAPA does not directly affect the human pancreatic islet, but rather suggest an indirect effect where lower blood glucose leads to reduced insulin secretion and a transient increase in glucagon secretion.