Effects of insulin on norepinephrine- and acetylcholine-induced membrane currents of pinealocytes from healthy Wistar and type 2 diabetic GK rats.

The neurohormone melatonin is synthesized by the pineal gland under the stimulation of norepinephrine (NE). Its synthesis is inhibited by acetylcholine (ACh) and by insulin. Type 2 diabetic Goto Kakizaki (GK) rats have higher insulin and lower melatonin plasma levels than healthy Wistar rats. We investigate membrane potentials and currents of isolated pinealocytes in both rat strains and the influence of NE, ACh and insulin by using the perforated patch whole cell clamp technique. Pinealocyte membranes displayed a high resting Na(+) conductance. Stimulation with NE further increased this Na(+) conductance, which led to a slight depolarization in unclamped cells. The amplitude of the NE-evoked current was similar in both rat strains but the current fraction carried by Na(+) was stronger in GK rats. Stimulation with ACh induced a transient inward current and depolarization. These effects were much more pronounced in the pinealocytes of GK rats. The NE-induced current, the ACh-induced current and the membrane depolarization were reduced by pre-administration of insulin in Wistar pinealocytes. Our results provide the first electrophysiological evidence for the modulation, by insulin, of the effects of NE and ACh in pinealocytes of normal rats. The pinealocytes of type 2 diabetic rats were not responsive to insulin. This might explain the reported correlation between the decreased insulin receptor mRNA transcript levels in GK rat pinealocytes and the lack of effect of insulin on ion channels in their cell membranes.

Differential and day-time dependent expression of nuclear receptors RORα, RORß, RORγ and RXRα in the rodent pancreas and islet.

The retinoic-acid-related receptor family of orphan receptors (RORs) act as transcriptional activators or repressors. One of their functions involves integrated actions within circadian oscillators, particularly of the periphery. The present paper describes differential expression of the orphan receptors RORα, RORß and RORγ and of the nuclear retinoid receptor RXRα in the pancreas and islet of rats. Immunohistochemistry of rodent islets detected nuclear receptor expression. The RORα and RORß signals were visualised in α-cells, whereas that of RORγ was largely confined to ß-cells. RXRα was expressed throughout the islets. Quantitative RT-PCR revealed circadian expression in the rat pancreas for RORγ, RORα and RXRα, but not for RORß. Circadian expression of RORγ mRNA was verified in mouse pancreas and in rat INS-1 ß cells by serum shock experiments. The results point to differential and circadian expression and thus cell-type-specific functions of RORα and RORγ in islet cells secreting glucagon or insulin.

Phosphorylation of cyclic AMP-response element-binding protein (CREB) is influenced by melatonin treatment in pancreatic rat insulinoma ß-cells (INS-1).

The pineal hormone melatonin exerts its influence on the insulin secretion of pancreatic islets by a variety of signalling pathways. The purpose of the present study was to analyse the impact of melatonin on the phosphorylated transcription factor cAMP-response element-binding protein (pCREB). In pancreatic rat insulinoma ß-cells (INS-1), pCREB immunofluorescence intensities in cell nuclei using digitised confocal image analysis were measured to semi-quantify differences in the pCREB immunoreactivity (pCREB-ir) caused by different treatments. Increasing concentrations of forskolin or 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX) resulted in a dose-dependent rise of the mean fluorescence intensity in pCREB-ir nuclear staining. Concomitant melatonin application significantly decreased pCREB-ir in INS-1 cells after 30-min, 1-hr and 3-hr treatment. The melatonin receptor antagonists luzindole and 4-phenyl-2-propionamidotetraline (4P-PDOT) completely abolished the pCREB phosphorylation-decreasing effect of melatonin, indicating that both melatonin receptor isoforms (MT(1) and MT(2)) are involved. In a transfected INS-1 cell line expressing the human MT(2) receptor, melatonin caused the greatest reduction in pCREB after IBMX treatment compared with nontransfected INS-1 cells, indicating a crucial influence of melatonin receptor density on pCREB regulation. Furthermore, the downregulation of pCREB by melatonin is concomitantly associated with a statistically significant downregulation of Camk2d transcript levels, as measured after 3 hr. In conclusion, the present study provides evidence that the phosphorylation level of CREB is modulated in pancreatic ß-cells by melatonin. Mediated via CREB, melatonin regulates the expression of genes that play an important functional role in the regulation of ß-cell signalling pathways.

Distribution patterns of calcium-binding proteins in pancreatic tissue of non-diabetic as well as type 2 diabetic rats and in rat insulinoma beta-cells (INS-1).

The present study dealt with the localization of different calcium-binding proteins (CaBPs) in the pancreatic tissue of non-diabetic and diabetic rats and in rat insulinoma beta-cells (INS-1). Transcripts of CaBPs displayed different expression levels in rat pancreatic tissue and INS-1 cells. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that three of these proteins, calmodulin, calreticulin and calbindin-D28k, were located predominantly in the pancreatic islets (in both alpha- and beta-cells) of rats, showing weaker labeling of exocrine tissue. Secretagogin was exclusively found within islets. All CaBPs were also immunohistochemically detected in INS-1 cells. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrates differences in CaBP distributions when comparing the pancreatic tissues of diabetic Goto-Kakizaki rats and non-diabetic Wistar rats. Pancreatic tissue in type 2 diabetic Goto-Kakizaki rats showed significantly higher transcript levels of all CaBPs compared to those in Wistar rats. These results indicate that alterations of CaBPs in pancreatic islets are associated with metabolic disturbances related to type 2 diabetes.

Loss of melatonin signalling and its impact on circadian rhythms in mouse organs regulating blood glucose.

The transmission of circadian rhythms is mediated by specific promoter sequences binding a particular circadian clock factor. The pineal hormone melatonin acts via G-protein-coupled receptors to synchronise these clock-generated circadian rhythms. The study was aimed to elucidate the possible role of melatonin as a zeitgeber for peripheral clocks in pancreas and liver. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) provided evidence of the simultaneous expression of the melatonin receptors MT(1) and MT(2) in mouse pancreas, liver and hypothalamus. Melatonin receptor knockout mice were analysed with respect to the clock gene- or clock-output transcripts PER1, DBP and RevErbalpha in pancreas and liver, and both the occurrence of phase shifts and amplitude changes were detected. Circadian PER1 protein expression was found to be retained in melatonin receptor double knockout mice with an increased amplitude as measured by semiquantitative Western blot analysis. Moreover, an impact of melatonin receptor deficiency on insulin transcripts, and altered regulation of insulin secretion and glucose homeostasis were monitored in the knockout animals. Insulin secretion from isolated islets of melatonin receptor MT(1), MT(2) or MT(1) and MT(2) double melatonin receptor-knockout animals was found to be increased relative to the wild type. These data support the idea that melatonin synchronises the functions of the major organs involved in blood glucose regulation and negatively acts on the insulin secretion.

Increased melatonin synthesis in pineal glands of rats in streptozotocin induced type 1 diabetes.

It is well-documented that melatonin influences insulin secretion. The effects are mediated by specific, high-affinity, pertussis-toxin-sensitive, G protein-coupled membrane receptors (MT(1) as well MT(2)), which are present in both the pancreatic tissue and islets of rats and humans, as well as in rat insulinoma cells (INS1). Via the Gi-protein-adenylatecyclase-3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and, possibly, the guanylatecyclase-cGMP pathways, melatonin decreases insulin secretion, whereas, by activating the Gq-protein-phospholipase C-IP(3) pathway, it has the opposite effect. For further analysis of the interactions between melatonin and insulin, diabetic rats were investigated with respect to melatonin synthesis in the pineal gland and plasma insulin levels. In this context, recent investigations have proven that type 2 diabetic rats and humans display decreased melatonin levels, whereas type 1 diabetic IDDM rats or those with diabetes induced by streptozotocin (STZ) of the present study show increased plasma melatonin levels and elevated AA-NAT-mRNA. Furthermore, the mRNA of pineal insulin receptors and beta1-adrenoceptors, including the clock genes Per1 and Bmal1 and the clock-controlled output gene Dbp, increases in both young and middle-aged STZ rats. The results therefore indicate that the decreased insulin levels in STZ-induced type 1 diabetes are associated with higher melatonin plasma levels. In good agreement with earlier investigations, it was shown that the elevated insulin levels observed in type 2 diabetes, are associated with decreased melatonin levels. The results thus prove that a melatonin-insulin antagonism exists. Astonishingly, notwithstanding the drastic metabolic disturbances in STZ-diabetic rats, the diurnal rhythms of the parameters investigated are maintained.

Melatonin stimulates inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate and Ca2+ release from INS1 insulinoma cells.

The effects of melatonin in mammalian cells are exerted via specific receptors or are related to its free radical scavenging activity. It has previously been reported that melatonin inhibits insulin secretion in the pancreatic islets of the rat and in rat insulinoma INS1 cells via Gi-protein-coupled MT1 receptors and the cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate pathway. However, the inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) pathway is involved in the insulin secretory response as well, and the melatonin signal may play a part in its regulation. This paper addresses the involvement of the second messengers IP3 and intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) in the signalling cascade of melatonin in the rat insulinoma INS1 cell, a model for the pancreatic beta-cell. For this purpose melatonin at concentrations ranging from 1 to 100 nmol/L, carbachol and the nonselective melatonin receptor antagonist luzindole were used to stimulate INS1 cell batches, followed by an IP3-mass assay and Ca2+ imaging. Molecular biological studies relating to the mRNA of IP3 receptor (IP3R) subtypes and their relative abundance in INS1 cells showed expression of IP3R-1, IP3R-2 and IP3R-3 mRNA. In conclusion, we found that in rat insulinoma INS1 cells there is a dose-dependent stimulation of IP3 release by melatonin, which is accompanied by a likewise transient increase in [Ca2+]i concentrations. The melatonin effect observed mimics carbachol action. It can be abolished by 30 micromol/L luzindole and is sustained in Ca2+-free medium, suggesting a mechanism that includes the depletion of Ca2+ from intracellular stores.