help button home button Endocrine Society Endocrinology
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS

This Article
Right arrow Abstract Freely available
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Request Copyright Permission
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Mizuno, N.
Right arrow Articles by Seino, S.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Mizuno, N.
Right arrow Articles by Seino, S.
Right arrowPubmed/NCBI databases
*Compound via MeSH
*Substance via MeSH
Hazardous Substances DB
*CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
*CALCIUM, ELEMENTAL
*GLUCOSE
Endocrinology Vol. 139, No. 3 1429-1439
Copyright © 1998 by The Endocrine Society


ARTICLES

Altered bcl-2 and bax Expression and Intracellular Ca2+ Signaling in Apoptosis of Pancreatic Cells and the Impairment of Glucose-Induced Insulin Secretion1

Nobuhisa Mizuno, Hideyuki Yoshitomi, Hitoshi Ishida, Hiroshi Kuromi, Jun Kawaki, Yutaka Seino and Susumu Seino

Department of Metabolism and Clinical Nutrition, Kyoto University School of Medicine, Kyoto; and the Division of Molecular Medicine, Center for Biomedical Science, Chiba University School of Medicine (H.Y., H.K., S.S.), Chiba, Japan

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Nobuhisa Mizuno, M.D., Department of Metabolism and Clinical Nutrition, Kyoto University School of Medicine, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606–01, Japan. E-mail: mizuno{at}metab.kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp


    Abstract
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 
Apoptosis is the process of cellular self-destruction, and genes such as bcl-2 and bax are known to inhibit and promote apoptosis, respectively. In this study, we show that apoptosis can be induced in pancreatic ß-cell lines, and we investigate the apoptotic pathways through the bcl-2 and bax genes and intracellular Ca2+. Serum deprivation induces apoptosis in the MIN6 and RINm5F pancreatic ß-cell lines, and alters the bcl-2 messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein. KCl, BayK, A23187, and ionomycin elicit an elevation of cytosolic/nuclear Ca2+, which, however, is insufficient to evoke apoptosis or to alter bcl-2 or bax mRNA expression in MIN6 cells. The extracellular Ca2+ chelators, EGTA and 1,2-Bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid, tetrapotassium salt, hydrate, evoke apoptosis and also alter the ratio of bcl-2 to bax mRNA and protein concomitantly with the depletion of cytosolic/nuclear Ca2+. This indicates that there are at least two apoptotic pathways in pancreatic ß-cells: through serum deprivation and through a decrease in cytosolic/nuclear Ca2+. MIN6 cells exhibit reduced insulin secretion induced by glucose regardless of the molecular pathway of apoptosis. Apoptosis in pancreatic ß-cells, therefore, may be closely related to the impairment of insulin secretion in certain pathological conditions such as diabetes mellitus.


    Introduction
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 
APOPTOSIS is an active process of cellular self-destruction that is regulated by the extrinsic and intrinsic signals occurring in normal development. Apoptosis also is associated with disease states such as cancer, immunological disorders, and neurodegenerative disorders (1, 2, 3). In diabetes mellitus, apoptotic cell death of pancreatic ß-cells is supposedly one of the causes (4). The extrinsic factors, serum from patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), amylin fibril formation, nitric oxide, some cytokines, and Fas-Fas ligand, have been reported to induce apoptotic cell death, and glucose promotes the survival of pancreatic ß-cell lines and islets (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10). In addition, serum deprivation from the culture medium has been recognized as another extrinsic factor for apoptosis in various cells, such as BALB/c 3T3 fibroblasts, pheochromocytoma cells (PC12), P19 teratocarcinoma cells, and Jurkat T lymphoblasts (11, 12, 13, 14). On the other hand, the intrinsic factor, a rise in intracellular cAMP or cGMP, has recently been reported to form part of the effector system controlling apoptosis in pancreatic ß-cells (15), but the involvement of other intrinsic signals, such as apoptosis-related genes or intracellular Ca2+, has not been fully investigated.

The bcl-2 gene has been cloned (16) and has been shown to be expressed within pancreatic islets and acini (17). This gene is known to be an intrinsic factor for apoptosis and to contribute to susceptibility to apoptosis, as its overexpression in the pancreatic ß-cell line, ßTC1 cells, was found to partially protect them from cytokine-induced apoptosis (18). On the other hand, it has been established that the bax gene, a bcl-2 family member, promotes apoptosis (19). The ratio of bcl-2 to bax has been known to determine the susceptibility of the cell to certain apoptotic stimuli (19, 20, 21). Protein in the IgM fraction of IDDM serum has been shown to increase L-type calcium channel activity, which is followed by overload of cytoplasmic Ca2+, and also to contribute indirectly to the destruction of ß-cells in vitro (5). On the other hand, amylin-induced apoptosis in islet cells is not associated with Ca2+ influx from extracellular space via calcium channels (6). Although it had been thought that overloaded intracellular Ca2+ is linked to cell death (22, 23, 24), many studies have shown that a rise in intracellular Ca2+ alone is not sufficient for apoptotic cell death (25, 26, 27, 28).

In the present study, we have investigated whether serum deprivation induces ß-cell apoptosis with the altered expression of bcl-2/bax genes and the cytosolic/nuclear Ca2+ dynamics. To ascertain the hypothesis that intracellular Ca2+ overload can induce apoptosis, we examined the apoptotic effects on ß-cells of various agents, such as high concentrations (30 mM) of KCl (induction of membrane depolarization), BayK (VDCC opener), A23187 (Ca2+ ionophore), and ionomycin to elevate intracellular Ca2+ and also the effect of the Ca2+ chelator, EGTA or BAPTA, to reduce it.

In addition, it has been recently found that the insulin secretory capacity is reduced in ß-cells in apoptotic process, which shows DNA damage (29). Here, we examined the decrease in the insulin secretory response to glucose in ß-cells during the apoptotic process and investigated its reversibility using apoptotic blockers.


    Materials and Methods
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 
Cell culture
The MIN6 and RINm5F pancreatic ß-cell lines were cultured in DMEM (Life Technologies, Gaithersburg, MD) containing 10% heat-inactivated FBS (HyClone Laboratories, Logan, UT) and 25 mM glucose (for MIN6) or 5 mM glucose (for RINm5F). Both cell lines were cultured at 37 C in 5% CO2 and under various apoptotic conditions: deprivation of serum from the medium; addition of KCl, BayK, A23187, or ionomycin to the medium; and addition of a Ca2+ chelator, EGTA or BAPTA.

Assay for cell viability
MIN6 and RINm5F cells were plated at a density of 1 x 104/well in 96-well plates and cultured in the DMEM medium, described above, for 2 days. The culture medium was then replaced by serum-deprived medium or ordinary medium containing KCl, BayK, A23187, or ionomycin. The viability of the cells was determined by MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide) assay (Cell Proliferation Kit, Boehringer Mannheim Biochemica, Mannheim, Germany) at the time intervals indicated in Figs. 1Go, 2Go, and 4Go according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The levels of cell viability at the starting point (0 h) were used as the basal control (100%), and the results at each point are presented as a percentage of the basal control value.



View larger version (53K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 1. Cell viability (percentage) and DNA fragmentation under serum deprivation. Time course of cell viability (percentage) assessed by MTT assay at various concentrations of serum and typical time course of DNA fragmentation under serum deprivation of MIN6 cells (A) and RINm5F cells (B). The cell viability of MIN6 cells can be maintained in culture for 48 h without a significant loss, but it then gradually decreases under serum deprivation after 72 h (A, left panel). No DNA fragmentation was detected at 0 (control), 24, or 48 h after culturing the cells under serum deprivation, but it appeared slightly at 72 h after serum deprivation and thereafter the degree of DNA fragmentation increased (A, right panel). In RINm5F cells, the cell viability was gradually decreased under serum deprivation at 12 h (B, left panel), and then slight DNA fragmentation was detected, which then increased after 24 h (B, right panel). The results of the MTT assay are expressed as the mean ± SE of triplicate determinations from three separate experiments. The DNA size marker is shown in lane m. The results are representative of three experiments.

 


View larger version (23K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 2. Cell viability (percentage) under apoptotic blockers. The effect of apoptotic blockers, 10 µM ATA or 50 µM Zn2+, under the conditions of serum deprivation (A) and 4 mM BAPTA (B) on cell viability. At 72 h of culture, 10 µM ATA significantly reversed the decreased cell viability under serum deprivation. Zn2+ (50 µM) was insufficient to reverse it (A). In the case of 4 mM BAPTA (B), 10 µM ATA failed to block the decreased cell viability. At 24 h and thereafter, 50 µM Zn2+ significantly delayed the loss of cell viability compared with that in culture with 4 mM BAPTA alone (B). Results of the MTT assay are expressed as the mean ± SE of triplicate determinations from three separate experiments. *, P < 0.01; **, P < 0.001 (compared with cell viability under apoptotic conditions). Statistical analyses were conducted using unpaired Student’s t test.

 


View larger version (50K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 4. Cell viability (percentage) and DNA fragmentation under various agents. The time course of cell viability was assessed by MTT assay with the various agents, 30 mM KCl (•), 80 µM BayK ({triangleup}), 50 µM ionophore (A21387; {blacktriangleup}), and 50 µM ionomycin ({blacksquare}; A, left panel), and typical internucleosomal DNA fragments from MIN6 cells cultured with each ligand for 72 h were separated by electrophoresis (A, right panel). Each agent is shown to be insufficient to markedly decrease the cell viability under the starting points (100%; A, left panel). DNA extracted from MIN6 cells is not fragmented at 72 h (A, right panel). B and C show the effect of the extracellular Ca2+ chelators, EGTA and BAPTA, on cell viability and DNA fragmentation in MIN6 cells. EGTA (2 mM; {triangleup}) did not decrease the cell viability of MIN6 cells. With 4 mM or more of EGTA ({blacktriangleup}, 4 mM; •, 8 mM; {blacksquare}, 12 mM), however, cell viability was decreased in a dose-dependent manner (B, left panel). DNA fragmentation appeared early, at 4 h of culture time, and the intensity of the fragments increased time dependently (B, right panel). BAPTA (2 mM; {triangleup}) also was insufficient to decrease the cell viability of MIN6 cells, but at a 4-mM or greater concentration of BAPTA ({blacktriangleup}, 4 mM; •, 8 mM; {blacksquare}, 12 mM), cell viability was decreased in a dose-dependent manner (C, left panel). DNA fragmentation appeared after 12 h of culture and gradually intensified time dependently (C, right panel). The results of the MTT assay are expressed as the mean ± SE of triplicate determinations from three separate experiments. The DNA size marker is shown in lane m.

 
Assessment of apoptosis by morphology
To identify those undergoing apoptosis, the cells were stained with acridine orange (1 µg/ml). Cellular and nuclear morphologies were observed under a differential microscope and a laser-evoked fluorescence microscope (LSM410, Zeiss, Germany).

Assessment of apoptosis by DNA fragmentation
At the various times indicated in Figs. 1Go and 4Go, MIN6 or RINm5F cells were harvested from the culture dishes and washed twice in PBS. They were lysed in a solution containing 1% SDS, 0.5% Triton X-100, 20 mM EDTA, and 5 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.0, and incubated overnight with 0.25 mg/ml proteinase K at 37 C. DNA was extracted in phenol/chloroform, ethanol precipitated, resuspended in 10 mM Tris-HCl and 1 mM EDTA (pH 8.0), and incubated with deoxyribonuclease-free ribonuclease (80 µg/ml; for 1 h). The DNAs (10 µg/lane) were electrophoresed on 2% agarose gels and visualized by ethidium bromide staining. Apoptosis was confirmed further by the in situ modified fluorescein detection method of DNA fragmentation (ApopTag, Oncor, Gaithersburg, MD), according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Cellular morphology and nuclear fluorescein were observed under a differential microscope and a laser-evoked fluorescence microscope (LSM410, Zeiss).

Northern blot analysis
Total RNA was prepared from cells by the guanidinium isothiocyanate/cesium chloride procedure at various times after the addition of KCl, BayK, A23187, ionomycin, or the Ca2+ chelators and also after serum deprivation from the medium. Total RNA was also extracted from mouse brain and liver, as positive and negative controls, respectively, using the same method. Ten micrograms of total RNA were denatured with formaldehyde, electrophoresed on 1% agarose gel, and transfered to a nylon membrane. The 499-bp fragment of bcl-2 complementary DNA (nucleotides 37–535 relative to translation start site) was 32P labeled by nick-translation and used to hybridize the membrane. The hybridizations and washing conditions were previously described (26). The membranes were subsequently stripped and rehybridized with 32P-labeled bax complementary DNA (nucleotides 100–453). These probes were prepared by RT-PCR from total RNA of mouse brain. The PCR primers were 5'-GAGATCGTGA TGAAGTACAT-3' (sense) and 5'-TCAGGTACTCAGTCATCCAC-3' (antisense) for bcl-2, 5'-ACCAGCTCTGAACAGATCAT-3' (sense) and 5'-AGATGGTCACTG TCTGCCAT-3' (antisense) for bax, and 5'-ATCCGTAAAGACCTCTATGC-3' (sense) and 5'-AACGCAGCTCAGTAACAGTC-3' (antisense) for ß-actin. These probes were sequenced to confirm their identities after subcloning into M13mp18. Relative expression levels of bcl-2 and bax messenger RNA (mRNA) were determined by densitometric analysis. The intensity of the bax mRNA band in each lane was considered to be 100%, and the ratio of bcl-2 to bax mRNA was expressed as percentage of bax in each lane.

Measurement of intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i)
MIN6 cells were loaded with 1 µM fura-2/acetoxymethylester (Molecular Probes, Eugene, OR) for 30 min in Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate buffer (KRB) containing 109 mM NaCl, 3.3 mM glucose, 4.6 mM KCl, 3.2 mM CaCl2, 1.15 mM Na2HPO4, 0.4 mM KH2PO4, and 20 mM HEPES (pH 7.4). After replacing KRB with the DMEM medium, the changes in [Ca2+]i were monitored by a dual excitation wavelength method (340 and 380 nm). The absolute value of [Ca2+]i was determined with a Ca2+ standard solution (Molecular Probes). Fluorescence emission at 510 nm was monitored, and the ratio calculation was digitized by a computerized image processor (Argus-100/CA, Hamamatsu Photonics, Hamamatsu, Japan).

Confocal [Ca2+]i measurements and image analysis
The dissociated cells were loaded with 1 µM fluo-3/acetoxymethylester (Molecular Probes) for 30 min in KRB. After replacing KRB with DMEM medium, fluorescence emitted from MIN6 cells was measured by confocal laser scanning microscope (LSM410, Zeiss). An argon laser was used to excite the dye at 488 nm, and emission signals were measured through interference filters (510–540 nm). Single wavelength images were acquired and stored on an optical memory disk. In our experiments the laser scan strength was set at 20–30% of the 100-mW output, and a 10% neutral density filter was used. The pinhole aperture was set at 1.5 µm (thickness of Z slice, <0.5 µm). The scanning X-Y slice in which cytosolic and nuclear Ca2+ were studied was set at one half the MIN6 cell thickness, which was about 6 µm (Z slice position = mean of 3 µm). Calibration of single wavelength fluorescence in terms of the absolute concentration of calcium is difficult and was not attempted because the relative calcium change in the intracellular cytosolic and nuclear compartments is the focus of this study. Transmission and fluo-3 fluorescence images during stimulation were stored on an optical memory disk. After direct recording, the nuclei of the measured cells were stained with acridine orange (1 µg/ml; 20 min) to distinguish between cytosol and nuclear fluorescence. After indicating the cytosolic and nuclear compartments on a measured MIN6 cell, the fluorescence of the cytosol and nucleus was recalculated from the data in the memory disk.

Immunoblotting analysis
Cells were lysed, homogenized, and sonicated in lysis buffer containing 10 mM Tris-acetate, 2 mM EDTA, 100 mM NaCl, 20% glycerol (pH 7.5), 1 µg/ml antipain, 1 µg/ml leupeptin, 0.1 mM phenylmethylsulfonylfluoride, and 4 µM pepstain A. Aliquots of total protein (10 µg protein/lane) were subjected to electrophoresis on a 12.5% SDS-polyacrylamide gel and transferred to polyvinylidene difluoride membranes (Immobilon, Millipore Intech, Bedford, MA) by electroblotting overnight at 4 C and 150 mA. Bcl-2 and Bax proteins were detected on immunoblots with polyclonal rabbit antimouse/rat Bax antibody (catalogue no. 13686E, PharMingen, San Diego, CA) and polyclonal rabbit anti mouse/rat Bcl-2 antibody (catalog no. sc-492, Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Santa Cruz, CA), respectively. The membrane filters were blocked for 1 h at room temperature with 5% nonfat dry milk and 10% donkey serum in PBS with Tween-20 (PBS-T; pH 7.4) consisting of 136.9 mM NaCl, 2.7 mM KCl, 10 mM Na2HPO4, 1.8 mM KH2PO4, and 0.1% Tween-20. After washing with PBS-T, the membranes were incubated with 1:2000 diluted anti-Bax antibody or 1:1000 diluted anti-Bcl-2 antibody. The primary antibody immunoreactions were then detected with horseradish peroxidase-conjugated donkey antirabbit Ig using an enhanced chemiluminescense system according to the manufacturer’s instructions (ECL, Amersham Life Science, Aylesbury, UK).

Measurements of insulin release
MIN6 cells were plated at a density of 1 x 105/well in 48-well plates and were cultured in the DMEM described above for 3 or 4 days. The culture medium was then replaced with the serum-deprived medium or the ordinary medium containing 4 mM BAPTA in the absence or presence of 10 µM aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA) and 50 µM Zn2+. The glucose-induced insulin secretory capacity of MIN6 cells was determined during apoptotic conditions with serum deprivation for 96 h or with 4 mM BAPTA for 36 h. In these conditions, DNA fragmentation could be detected, but cell viability assessed by the MTT assay remained at more than half the original values. The cells at 70~80% confluence in 48-well plates were preincubated with KRB containing 0.2% BSA plus 3.3 mM glucose for 10 min at 37 C and then incubated for an additional 1 h in KRB containing 3.3 or 16.7 mM glucose. The insulin released into the medium was measured by RIA (30, 31).


    Results
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 
Cell viability, DNA fragmentation, and morphology in serum-deprived medium or medium containing KCl, BayK, A23187, ionomycin, or the extracellular Ca2+ chelators, EGTA and BAPTA
Figure 1AGo (left panel) shows the decrease in cell viability of the MIN6 pancreatic ß-cell line in the serum-deprived medium, assessed by MTT assay. The viability declined together with the lower concentrations of serum in the culture medium. In the serum-free medium, MIN6 cells can be cultured for at least 48 h without a significant loss in the number of living cells, but cell viability gradually decreases thereafter. The decreased cell viability under serum-free conditions can be reversed significantly by an endonuclease inhibitor, ATA (10 µM), 72 h after the serum deprivation and thereafter (Fig. 2AGo). Actinomycin D and cycloheximide, considered to be apoptosis blockers via inhibition of mRNA or protein synthesis, do not reverse the decrease in cell viability (data not shown). We then investigated whether the serum deprivation-induced cell death in MIN6 cells was due to apoptosis. One of most important characteristics of apoptosis, the cleavage of DNA into oligonucleosomal-sized fragments, can be seen in the intensity of the ethidium bromide staining. Fragmentations of DNA in MIN6 cells were first detected at 72 h in the serum-free medium and increased thereafter (Fig. 1AGo, right panel). The cell viability of RINm5F also declined together with the lower serum concentrations and gradually decreased in serum-free medium. Fragmentations of DNA in RINm5F cells were slightly detected at 12 and 24 h in the serum-free medium and increased thereafter (Fig. 1BGo, right panel).

Photomicrographs of MIN6 cells stained with acridine orange are shown in the left panels of Fig. 3Go. The nucleus of the untreated (Fig. 3AGo) and undamaged cells (Fig. 3Go, C and E) are stained round and red by acridine orange. On the other hand, condensed nuclei of smaller size were observed with acridin orange after 120-h incubation in the serum-free medium (Fig. 3CGo) and after 18-h incubation with BAPTA (Fig. 3EGo). These smaller nuclei mean nuclear chromatin condensation that supports the characteristic of apoptosis. In addition, end-labeled fragmented DNA was stained green in the nuclei after 120-h incubation in the serum-free medium (Fig. 3DGo) and also after 18 h with BAPTA (Fig. 3FGo), but it was not detected in the nuclei of the untreated (Fig. 3BGo) or nonapoptotic cells (Fig. 3Go, D and F).



View larger version (94K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 3. Morphology and in situ end labeling of nuclei of MIN6 cells during apoptosis. The nuclear morphology of MIN6 cells was observed in a differential interference microscope and a laser-evoked fluorescence microscope. The cells were stained with acridine orange, which is cell-permeant nucleic acid stain (A, C, and E). The nucleus of the untreated MIN6 cell is round and red stained with acridine orange (A; control). The nuclei of MIN6 cells cultured in the medium with 10% FBS (control) are not stained by the ApopTag kit, which detects in situ end labeling of fragmented DNA (B). After 120 h of serum deprivation from the medium, condensed nuclei of smaller size are additionally observed (C), and the nuclei of apoptotic MIN6 cells are stained green using the ApopTag kit (D). After the addition of 4 mM BAPTA to the medium for 18 h, condensed nuclei are also observed (E), and the nuclei of apoptotic MIN6 cells are similarly stained green (F). The scale bars (10 µm) are shown in each figure. The results are representatives of three experiments.

 
As it has been reported that long term elevated [Ca2+]i could induce apoptosis in some cell lines (23), we examined whether KCl, BayK, A23187, or ionomycin induces apoptosis in MIN6 cells. However, the MTT assay did not show a decrease in cell viability after the addition of KCl (10–40 mM), BayK (10–80 µM), or A23187 (1–50 µM; Fig. 4AGo, left panel). Under these conditions no DNA fragmentation was detected (Fig. 4AGo, right panel). Whereas ionomycin (50 µM) tended to decrease the cell viability, it was also insufficient to produce DNA fragmentations. This unexpected result encourages us to investigate whether the extracellular Ca2+ chelator, EGTA or BAPTA, might induce apoptosis in MIN6 cells. Four or more millimolar concentrations of these extracellular Ca2+ chelators decreased cell viability in a dose-dependent manner (Fig. 4Go, B and C). On the other hand, 1 or 2 mM Ca2+ chelators could not decrease it. Zn2+ (50 µM) was found to partially, but significantly, inhibit the decline in cell viability caused by 4 mM BAPTA (Fig. 2BGo), whereas ATA (1~100 µM), actinomycin D (5 mg/liter), and cycloheximide (10 µM) all failed to block it (data not shown). DNA fragmentation also was detected with both 4 mM EGTA and 4 mM BAPTA (Fig. 4Go, B and C, right panels). In addition, chromatin condensation and in situ end-labeled fragmented DNA were found in the nuclei of the cells 18 h after the addition of 4 mM BAPTA (Fig. 3Go, E and F).

Changes in cytosolic and nuclear calcium concentrations, and expression of the apoptosis-associated genes, bcl-2 and bax
As serum deprivation and chelation of extracellular Ca2+ by the Ca2+ chelators evoked apoptosis in MIN6 cells, we examined the intracellular Ca2+ dynamics and changes in bcl-2 and bax mRNA expression in MIN6 cells. Serum deprivation did not affect either the cytosolic or nuclear Ca2+ concentrations detected by computerized image processor (fura-2/AM) and confocal laser scanning microscope (fluo-3/AM; data not shown). On the other hand, the expression level of bcl-2/bax (the ratio of bcl-2 to bax) mRNA was transiently enhanced and then gradually decreased during the apoptotic process (Fig. 5Go). After 96 h of serum deprivation in MIN6 cells, bcl-2/bax mRNA gradually decreased. In addition, Bcl-2 protein expression apparently persisted until 96 h after serum deprivation (Fig. 6AGo). Although not only cytosolic but also nuclear Ca2+ was elevated by KCl (30 mM), BayK (40 µM), A23187 (5 µM), and ionomycin (5 µM), the expression levels of bcl-2/bax mRNA exhibited no change despite the addition of these agents (data not shown).



View larger version (66K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 5. Northern blot of bcl-2 and bax under serum deprivation. A, A typical time course of bcl-2 and bax mRNA expression in MIN6 (left panel) and RINm5F (right panel) cells under serum deprivation. 28S and 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) are also shown at the bottom. B, Relative expression level of bcl-2 to bax mRNA (bcl-2/bax) after serum deprivation determined by densitometric analysis of the intensity of the hybridizing bands on autoradiographs of MIN6 cells (left panel) and RINm5F cells (right panel). Control mRNA was extracted from MIN6 and RINm5F cells cultured in the medium with 10% FBS before changing to the serum-free medium. The intensity of bax mRNA in each lane were used as the basal control (100%), and bcl-2 mRNA is expressed as a percentage of the basal control value in each lane. The value at each time point is expressed as a percentage of the control value (100%). Results are shown as the mean ± SE of three separate experiments.

 


View larger version (36K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 6. Immunoblotting of Bcl-2 and Bax under serum deprivation and BAPTA. Representative examples of the time course of Bcl-2 and Bax protein expression after serum deprivation (A) and under 4 mM BAPTA (B) in MIN6 cells by immunoblotting. Bcl-2 protein expression apparently persisted after 96 h of serum deprivation and then decreased, whereas Bax protein expression was rather constant (A). Bcl-2 protein tended to decrease, whereas Bax protein increased during 24 h after the addition of 4 mM BAPTA (B).

 
As shown in Fig. 7Go, A, C, and E, 4 mM BAPTA decreased intracellular, nuclear, and cytosolic Ca2+ levels from resting Ca2+ levels, although 2 mM BAPTA failed to do so. Under this extracellular Ca2+ chelation, bcl-2/bax mRNA gradually decreased (Fig. 8Go, A and B, right panel). Similar results were obtained when 4 mM EGTA was used as the extracellular Ca2+ chelator (Fig. 8Go, A and B, left panel). Immunoblotting analysis also showed gradually decreased of Bcl-2/Bax protein expression under the same condition (4 mM BAPTA; Fig. 6BGo).



View larger version (72K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 7. The typical responses of intracellular (A), nuclear (B and C), and cytosolic (D and E) Ca2+ induced by the addition of 4 mM BAPTA in Ca2+ indicator-loaded single MIN6 cells. The [Ca2+]i of 1 µM fura-2/AM-loaded single MIN6 cells (n = 6) drops to levels under basal concentrations in resting cells (A; Argus-100, Hamamatsu, Japan). Changes in nuclear and cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations induced by the agent in 1 µM fluo-3/AM-loaded single MIN6 cells were examined with a confocal laser scanning microscope (B–E; LSM 410, Zeiss). The cytosolic and nuclear compartments were distinguished by acridin orange, which stained the nuclei (B and D). The relative depletion of nuclear Ca2+ in the indicated squares (n = 6) was observed after application of 4 mM BAPTA (C). The relative depletion of cytosolic Ca2+ in the indicated squares (n = 6) was also observed (E). The agent was superfused for the periods indicated in the horizontal bar (A, C, and E). The results are representatives of three experiments.

 


View larger version (63K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 8. Northern blot of Bcl-2 to Bax under Ca2+ chelators. A, A typical time course of bcl-2 and bax mRNA levels under 4 mM EGTA (left panel) and 4 mM BAPTA (right panel) in MIN6 cells. 28S and 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) are also shown at the bottom. B, The relative expression level of bcl-2 to bax mRNA (bcl-2/bax) under 4 mM EGTA (left panel) and 4 mM BAPTA (right panel) were determined by densitometric analysis of the intensity of hybridizing bands on autoradiographs in MIN6 cells. Control mRNA was extracted from MIN6 cultured in the medium with 10% FBS before changing to the medium containing each agent. The intensity of bax mRNA in each lane was used as the basal control value (100%), and bcl-2 mRNA is expressed as a percentage of the basal control value in each lane. The ratios of bcl-2 to bax mRNA continued to decrease under these Ca2+ chelators. The value at each time point is expressed as a percentage of the control value. Results are shown as the mean ± SE of three separate experiments.

 
Insulin secretion
We measured the amount of insulin released in response to glucose under apoptotic conditions. The insulin secretion induced by 3.3 or 16.7 mM glucose was determined after 96-h serum deprivation or in the presence of 4 mM BAPTA for 36 h, where DNA fragmentation was already observed. The values of insulin released at 3.3 mM glucose alone [21 ± 1.2 ng/well·h (n = 32) for Fig. 9AGo and 180.5 ng/well·h (n = 26) for Fig. 9BGo] were used as the basal control levels (100 ± 4.7% and 100 ± 2.7%, respectively).



View larger version (28K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 9. Insulin release from MIN6 cells induced by 3.3 or 16.7 mM glucose under serum deprivation for 96 h (A) or in the presence of 4 mM BAPTA for 36 h (B). The effects of the apoptotic blockers, 10 µM ATA or 50 µM Zn2+, were also examined. Values (mean ± SE) were obtained from 18–32 measurements of 3 separate experiments for each agent. The values of released insulin at 3.3 mM glucose alone [21 ± 1.2 ng/well·h (n = 32) for Fig. 9AGo and 18 ± 0.5 ng/well·h (n = 26) for Fig. 9BGo] were used as the basal control values (100 ± 4.7% and 100 ± 2.7%, respectively), and the results are presented as a percentage of the control value. *, P < 0.001 vs. insulin release at 3.3 mM glucose alone under serum-free conditions; **, P < 0.001 vs. insulin release at 3.3 mM glucose in the presence of 4 mM BAPTA. Statistical analyses were conducted using unpaired Student’s t test.

 
As shown in Fig. 9AGo, the insulin secretion from MIN6 cells was significantly increased by 16.7 mM glucose compared with that caused by 3.3 mM glucose under control conditions (171 ± 7.3%; P < 0.001). However, 96 h after serum deprivation, basal (by 3.3 mM glucose) insulin secretion was significantly decreased to 47.5 ± 3.0% of the control level (P < 0.001), and there was no significant increase in insulin secretion induced by 16.7 mM glucose. ATA (10 µM), which reversed the decreased cell viability 96 h after serum deprivation, significantly reversed the decreased basal insulin secretion under the serum-free condition to 74.0 ± 14.0% of the control value (P < 0.001). Interestingly, the glucose responsiveness of insulin release was also restored by this apoptotic blocker (P < 0.001). Other blockers (Zn2+, actinomycin D, and cycloheximide), however, did not reverse the decreased insulin secretion under this condition (data not shown).

In another series of experiments (Fig. 9BGo), basal insulin secretion was significantly reduced to 30.0 ± 3.0% after 36-h incubation with 4 mM BAPTA (P < 0.001), and the glucose responsiveness of the insulin secretion also was lost. Zn2+ (50 µM) partially, but significantly, reversed the decreased basal insulin secretion to 55.0 ± 5.0% of the control value (P < 0.001), and the glucose responsiveness of insulin release also was restored (P < 0.001). Other apoptotic blockers (ATA, actinomycin D, and cycloheximide), however, did not reverse the reduced insulin secretion (data not shown).


    Discussion
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 
It has been believed that apoptosis occurs when a cell activates an internally encoded suicide program as a result of either extrinsic or intrinsic signals (32). In this study, we investigated changes in bcl-2 and bax gene expression and the dynamics of nuclear and cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations under apoptotic conditions. In the MIN6 and RINm5F pancreatic ß-cell lines, serum deprivation induced apoptosis and alterations in the ratio of bcl-2 to bax (bcl-2/bax) mRNA and protein expression. bcl-2/bax mRNA was transiently increased thereafter, and then decreased after serum deprivation in both MIN6 and RINm5F cells. Along with the decrease in bcl-2/bax mRNA and protein, DNA fragmentation was gradually observed in both MIN6 and RINm5F cells. ATA (10 M) partially reversed the reduction of cell viability after serum deprivation. This finding suggests that an endonuclease blocked by ATA also is important in the mechanism of apoptosis induced by serum deprivation.

In pancreatic ß-cells, it is still unclear whether intracellular Ca2+ overload induces apoptosis. The present study demonstrates that excessive Ca2+ influx from extracellular space or Ca2+ release from intracellular stores is insufficient to evoke apoptosis in MIN6 cells. It is not clear at present why MIN6 cells are resistant to elevated [Ca2+]i, but it is well known that Bcl-2 is very effective in blocking [Ca2+]i overload-induced apoptosis (33, 34). In addition, using immunoperoxidase staining, Bcl-2 protein has been detected within pancreatic islets and acini (17). These findings suggest that the constitutive expression of bcl-2 mRNA and protein under basal condition may play at least in part a significant role in the mechanism of protection from apoptosis by [Ca2+]i overload in MIN6 cells.

The present study shows that the extracellular Ca2+ chelators, EGTA and BAPTA, promote apoptosis in MIN6 cells. This accords with recent studies showing that PC12 cells, T lymphocytes, erythroid progenitor cells, and thymoma cells can be induced to apoptosis under extracellular Ca2+ deprivation (35, 36, 37). Little is known of the apoptotic pathways under unphysiological Ca2+-chelated conditions. Accordingly, the [Ca2+]i dynamics and its relationship to genes such as bcl-2 and bax were investigated. BAPTA is alkaline, precluding acidification as the cause of the apoptosis induced by the Ca2+ chelators. In addition, no significant leakage of lactate dehydrogenase was observed from apoptotic cells (data not shown), and the decreased cell viability was reversed by an apoptotic blocker, Zn2+, excluding the adverse effect of the agents as the cause of the apoptosis.

One or 2 mM extracellular Ca2+ chelators was insufficient to affect resting [Ca2+]i (~100 nM), but 4 mM or more of the extracellular Ca2+ chelators was shown to further decrease its level to 40~50 nM, after which both decreased cell viability and DNA fragmentation were seen. This indicates that higher concentrations of Ca2+ chelators can deplete the cytosolic and nuclear free Ca2+ concentrations, which was further confirmed by confocal laser scanning microscope. Under 4 mM or more of the Ca2+ chelators conditions, bcl-2/bax mRNA and protein were decreased. This indicates that the Ca2+ chelators cause apoptosis, accompanied by an alteration of the ratio of bcl-2 to bax expression and a decrease in the cytosolic/nuclear Ca2+ concentration.

Our results show that glucose-induced insulin secretion is decreased in ß-cell lines during apoptotic changes induced by serum deprivation (for 96 h) or extracellular Ca2+ chelators (for 36 h), whereas cell viability remains at more than half the basal level and no significant leakage of lactate dehydrogenase from cells was observed. Basal insulin secretion (by 3.3 mM glucose) is significantly decreased, but not completely abolished. We also found that the glucose responsiveness of insulin secretion to a high concentration (16.7 mM) of glucose was remarkably diminished. This is consistent with previous observations that cytokine-induced apoptosis in ß-cells (7, 8) is associated with the impaired insulin secretion stimulated by high glucose (29, 38). Interestingly, the decrease in basal insulin secretion and the disappearance of glucose responsiveness under apoptotic conditions were eliminated by the corresponding apoptotic blockers. It is well known that ATA inhibits the DNA fragmentation formation in PC12 cells induced by serum deprivation (39), and also that Zn2+ prevents the appearance of the DNA fragmentation by glucocorticoids in thymocytes (40, 41). It has been found that glucose-induced insulin release is already reduced in the preclinical stage of IDDM (42). Assuming that apoptosis is involved in the destructive process of pancreatic ß-cells and their functional impairment, the preventive studies on the occurrence of apoptosis would help to reduce the incidence of diabetes mellitus.

In conclusion, at least two distinct pathways for activation of apoptosis are present in pancreatic ß-cell lines, and the response of glucose-induced insulin secretion becomes impaired during the course of apoptosis regardless of its molecular pathway. The susceptibility to apoptosis in ß-cells involving altered expression of apoptosis-related genes such as bcl-2 and bax and changes in the cytosolic/nuclear Ca2+ concentration may play an important role in the mechanism of the deterioration of pancreatic ß-cell function in disease.


    Acknowledgments
 
The authors thank Y. Tsujimoto for anti-Bcl-2 antibody and Mr. H. Ayukawa and Mr. H.Imamura for their technical assistance.


    Footnotes
 
1 This work was supported by Grants-in Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture; a grant for Research for the Future Program from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS-RFTF 97100201); a grant from the Japan Diabetes Foundation; and grants for Diabetes Research from Takeda Chemical Industries (Osaka, Japan). Back

Received July 21, 1997.


    References
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 

  1. Steller H 1995 Mechanisms and genes of cellular suicide. Science 267:1445–1462[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  2. Nagata S, Golstein P 1995 The Fas death factor. Science 267:1449–1456[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  3. Thompson CB 1995 Apoptosis in the pathogenesis and treatment of disease. Science 267:1456–1462[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  4. Bronwyn A, O’Brien BA, Harmon BV, Cameron DP, Allan DJ 1997 Apoptosis is the mode of ß-cell death responsible for the development of IDDM in the nonobese diabetic (NOD) mouse. Diabetes 46:750–757[Abstract]
  5. Juntti-Berggren L, Larsson O, Rorsman P, Ammala C, Bokvist K, Wahlander K, Nicotera P, Dypbukt J, Orrenius S, Hallberg A, Berggren PO 1993 Increased activity of L-type Ca2+ channels exposed to serum from patients with type 1 diabetes. Science 261:86–90[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  6. Lorenzo A, Razzaboni B, Weir GC, Yanker BA 1994 Pancreatic islet cell toxicity of amylin associated with type-2 diabetes mellitus. Nature 368:756–760[CrossRef][Medline]
  7. Rabinovitch A, Suarez-Pinzon WL, Morgan AR, Bleackley RC 1994 DNA fragmentation is an early event in cytokine-induced islet beta-cell destruction. Diabetologia 37:733–738[Medline]
  8. Kaneto H, Fujii J, Seo HG, Suzuki K, Matsuoka T, Nakamura M, Tatsumi H, Yamasaki Y, Kamada T, Taniguchi N 1995 Apoptotic cell death triggered by nitric oxide in pancreatic ß-cells. Diabetes 44:733–738[Abstract]
  9. Yamada K, Takane-Gyotoku N, Yuan X, Ichikawa F, Inada C, Nonaka K 1996 Mouse islet cell lysis mediated by interleukin-1-induced Fas. Diabetologia 39:1306–1312[CrossRef][Medline]
  10. Hoorens A, van-de-Casteele M, Kloppel G, Pipeleers D 1996 Glucose promotes survival of rat pancreatic cells by activating synthesis of proteins which suppress a constitutive apoptotic program. J Clin Invest 98:1568–1574[Medline]
  11. Kulkarni GV, McCulloch CAG 1994 Serum deprivation induces apoptotic cell death in a subset of BALB/c 3T3 fibroblasts. J Cell Sci 107:1169–1179[Abstract]
  12. Greene LA 1978 Nerve growth factor prevents the death and stimulates the neuronal differentiation of clonal PC12 pheochromocytoma cells in serum-free medium. J Cell Biol 78:747–755[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  13. Galli G, Fratelli M 1993 Activation of apoptosis by serum deprivation in a Teratocarcinoma cell line:inhibition by L-acetylcarnitine. Exp Cell Res 204:54–60[CrossRef][Medline]
  14. Bazar LS, Deeg HJ 1992 Ultraviolet B-induced DNA fragmentation (apoptosis) in activated T-lymphocytes and Jurkat cells is augmented by inhibition of RNA and protein synthesis. Exp Hematol 20:80–86[Medline]
  15. Loweth AC, Williams GT, Scarpello JHB, Morgan NG 1997 Evidence for the involvement of cGMP and protein kinase G in nitric oxide-induced apoptosis in the pancreatic B-cell line, HIT-T15. FEBS Lett 400:285–288[CrossRef][Medline]
  16. Tsujimoto Y, Gorham J, Cossman J, Jaffe E, Croce CM 1985 The t (14;18) chromosome translocations involved in B-cell neoplasms result from mistakes in VDJ joining. Science 229:1390–1393[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  17. Hockenbery DM, Zutter M, Hickey W, Nahm M, Korsmeyer SJ 1991 BCL2 protein is topographically restricted in tissues characterized by apoptotic cell death. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 88:6961–6965[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  18. Iwahashi H, Hanafusa T, Eguchi Y, Nakajima H, Miyagawa J, Itoh N, Tomita K, Namba M, Kuwajima M, Noguchi T, Tsujimoto Y, Matsuzawa Y 1996 Cytokine-induced apoptotic cell death in a mouse pancreatic beta-cell line: inhibition by Bcl2. Diabetologia 39:530–536[Medline]
  19. Oltvai ZN, Milliman CL, Korsmeyer SJ 1993 Bcl-2 heterodimerizes in vivo with a conserved homolog, Bax, that accelerates programed cell death. Cell 74:609–619[CrossRef][Medline]
  20. Yin XM, Oltvai ZN, Korsmeyer SJ 1994 BH1 and BH2 domains of Bcl-2 are required for inhibition of apoptosis and heterodimerization with Bax. Nature 369:321 -323[CrossRef][Medline]
  21. Oltvai ZN, Korsmeyer SJ 1994 Checkpoints of dueling dimers foil death wishes. Cell 79:189–192[CrossRef][Medline]
  22. Kaiser N, Edelman IS 1977 Calcium dependence of glucocorticoid-induced lymphocytolysis. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 74:638–642[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  23. McConkey DJ, Chow SC, Orrenius S, Jondal M 1990 NK cell-induced cytotoxicity is dependent on a Ca2+ increase in the target. FASEB J 4:2661–2664[Abstract]
  24. Takei N, Endo Y 1994 Ca2+ ionophore-induced apoptosis on cultured embryonic rat cortical neurons. Brain Res 652:65–70[CrossRef][Medline]
  25. Duke RC, Witter RZ, Nash PB, Young JD, Ojcius DM 1994 Cytolysis mediated by ionophores and pore-forming agents:role of intracellular calcium in apoptosis. FASEB J 8:237–246[Abstract]
  26. Barry MA, Reynolds JE, Eastman A 1993 Etoposide-induced apoptosis in humanHL-60 Cells is associated with intracellular acidification. Cancer Res 53:2349–2357[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  27. Baffy G, Miyashita T, Williamson JR, Reed JC 1993 Apoptosis induced by withdrawal of interleukin-3(IL-3) from an IL-3-dependent hematopoietic cell line is associated with repartitioning of intracellular calcium and is blocked by enforced Bcl-2 oncoprotein production. J Biol Chem 268:6511–6519[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  28. Ling YH, Priebe W, Perez-Soler R 1993 Apoptosis induced by anthracycline antibiotics in P388 parent and multidrug-resistant cells. Cancer Res 53:1845–1852[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  29. Dunger A, Cunningham JM, Delaney CA, Lowe JE, Green MHL, Bone AJ, Green IC 1996 Tumor necrosis factor-and interferon-inhibit insulin secretion and cause DNA damage in unweaned-rat islets. Diabetes 45:183–189[Abstract]
  30. Gonoi T, Mizuno N, Inagaki N, Kuromi H, Seino Y, Miyazaki J, Seino S 1994 Functional neuronal ionotropic glutamate receptors are epressed in the non-neuronal cell line MIN6. J Biol Chem 269:16989–16992[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  31. Tsuura Y, Ishida H, Okamoto Y, Kato S, Sakamoto K, Horie M, Ikeda H, Okada Y, Seino Y 1993 Glucose sensitivity of ATP-sensitive K+ channels is impaired in ß-cells of the GK rat. Diabetes 42:1446–1453[Abstract]
  32. Wang L, Miura M, Bergeron L, Zhu H, Yuan J 1994 Ich-1, an Ice/ced-3- related gene, encodes both positive and negative regulators of programmed cell death. Cell 78:739–750[CrossRef][Medline]
  33. Siegel RM, Katsumata M, Miyashita T, Louie D, Greene MI, Reed JC 1992 Inhibition of thymocyte apoptosis and negative antigenic selection in bcl-2 transgenic mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 89:7003–7007[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  34. Strasser A, Harris AW, Cory S 1991 bcl-2 transgene inhibits T cell death and perturbs thymic self-sensorship. Cell 67:889–899[CrossRef][Medline]
  35. Lindenboim L, Haviv R, Stein R 1995 Inhibition of drug-induced apoptosis by survival factors in PC12 cells. J Neurochem 64:1054–1063[Medline]
  36. Kelley LL, Koury MJ, Bondurant MC 1992 Regulation of programmed death in erythroid progenitor cells by erythropoietin: effects of calcium and protein and RNA syntheses. J Cell Physiol 151:487–496[CrossRef][Medline]
  37. Kruman II, Gukovskaya AS, Petrunyaka VV, Beletsky IP, Trepakova ES 1992 Apoptosis of murine BW 5147 thymoma cells induced by cold shock. J Cell Physiol 153:112–117[CrossRef][Medline]
  38. Meredith M, Rabaglia ME, Corbett JA, Metz SA 1996 Dual functional effects of interleukin-1 beta on purine nucleotides and insulin secretion in rat islets and INS-1 cells. Diabetes 45:1783–1791[Abstract]
  39. Batistatou A, Greene LA 1991 Aurintricarboxylic acid rescues PC12 cells and sympathetic neurons from cell death caused by nerve growth factor deprivation: correlation with suppression of endonuclease activity. J Cell Biol 115:461–471[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  40. Cohen JJ, Duke RC 1984 Glucocorticoid activation of a calcium-dependent endonuclease in thymocyte nuclei leads to cell death. J Immunol 132:38–42[Abstract]
  41. Barbieri D, Troiano L, Grassilli E, Agnesini C, Cristofalo E A, Monti D, Capri M, Cossarizza, A.and Franceschi, C 1992 Inhibition of apoptosis by zinc: a reappraisal. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 187:1256–1261[CrossRef][Medline]
  42. Eisenbarth GS, Ziegler AG, Colman PA 1994 Pathogenesis of insulin dependent (type I) diabetes mellitus. In: Kahn CR, Weir GC (eds) Joslin’s Diabetes Mellitus, ed 13. Lea and Febiger, Malvern, pp 216–239



This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
DiabetesHome page
S. Costes, B. Vandewalle, C. Tourrel-Cuzin, C. Broca, N. Linck, G. Bertrand, J. Kerr-Conte, B. Portha, F. Pattou, J. Bockaert, et al.
Degradation of cAMP-Responsive Element-Binding Protein by the Ubiquitin-Proteasome Pathway Contributes to Glucotoxicity in {beta}-Cells and Human Pancreatic Islets
Diabetes, May 1, 2009; 58(5): 1105 - 1115.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Mol. Cell. Biol.Home page
S.-J. Kim, C. Nian, S. Widenmaier, and C. H. S. McIntosh
Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide-Mediated Up-Regulation of {beta}-Cell Antiapoptotic Bcl-2 Gene Expression Is Coordinated by Cyclic AMP (cAMP) Response Element Binding Protein (CREB) and cAMP-Responsive CREB Coactivator 2
Mol. Cell. Biol., March 1, 2008; 28(5): 1644 - 1656.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
DiabetesHome page
T. Yano, Z. Liu, J. Donovan, M. K. Thomas, and J. F. Habener
Stromal Cell Derived Factor-1 (SDF-1)/CXCL12 Attenuates Diabetes in Mice and Promotes Pancreatic {beta}-Cell Survival by Activation of the Prosurvival Kinase Akt
Diabetes, December 1, 2007; 56(12): 2946 - 2957.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J EndocrinolHome page
L. F Rezende, L. F Stoppiglia, K. L A Souza, A. Negro, F. Langone, and A. C Boschero
Ciliary neurotrophic factor promotes survival of neonatal rat islets via the BCL-2 anti-apoptotic pathway
J. Endocrinol., October 1, 2007; 195(1): 157 - 165.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
DiabetesHome page
B. Yermen, A. Tomas, and P. A. Halban
Pro-Survival Role of Gelsolin in Mouse {beta}-Cells
Diabetes, January 1, 2007; 56(1): 80 - 87.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
DiabetesHome page
S. Costes, C. Broca, G. Bertrand, A.-D. Lajoix, D. Bataille, J. Bockaert, and S. Dalle
ERK1/2 Control Phosphorylation and Protein Level of cAMP-Responsive Element-Binding Protein: A Key Role in Glucose-Mediated Pancreatic {beta}-Cell Survival.
Diabetes, August 1, 2006; 55(8): 2220 - 2230.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Biol. Chem.Home page
D. P. Mishra, R. Pal, and C. Shaha
Changes in Cytosolic Ca2+ Levels Regulate Bcl-xS and Bcl-xL Expression in Spermatogenic Cells during Apoptotic Death
J. Biol. Chem., January 27, 2006; 281(4): 2133 - 2143.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Biol. Chem.Home page
N. Allaman-Pillet, J. Storling, A. Oberson, R. Roduit, S. Negri, C. Sauser, P. Nicod, J. S. Beckmann, D. F. Schorderet, T. Mandrup-Poulsen, et al.
Calcium- and Proteasome-dependent Degradation of the JNK Scaffold Protein Islet-brain 1
J. Biol. Chem., December 5, 2003; 278(49): 48720 - 48726.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
EndocrinologyHome page
R. Riachy, B. Vandewalle, J. Kerr Conte, E. Moerman, P. Sacchetti, B. Lukowiak, V. Gmyr, T. Bouckenooghe, M. Dubois, and F. Pattou
1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 Protects RINm5F and Human Islet Cells against Cytokine-Induced Apoptosis: Implication of the Antiapoptotic Protein A20
Endocrinology, December 1, 2002; 143(12): 4809 - 4819.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
EndocrinologyHome page
M. Van de Casteele, B. A. Kefas, Z. Ling, H. Heimberg, and D. G. Pipeleers
Specific Expression of Bax-{omega} in Pancreatic {beta}-Cells Is Down-Regulated by Cytokines before the Onset of Apoptosis
Endocrinology, January 1, 2002; 143(1): 320 - 326.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
EndocrinologyHome page
A. Rabinovitch, W. L. Suarez-Pinzon, K. Sooy, K. Strynadka, and S. Christakos
Expression of Calbindin-D28k in a Pancreatic Islet {beta}-Cell Line Protects against Cytokine-Induced Apoptosis and Necrosis
Endocrinology, August 1, 2001; 142(8): 3649 - 3655.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Immunol.Home page
K. Suk, S. Kim, Y.-H. Kim, K.-A. Kim, I. Chang, H. Yagita, M. Shong, and M.-S. Lee
IFN-{{gamma}}/TNF-{{alpha}} Synergism as the Final Effector in Autoimmune Diabetes: A Key Role for STAT1/IFN Regulatory Factor-1 Pathway in Pancreatic {{beta}} Cell Death
J. Immunol., April 1, 2001; 166(7): 4481 - 4489.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
DiabetesHome page
S. Pampfer, S. Cordi, I. Vanderheyden, P. Van Der Smissen, P. J. Courtoy, A. Van Cauwenberge, H. Alexandre, I. Donnay, and R. De Hertogh
Expression and Role of Bcl-2 in Rat Blastocysts Exposed to High D-Glucose
Diabetes, January 1, 2001; 50(1): 143 - 149.
[Abstract] [Full Text]


Home page
JNMHome page
T. A.D. Smith, N. R. Maisey, J. C. Titley, L. E. Jackson, M. O. Leach, and S. M. Ronen
Treatment of SW620 Cells with Tomudex and Oxaliplatin Induces Changes in 2-Deoxy-D-Glucose Incorporation Associated with Modifications in Glucose Transport
J. Nucl. Med., October 1, 2000; 41(10): 1753 - 1759.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Clin. Cancer Res.Home page
D.-M. Zhu, W.-H. Fang, R. K. Narla, and F. M. Uckun
A Requirement for Protein Kinase C Inhibition for Calcium-triggered Apoptosis in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cells
Clin. Cancer Res., February 1, 1999; 5(2): 355 - 360.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


This Article
Right arrow Abstract Freely available
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Request Copyright Permission
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Mizuno, N.
Right arrow Articles by Seino, S.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Mizuno, N.
Right arrow Articles by Seino, S.
Right arrowPubmed/NCBI databases
*Compound via MeSH
*Substance via MeSH
Hazardous Substances DB
*CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
*CALCIUM, ELEMENTAL
*GLUCOSE


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Endocrinology Endocrine Reviews J. Clin. End. & Metab.
Molecular Endocrinology Recent Prog. Horm. Res. All Endocrine Journals