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 Weinhaus, A. J.
Right arrow Articles by Sorenson, R. L.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Weinhaus, A. J.
Right arrow Articles by Sorenson, R. L.
Endocrinology Vol. 141, No. 4 1384-1393
Copyright © 2000 by The Endocrine Society


ARTICLES

Dexamethasone Counteracts the Effect of Prolactin on Islet Function: Implications for Islet Regulation in Late Pregnancy1

Anthony J. Weinhaus, Nicholas V. Bhagroo, T. Clark Brelje and Robert L. Sorenson

Department of Cell Biology and Neuroanatomy, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Robert L. Sorenson, Ph.D., Department of Cell Biology and Neuroanatomy, University of Minnesota Medical School, 4–144 Jackson Hall, 321 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455-0303. E-mail: soren{at}lenti.med


    Abstract
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 
Islets undergo a number of up-regulatory changes to meet the increased demand for insulin during pregnancy, including increased insulin secretion and ß-cell proliferation. It has been shown that elevated lactogenic hormone is directly responsible for these changes, which occur in a phasic pattern, peaking on day 15 of pregnancy and returning to control levels by day 20 (term). As placental lactogen levels remain elevated through late gestation, it was of interest to determine whether glucocorticoids (which increase during late gestation) could counteract the effects of lactogens on insulin secretion, ß-cell proliferation, and apoptosis.

We found that insulin secretion measured over 24 h in culture and acute secretion measured over 1 h in response to high glucose were increased at least 2-fold by PRL treatment after 6 days in culture. Dexamethasone (DEX) treatment had a significant inhibitory effect on secretion in a dose-dependent manner at concentrations greater than 1 nM. At 100 nM, a concentration equivalent to the plasma corticosteroid level during late pregnancy, DEX inhibited secretion to below control levels. The addition of DEX (>1 nM) inhibited secretion from PRL-treated islets to levels similar to those produced by DEX treatment alone.

Bromodeoxyuridine (10 µM) staining for the final 24 h of a 6-day culture showed that PRL treatment increased cell proliferation 6-fold over the control level. DEX treatment alone (1–1000 nM) did not reduce cell division below the control level, but significantly inhibited the rate of division in PRL-treated islets.

YoYo-1, an ultrasensitive fluorescent nucleic acid stain, was added (1 µM; 8 h) to the medium after 1–3 days of culture to examine cell death. Islets examined under confocal microscopy showed that DEX treatment (100 nM) increased the number of cells with apoptotic nuclear morphologies. This was quantified by counting the number of YoYo-labeled nuclei per islet under conventional epifluorescence microscopy. The numbers of YoYo-1-positive nuclei per islet in control and PRL-treated islets were not different after 3 days of culture. However, DEX treatment increased YoYo-1 labeling 7-fold over that in controls. DEX also increased YoYo-1 labeling in PRL-treated islets 3-fold over the control level.

These data show that the increased plasma glucocorticoid levels found during the late stages of pregnancy could effectively reverse PRL-induced up-regulation of islet function by inhibiting insulin secretion and cell proliferation while increasing apoptosis.


    Introduction
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 
TO ACCOMMODATE the increased demand for insulin that occurs during pregnancy, the islets of Langerhans undergo major structural and functional changes. The inability of the maternal islets to respond to the increased demand for insulin can lead to the development of gestational diabetes, a condition that, if untreated, is threatening to the well-being of both the mother and the fetus (1). Adaptive changes that occur during normal pregnancy include 1) increased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion with a decrease in the glucose stimulation threshold (2, 3), 2) increased insulin synthesis (4, 5), 3) increased ß-cell proliferation and islet volume (6, 7), 4) increased gap junctional coupling among ß-cells (8), 5) increased glucose metabolism with elevated levels of glucokinase and glucose transporter 2 (3), and 6) increased cAMP metabolism (9). These changes in islet function have been shown to correlate with the increase in serum placental lactogen (PL) levels during gestation (7).

Experiments, both in vitro and in vivo, examining the effects of homologous PL and PRL on islets indicate that hormones of lactogenic specificity induce the same changes in islets as those observed during pregnancy. These changes include 1) enhancement of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion with decreased glucose stimulation threshold (10, 11), 2) increased insulin synthesis (12), 3) increased glucose utilization and oxidation (3, 13), 4) increased glucose metabolism with elevated levels of glucokinase and glucose transporter 2 (3), and 5) increased cAMP metabolism (9). Furthermore, the changes observed in lactogen-treated islets require a similar length of time to occur as those observed in pregnancy. Based on these studies, it is apparent that lactogens (PL and/or PRL) are the key regulatory hormones for adaptation of islets to pregnancy.

Although, the up-regulatory changes that occur in islets during pregnancy are becoming increasingly well documented, there is little information about islet function during the return to nonpregnant conditions. During pregnancy in rats, up-regulation of islet function reaches peak levels on days 14–15. These levels slowly return to control levels by term (day 21) (7). Remarkably, this return to normal levels occurs in the presence of high concentrations of PL. This suggests that there are other inhibitory influences dominant in the later stages of pregnancy. Although autoregulation of lactogen receptors seems possible, it is unlikely, because prolonged stimulation of islets by lactogens in vivo and in vitro indicated that the effects of lactogenic activity on the up-regulation of islets can be maintained (10, 14). An alternative hypothesis is that a hormone that increases in concentration during the later stages of pregnancy mediates this down-regulation in the presence of elevated lactogen levels.

Measurements have shown that rat maternal plasma total and free corticosterone (CS) concentrations are increased by day 15 and continue to increase markedly until parturition (15, 16, 17). Interestingly, the increases in CS levels in maternal plasma correlate with the number of live fetuses during the final 3 days of gestation. During the final 5 days of gestation, the binding capacity of CS-binding globulin for CS remained unchanged in maternal plasma and fell dramatically in fetal plasma (15, 16). An increase in maternal plasma CS concentrations is a characteristic of the late stages of gestation.

There are many studies in the literature examining the effects of glucocorticoids on islet function. The effects are dependent upon two factors of major importance: the concentration of and length of exposure to glucocorticoid. Although many disparate results have been reported, the data are consistent in demonstrating that exposure to elevated concentrations of glucocorticoids results in an inhibition of insulin secretion (18, 19, 20). In contrast, in vitro studies examining the effects of long term exposure to near-physiological glucocorticoid concentrations demonstrate a slight stimulatory effect on secretion as well as ß-cell hyperplasia and hypertrophy (18, 21). However, exposure, either acute or chronic, to pathophysiological glucocorticoid concentrations results in a marked inhibition of insulin secretion (20, 22).

The aim of the present study was to examine whether dexamethasone (DEX) can counteract the ability of PRL to up-regulate islet function. A similar interaction has been reported in Nb2 lymphoma cells, in which PRL induces cell proliferation and DEX inhibits cell division and increases apoptosis, whereas the combination of PRL/DEX counteracts the effects of either hormone alone (23). The demonstration of a similar relationship in ß-cells would suggest that the increase in glucocorticoids in late pregnancy may have a role in the return of islet function toward the normal nonpregnant levels observed in later stages of gestation.


    Materials and Methods
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 
Islet isolation and culture
Rat islets were isolated from 3- to 6-day-old neonates pooled from two or more litters (Sprague Dawley, Harlan Sprague Dawley, Inc., Indianapolis, IN) by a nonenzymatic method previously described (24). All experiments were carried out in accordance with protocols approved by the institutional animal care and use committee of the University of Minnesota. After isolation, groups of 30 islets were transferred to 24-well multiwell plates (Costar, Cambridge, MA) and cultured free floating in 2 ml RPMI 1640 containing 10 mM glucose supplemented with 1% horse serum (HyClone Laboratories, Inc., Logan, UT), 10 mM HEPES, and 1% penicillin-streptomycin-fungizone antibiotic-antimycotic (Sigma, St. Louis, MO).

For each experiment, the multiwell plates were incubated at 37 C in a humidified atmosphere of 95% air-5% CO2. The culture medium was changed every 24 h and stored at -20 C for subsequent assay. Insulin concentrations were determined by immunoassay (25) using rat insulin standards (Linco Research, Inc., St. Charles, MO).

The culture medium was supplemented with the desired hormones and test substance(s) as needed for each experiment. PRL was added as a concentrated sterile aqueous solution resulting in a final concentration of 500 ng/ml. We have previously demonstrated that this concentration of PRL is sufficient to produce the maximal effects on islet function induced by activation of the PRL receptor (7, 13, 26). The rat PRL (NIDDK rPRL B-8-SIAFP; 30 IU/mg) was obtained from the National Hormone and Pituitary Program of the NIDDK (Baltimore, MD). The concentration of CS in the serum of pregnant rats increases from 180 nM in controls to 1100 nM on day 16 of gestation, and up to 3800 nM by the end of gestation on day 21 (15, 16, 17, 18). Because DEX is approximately 30-fold more potent than CS (27), DEX (Sigma) was added as a 95% ethanol solution, resulting in a final concentration of 100 nM in most experiments. The final concentration of ethanol in the culture medium was less than 0.1%, and an equivalent amount of ethanol was added to the controls.

Determination of hormone effects on insulin secretion
The effects of the hormones on insulin secretion were examined by measuring the insulin concentration in the culture medium from the daily changes during the 6 days of treatment. After this treatment, the acute response of the islets to glucose stimulation was also examined. The islets were allowed to reach basal metabolic rates by preincubating them for 1 h in a Krebs-Henseleit solution (KRB) containing 120 mM NaCl, 4.8 mM KCl, 2.6 mM CaCl2, 1.18 mM KH2PO4, 1.1 mM MgSO4, 25 mM NaHCO3, 10 mM HEPES, 0.1% BSA, and 2.8 mM glucose. After this preincubation, the islets were stimulated for 1 h in KRB containing 2.8, 7.2, or 13.5 mM glucose. The insulin concentration of this medium was measured. The islets were then washed with Hanks’ Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS) and sonicated for 1 min in 1.0 ml RIA buffer. The insulin concentration in these extracts was measured to determine the total insulin content of the islets.

2-Bromo-5'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) immunocytochemistry
To estimate islet ß-cell proliferation, BrdU was added to the culture medium to a final concentration of 10 µM for the final 24 h of the 6-day culture period. The islets were then washed in HBSS, fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde, and treated for 20 min with 0.5 N HCl. Immunostaining was performed with a mouse monoclonal anti-BrdU antibody (Caltag Laboratories, Inc., San Francisco, CA), and fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated goat antimouse IgG (Jackson ImmunoResearch Laboratories, Inc., West Grove, PA) was used as a secondary antibody. To determine islet ß-cell proliferation, the number of BrdU-labeled nuclei per islet was counted by direct observation with conventional epifluorescence microscopy. At least 35 islets were examined for each treatment group. Slides were coded so that the evaluator was unaware of the treatment groups. Details of this procedure for islet ß-cell studies have been previously reported (14, 28).

Cytochemical staining for apoptotic nuclei
To estimate the rate of cell death in islet ß-cells, apoptotic nuclei were identified using an ultrasensitive fluorescent nucleic acid stain, YoYo-1 iodide (Molecular Probes, Inc., Eugene, OR). The dye is impermeant to live cells and virtually nonfluorescent unless intercalated into double stranded DNA. YoYo-1 (1 µM) was added to the culture medium for the final 8 h of the culture period. This length of time was necessary for complete staining through the islet. Islets were then washed in HBSS and fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde plus 0.01% glutaraldehyde. The number of YoYo-labeled nuclei per islet was counted by direct observation with conventional epifluorescence microscopy using standard fluorescein isothiocyanate filters. At least 25 islets were examined for each treatment group. Slides were coded so that the evaluator was unaware of the treatment groups. Examination of YoYo-labeled nuclei was conducted through 3 days of culture, after which the fluorescence in the DEX-treated islets was too great for accurate quantitation.

To examine the morphology of necrotic nuclei stained with YoYo, islets were incubated at 43 C with 2% sodium azide for 8 h in the presence of 1 µM YoYo. Islets were then fixed, mounted on slides, and examined using laser scanning confocal microscopy. Images of immunostained islets were captured by MRC-1000 Confocal Imaging System (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Cambridge, MA) mounted on an Olympus Corp. BH-2 microscope equipped for epifluorescence (Lake Success, NY). This system allowed the three-dimensional structure of intact isolated islets to be represented without physical sectioning (29, 30).

Expression of data and statistical methods.
All results are expressed as the mean ± SEM. Statistical differences among means were assessed with Student’s t test for unpaired samples or ANOVA with Tukey’s test for multiple comparisons. Each experiment was repeated more than three times. Each treatment group within an experiment was replicated six times.


    Results
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 
Effects of PRL and DEX on insulin secretion
Steady state insulin secretion. To examine the effects of PRL, DEX, and the combination of PRL and DEX on steady state insulin secretion, islets were cultured for 6 days in the presence of 500 ng/ml PRL, DEX (1–1000 nM), or PRL plus DEX (1–1000 nM). The medium was changed daily, and the amount of insulin secreted per 24 h was determined. Cumulative secretion over the 6-day culture period was calculated as the sum of the daily measurements.

After 6 days of culture, insulin secretion from control islets was 1.3 ± 0.13 mU/islet·6 days. Insulin secretion from PRL-treated islets was increased by 2.1-fold over the control level (P = 0.005; n = 6) as reported previously (3, 13, 14, 28). DEX treatment had a significant inhibitory effect on secretion in a dose-dependent manner at concentrations greater than 1 nM (P < 0.005; n = 6; Fig. 1Go). Secretion from islets treated with both PRL and DEX (>1 nM) was significantly lower than that from PRL-treated islets (P < 0.004; n = 6), suggesting that DEX effectively blocks the stimulatory effect of PRL on steady state insulin secretion.



View larger version (21K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 1. Effects of PRL (500 ng/ml) and DEX (1–1000 nM) on insulin secretion from rat islets during 6 days in culture. The medium was changed every 24 h, and the cumulative secretion was calculated as the sum of the measurements of these sample. A 2.2-fold increase in insulin secretion was observed with PRL alone (*, P < 0.01 vs. control). DEX decreased insulin secretion from both control and PRL-treated islets in a dose-dependent manner at concentrations greater than 1 nM (**, P < 0.01 vs. control or islets treated with PRL alone, respectively).

 
The temporal effects of PRL and DEX were determined by examining insulin secretion every 24 h. The effect of PRL on insulin secretion could be detected after 2 days of culture, gradually increasing during the subsequent days (Fig. 2Go). Islets were then treated with a concentration of DEX (100 nM) that is approximately equivalent to the plasma CS concentration during pregnancy. The inhibitory effect of 100 nM DEX on secretion was detected after 1 day of treatment (P < 0.05; n = 6) and continued through day 6. Similarly, secretion from islets treated with both PRL and DEX (100 nM) was significantly lower than that from PRL-treated islets after 1 day of culture (P < 0.001; n = 6) and continued to be significantly lower than that from PRL-treated islets through the 6 days of culture. These data indicate that the concentration of plasma CS found during the late stages of pregnancy is sufficient to effectively inhibit the stimulatory effect of PRL on insulin secretion.



View larger version (24K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 2. Time dependence of the effects of PRL (500 ng/ml) and DEX (100 nM) on insulin secretion from rat islets during 6 days in culture. The medium was changed daily, and the concentration of insulin secreted was determined. An increase in insulin secretion was observed after 2 days of culture with PRL alone (*, P < 0.05 vs. control). DEX decreased insulin secretion from control islets and prevented the increase in insulin secretion observed with PRL alone (**, P < 0.05 vs. control or islets treated with PRL alone, respectively).

 
Acute glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. To further examine the effects of PRL, DEX, and the combination of PRL and DEX on islet function, insulin secretion was measured in response to an acute 1-h glucose challenge. After 6 days of culture, islets were exposed to a 1-h preincubation in low glucose followed by a 1-h incubation in KRB containing 2.8, 7.2, or 13.5 mM glucose. As expected, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from PRL-treated islets was greater than that from control islets in response to each glucose concentration examined (Fig. 3Go). Secretion was increased 2.7-, 2.8-, and 1.7-fold over the control value, respectively (P = 0.03). As expected, secretion from DEX-treated islets (100 nM) was significantly lower than that from control islets in response to glucose concentrations above 2.8 mM (P = 0.04; n = 4). Secretion from islets treated with PRL plus DEX at glucose concentrations above 2.8 mM was significantly lower than that from PRL-treated islets (P < 0.01). These data show that DEX effectively inhibits the up-regulatory effects of PRL on secretion and indirectly suggest that DEX inhibits the up-regulatory effects of PRL on glucose signaling or metabolism.



View larger version (30K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 3. Effects of PRL and DEX (100 nM) on glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from rat islets cultured as indicated for 6 days. Islets were exposed to a 1-h preincubation in low glucose followed by a 1-h incubation in KRB containing 2.8, 7.2, or 13.5 mM glucose. A 2- to 3-fold increase in insulin secretion was observed at all glucose concentrations with PRL alone (*, P < 0.05 vs. control). DEX treatment decreased insulin secretion from control and PRL-treated islets at stimulatory glucose concentrations (**, P < 0.05 vs. control or islets treated with PRL alone, respectively).

 
Effects of PRL and DEX on insulin content
We have demonstrated that DEX effectively inhibits insulin secretion and inhibits the stimulatory effect of PRL on secretion. To determine whether the inhibitory effect of DEX is a consequence of reduced insulin content, the effects of PRL, DEX, and the combination of PRL and DEX on insulin content were measured. Total insulin content was measured from homogenized islets after 6 days of treatment in culture.

In control islets, the insulin content was 0.73 ± 0.13 mU/islet (n = 4). The insulin contents in islets treated with PRL, DEX (100 nM), and the combination of PRL and DEX (100 nM) were 0.92 ± 0.09, 0.53 ± 0.11, and 0.75 ± 0.11 mU/islet (n = 4), respectively. The insulin contents in the treatment groups were not different from that in the control group. This suggests that the inhibitory effect of DEX on secretion is not a consequence of a measurable decrease in insulin content.

Effects of PRL and DEX on islet cell division
To examine the effects of PRL, DEX, and the combination of PRL and DEX on islet cell proliferation, BrdU was added to the culture medium to a final concentration of 10 µM during the final 24 h of the 6-day culture period. The islets were then immunohistochemically stained for BrdU, and the number of labeled nuclei per islet was counted (Fig. 4Go). In control islets, the number of BrdU-labeled nuclei per islet was 15.4 ± 5.9 (n = 6). The number of BrdU-labeled nuclei per islet in PRL-treated islets was 6.4-fold greater than the control value (P = 0.01; n = 6). This corresponds to approximate labeling indexes of less than 2% for control islets and 12% for the PRL-treated islets, assuming that there are 800-1000 cells/islet as previously reported (14). This large increase in islet cell division by PRL is comparable to that observed in our previous studies (7, 14, 28, 31).



View larger version (22K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 4. The effects of PRL and DEX on islet cell proliferation in rat islets cultured as indicated for 6 days. The rate of cell division was determined by the addition of BrdU to the medium during the final 24 h of culture. The number of BrdU-labeled nuclei per islet was increased more than 6-fold by PRL alone (*, P < 0.05 vs. control). At all concentrations of DEX examined, the number of BrdU-labeled nuclei per islet was significantly decreased (**, P < 0.05 vs. islets treated with PRL alone).

 
BrdU labeling in DEX-treated islets, although inhibited by 47.7%, 42.8%, and 55.5% (n = 4) at 1, 100, and 1000 nM, was not significantly different from that in controls. In contrast, BrdU labeling in islets treated with PRL plus DEX (1, 10, 100, and 1000 nM) was significantly lower than that in PRL-treated islets (P = 0.04; n = 5). These data suggest that DEX effectively inhibits the stimulatory effect of PRL on islet cell division, as indicated by BrdU labeling. This pattern of inhibition agrees with the effects of DEX on PRL-induced up-regulation of insulin secretion.

Laser scanning confocal microscopy examination demonstrated that greater than 90% of the BrdU-labeled nuclei in PRL-treated and control rat islets were observed in ß-cells with insulin immunoreactivity (14). Therefore, the present data suggest that the inhibitory effect of DEX on cell division is involved in the return of islet ß-cell numbers and insulin secretion to normal levels.

Effects of PRL and DEX on islet cell death
Confocal microscopic examination of islet nuclei during cell death. For the investigation of cell death, islets were stained with YoYo, an ultrasensitive fluorescent nucleic acid stain that is impermeant to live cells. Before this stain was used for examination of the effects of DEX on islets, the morphology of necrotic nuclei in intact islets stained with YoYo was investigated. Islets were incubated at 43 C and exposed to sodium azide for 8 h in the presence of YoYo. The islets were then fixed, mounted, and imaged using confocal microscopy. Throughout the islet, necrotic nuclei labeled with YoYo appeared intact with typical nuclear morphology and homogeneously fluorescent with very low background staining (Fig. 5BGo).



View larger version (170K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 5. The morphology of YoYo-stained nuclei in control and DEX-treated rat islets. A, Normal nuclear morphology was observed in all cells of control islets treated with sodium azide to induce necrosis. Scale bar, 25 µM. B, Higher magnification view of labeled nuclei in these islets. These nuclei appear intact, with typical nuclear morphology; the chromatin is primarily distributed in clumps at the periphery of the nucleus and the more centrally located nucleolus. Scale bar, 5 µM. This pattern should be compared with apoptotic nuclei at various stages observed in islets treated with 100 nM DEX for 2 days. C, Nucleus showing condensation of chromatin. Scale bar, 5 µM. D, Margination of the condensed chromatin toward the nuclear membrane is also observed. Scale bar, 5 µM. E, Breakdown of the nuclear membrane and chromatin filling the entire cell. Scale bar, 5 µM. F, Breakdown of the cell membrane and streaming of the chromatin outside the cell. Scale bar, 5 µM.

 
Islets were then cultured in the presence of PRL, DEX (100 nM), or the combination of PRL and DEX. YoYo (1 µM) was added to the culture medium for the final 8 h of a 48-h culture, and confocal imaging was performed to observe nuclear morphology. The control and PRL-treated islets had approximately zero to two necrotic cells per islet (i.e. intact homogeneously fluorescent nuclei with typical nuclear morphology scattered on the surface). In contrast, although the DEX-treated islets contained a similar number of necrotic nuclei (on the surface of the islet), there were predominantly nuclei with atypical morphologies, and these were located throughout the islet (Fig. 5Go, C–F). Four different morphologies were observed: 1) the condensation of chromatin into a small sphere (Fig. 5CGo); 2) the margination of the condensed chromatin toward the nuclear membrane (Fig. 5DGo); 3) the chromatin filling the cellular space, suggesting the breakdown of the nuclear membrane (Fig. 5EGo); and 4) the chromatin exuding out of the cell, suggesting the breakdown of the cell membrane (Fig. 5FGo). These morphologies were previously described as being stages of apoptosis (32, 33, 34).

Lower magnification confocal imaging demonstrates the effect of DEX on YoYo labeling in treated islets. The number of YoYo-labeled nuclei per islet was very low and not noticeably different in control and PRL-treated islets (Fig. 6Go, upper left and right panels). In contrast, DEX treatment resulted in a large number of YoYo-labeled nuclei (Fig. 6Go, lower left panel). The number of labeled nuclei in the PRL- plus DEX-treated islets was similar to that in controls (Fig. 6Go, lower right panel).



View larger version (89K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 6. Effects of PRL (500 ng/ml) and DEX (100 nM) on the number of apoptotic nuclei in rat islets. Islets were cultured in the presence of PRL, DEX, or the combination of PRL and DEX for 2 days. The apoptotic cells were visualized by staining with YoYo and image analysis by confocal microscopy. The number of labeled nuclei per islet was noticeably greater in DEX-treated islets. Even in the presence of PRL, DEX increased the number of labeled nuclei per islet. Scale bar, 25 µM.

 
Quantification of the effects of PRL and DEX on islet cell death
The effects of PRL, DEX, and the combination of PRL and DEX on islet cell death were then quantified by counting the number of YoYo-labeled nuclei per islet under conventional epifluorescence microscopy. For these experiments, YoYo-1 (1 µM) was added to the medium for the final 8 h of a 10- to 72-h culture period. In control islets, the number of YoYo-labeled nuclei per islet was 2.96 ± 0.76 (n = 4) after 10 h of culture and 6.61 ± 0.38 (n = 4) at the end of the 3-day culture period (Fig. 7Go). The number of YoYo-labeled nuclei in PRL-treated islets was not different from that in controls throughout the 3-day culture period. As expected, labeling in DEX-treated islets (100 nM) was significantly greater than that in control islets. The number of labeled nuclei increased to 14.0 ± 1.0, 25.1 ± 1.0, and 49.1 ± 4.9 after 24, 48, and 72 h of culture (P = 0.01; n = 3). YoYo labeling in islets treated with PRL plus DEX (100 nM) was greater than that in PRL-treated and control islets after 24, 48, and 72 h (P = 0.01; n = 3). These data show that DEX is effective in increasing the number of apoptotic cells in an islet, and furthermore, that DEX is effective during PRL treatment. Moreover, these data suggest that the increased plasma CS levels found during the late stages of pregnancy could effectively increase the rate of cell death, which would lead to the return of islet cell numbers to normal levels.



View larger version (30K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 7. The effects of PRL and DEX (100 nM) on the rate of apoptosis observed in rat islets cultured for 10–72 h with the indicated hormones. The apoptotic cells were visualized by staining with YoYo and counted using conventional epifluorescence microscopy. The number of YoYo-labeled nuclei per islet progressively increased with longer incubations with DEX alone (*, P < 0.05 vs. control). PRL alone had no effect on the number of labeled nuclei per islet. Even in the presence of PRL, DEX progressively increased the number of labeled nuclei per islet with longer incubation periods (**, P < 0.05 vs. islets treated with PRL alone).

 
In a separate set of experiments, islet cell death was examined in islets treated with progesterone (Prg). Prg is a hormone that also increases in concentration during the later stages of pregnancy and has previously been shown (at 1 µg/ml) to counteract the stimulatory effects of PRL on islets (28). Islet cell death was quantified by counting the number of YoYo-labeled nuclei per islet under conventional epifluorescence microscopy after 48 h of treatment in culture. The number of YoYo-labeled nuclei per islet significantly increased after treatment with Prg (1 µg/ml; P < 0.05; Fig. 8Go). Note that labeling of islets treated with DEX (100 nM) was significantly greater than that of Prg-treated islets (P = 0.05). Furthermore, in the presence of PRL, DEX increased the number of labeled nuclei per islet above that in islets treated with PRL alone (P < 0.05), but not to the level with DEX alone (P < 0.05). In contrast, Prg in the presence of PRL increased the number of labeled nuclei above that with PRL treatment alone (P < 0.05) to a level not different from that with Prg alone. Interestingly, these data show that although Prg alone is not as effective in inducing apoptosis as DEX, in the presence of PRL the number of YoYo-labeled nuclei per islet is not different from that with DEX. These data suggest that DEX and Prg together may contribute to counteract the stimulatory effects of elevated lactogens during the latter stages of pregnancy.



View larger version (22K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 8. The effects of Prg (1 µg/ml), DEX (100 nM), and PRL (500 ng/ml) on the rate of apoptosis observed in rat islets cultured for 48 h with the indicated hormones. The apoptotic cells were visualized by staining with YoYo and were counted using conventional epifluorescence microscopy. The number of YoYo-labeled nuclei per islet was significantly increased with treatment with Prg or DEX (*, P < 0.05), although DEX increased labeling significantly more than Prg (P = 0.05). In the presence of PRL, DEX increased the number of nuclei per islet above that with PRL treatment alone (**, P < 0.05), but not to the level with DEX alone (P < 0.05). In contrast, Prg in the presence of PRL increased the number of labeled nuclei above that with PRL treatment (**, P < 0.05) to a level not different from that with Prg treatment alone. These data show that Prg is not as effective as DEX at inducing apoptosis. However, unlike DEX, the presence of PRL does not diminish the effect of Prg on apoptosis.

 

    Discussion
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 
During pregnancy there is major up-regulation of islet function. During this time there is an increase in insulin secretion and a surge in ß-cell division (3, 7, 10, 11, 31). In studies using homologous PRL on rat islets in vitro, it was determined that PRL induces all of the up-regulatory changes characteristic of those observed during pregnancy (10, 11, 14). The changes in islet function that occur during pregnancy do so in a phasic pattern, with a peak in rats on days 14–15 and a return to normal by the end of pregnancy (7). In the present study we examined whether glucocorticoids (which increase in concentration late in gestation) could counteract the up-regulatory effects of PRL on insulin secretion, islet cell division, and apoptosis in an in vitro model.

In the present study we show that DEX had an inhibitory effect on insulin secretion in a dose-dependent manner at concentrations greater than 1 nM and was effective after 1 day of treatment. The addition of DEX inhibited the up-regulatory effects of PRL on islets, returning secretion, steady state and acute, to control levels. We found that DEX had no effect on total insulin content, suggesting that the DEX-induced inhibition of secretion is not due to a decrease in insulin stores. We further show that DEX treatment strongly inhibited the PRL-induced up-regulation of cell division, returning them to control levels. In addition, DEX increased the amount of islet cell death (apoptosis) in both control and PRL-treated islets. These results demonstrate the ability of glucocorticoid (at concentrations equivalent to those in maternal plasma during late stages of pregnancy) to reverse PRL-induced up-regulated islet function by inhibiting insulin secretion and islet cell division and returning islet cell numbers to control levels. However, further studies are needed to determine whether similar results are observed with conditions that more closely resemble the temporal evolution of hormonal changes during pregnancy.

The inhibition of insulin secretion from islets by DEX alone is consistent with the findings of previous studies (19, 20, 35, 36, 37). The mechanism by which this occurs is not completely understood. This decrease in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion could not be attributed to decreases in insulin content (20, 22, 35, 37, 39). It does not appear to involve a defect in the recognition of glucose, because no changes in the rate of glucose oxidation, NADPH production, or intracellular Ca2+ concentrations have been observed (20, 35, 39). These observations are surprising considering that a decrease in the expression of the glucose transporter 2 (Glut-2) (37, 40) and the sulfonylurea receptor 1 (SUR1) component of the ATP-sensitive K+ channel of the ß-cells (41) has also been reported. Moreover, this defect is not restricted to glucose, because an impairment of insulin secretion in response to arginine, tolbutamide, or high concentrations of K+ after DEX treatment is also observed (20, 39). These inhibitory effects of DEX can be reversed by incubation with (Bu)2cAMP or phorbol ester (20, 38). This suggests that the potentiation pathways that regulate the rate of insulin secretion, for example cAMP/protein kinase A and phospholipase C/protein kinase C pathways, can compensate for the actions of DEX. This is further supported by an impairment in the activation of phospholipase C, protein kinase C, and mobilization of intracellular Ca2+ stores in response to acetylcholine after DEX treatment (20). Overall, it appears that DEX acts at a distal site by decreasing the efficacy of Ca2+ on the secretory response by interfering with the potentiation pathways (42).

In contrast, a major factor in the up-regulation of islet function by PRL appears to be an increased recognition of glucose. We have shown that the increased insulin secretion from PRL-treated islets corresponds to an elevation in glucose metabolism resulting from an increase in glucokinase activity (3). Furthermore, no changes in cAMP production or its effectiveness on the secretion of insulin granules have been observed for comparable rates of glucose metabolism in control and PRL-treated islets (9). This suggests that DEX can counteract the effects of PRL on insulin secretion because it interferes with more distal sites of the stimulus-secretory process. This implies that the increase in glucose metabolism and thereby the potentiation pathways induced by PRL is not sufficient to overcome the effects of DEX.

The concentration of Prg in the maternal plasma of the rat is important in initiation of both parturition and lactation. Although elevated during late gestation, maternal Prg levels fall to low levels before birth. In contrast, maternal corticosteroid concentrations increase late in gestation and decrease rapidly after birth (43). A previous study has shown that Prg is involved in counteracting the influence of lactogenic hormones during the later stages of pregnancy (28). Prg had a major impact on the effect of PRL on insulin secretion and islet cell division in a time-dependent manner. This study showed that up-regulation of islets progress under the influence of lactogenic stimulus, and Prg acts to counteract the effects of lactogens. During gestation, the increase in Prg peaks earlier than that in glucocorticoids, then decreases rapidly, whereas glucocorticoid levels remain high until parturition (43). It seems likely that Prg and DEX act together to return up-regulated islet function to normal levels by parturition.

Table 1Go summarizes the effects of pregnancy or PRL on the up-regulation of islet function and the effects of DEX on the counterregulation of islet function. Pregnancy increases insulin secretion and cell division 8- to 9-fold over the control value by day 15. This increase returns to control levels before term (day 20). Similar to midpregnancy, PRL treatment of islets in vitro increases insulin secretion and ß-cell proliferation 3- to 5-fold over control values. In a manner similar to late pregnancy, the addition of DEX or Prg to PRL-treated islets in vitro causes a decrease in insulin secretion and islet cell proliferation to control levels. In addition, DEX or Prg can induce islet cell death in the presence of PRL. These data, using this in vitro model of islets during pregnancy, suggest that the combined effects of DEX and Prg on islet function may provide an important inhibitory mechanism for the return of islets to control levels at the end of pregnancy.


View this table:
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Table 1. Summary of the effects of pregnancy, PRL, DEX, and progesterone (Prg) on rat islet function

 
In summary, we propose that during late pregnancy, elevated glucocorticoid levels have a down-regulatory effect on islet function. In this study we examined the hypothesis that glucocorticoids, which are increased in maternal plasma during late gestation, are responsible for counteracting the up-regulatory influence of lactogenic hormones on islets during the later stages of pregnancy. The temporal and dose-dependent changes observed in PRL-treated islets in vitro in the presence of DEX are similar to those seen in islets during pregnancy. This supports the hypothesis that glucocorticoids are responsible for counteracting the stimulatory effects of elevated lactogens during the later stages of pregnancy.


    Footnotes
 
1 This work was supported by NIDDK Grant DK-33655 and in part by NIH Training Grant DK-07203 (to A.J.W.). Back

Received August 11, 1999.


    References
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 

  1. Jovanovic-Peterson L, Peterson CM 1991 Pregnancy and the endocrine pancreas. In: Samols E (ed) The Endocrine Pancreas. Raven Press, New York, pp 229–252
  2. Green IC, Taylor KW 1972 Effects of pregnancy in the rat on the size and insulin secretory response of islets of Langerhans. J Endocrinol 54:317–325[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  3. Weinhaus AJ, Stout LE, Sorenson RL 1996 Glucokinase, hexokinase, glucose transporter 2 and glucose metabolism in islets during pregnancy and prolactin treated islets in vitro: mechanisms for long term up-regulation of islets. Endocrinology 137:1640–1649[Abstract]
  4. Bone AJ, Taylor KW 1976 Metabolic adaptation to pregnancy shown by increased biosynthesis of insulin in islets of Langerhans isolated from pregnant rats. Nature 262:501–502[CrossRef][Medline]
  5. Green IC, Howell SL, Montague W, Taylor KW 1973 Regulation of insulin release from isolated islets of Langerhans of the rat in pregnancy. Biochem J 134:481–487[Medline]
  6. Aerts L, Van Assche FA 1975 Ultrastructural changes of the endocrine pancreas in pregnant rats. Diabetologica 11:285–289[CrossRef][Medline]
  7. Parsons JA, Brelje TC, Sorenson RL 1992 Adaptation of islets of Langerhans to pregnancy: increased islet cell proliferation and insulin secretion correlates with the onset of placental lactogen secretion. Endocrinology 130:1459–1566[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  8. Sheridan JD, Anaya P, Parsons JA, Sorenson RL 1988 Increased dye coupling in pancreatic islets from rats in late-term pregnancy. Diabetes 37:908–911[Abstract]
  9. Weinhaus AJ, Bhagroo NV, Brelje TC, Sorenson RL 1998 Role of cAMP in upregulation of insulin secretion during the adaptation of islets of Langerhans to pregnancy. Diabetes 7:1426–1435
  10. Sorenson RL, Johnson MG, Parsons JA, Sheridan JD 1987 Decreased glucose stimulation threshold, enhanced insulin secretion, and increased ß cell coupling in islets of prolactin-treated rats. Pancreas 2:283–288[Medline]
  11. Sorenson RL, Brelje TC, Hegre OD, Marshall S, Anaya P, Sheridan JD 1987 Prolactin (in vitro) decreases the glucose stimulation threshold, enhances insulin secretion, and increases dye coupling among islet B cells. Endocrinology 121:1447–1453[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  12. Markoff E, Beattie GM, Hayek A, Lewis UJ 1990 Effects of prolactin and glycosylated prolactin on (pro)insulin synthesis and insulin release from cultured rat pancreatic islets. Pancreas 5:99–103[Medline]
  13. Brelje TC, Allaire P, Hegre OD, Sorenson RL 1989 Effects of prolactin versus growth hormone on islet function and the importance of using homologous mammosomatotropic hormones. Endocrinology 125:2392–2399[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  14. Brelje TC, Sorenson RL 1991 Role of prolactin versus growth hormone on islet B-cell proliferation in vitro: implications for pregnancy. Endocrinology 128:45–57[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  15. Dupouy JP, Coffigny H, Magre S 1975 Maternal and foetal corticosterone levels during late pregnancy in rats. J Endocrinol 65:347–352[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  16. Martin CE, Cake MH, Hartmann PE, Cook IF 1977 Relationship between foetal corticosteroids, maternal progesterone and parturition in the rat. Acta Endocrinol (Copenh) 84:167–176[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  17. Cohen A 1976 Adrenal and plasma corticosterone levels in the pregnant, foetal and neonatal rat, in the perinatal period. Horm Metab Res 8:474–478[Medline]
  18. Billaudel B, Sutter BCJ 1979 Direct effect of corticosterone upon insulin secretion studied by three different techniques. Horm Metab Res 11:555–560[Medline]
  19. Billaudel B, Mathias PCF, Sutter BCJ, Malaisse WJ 1984 Inhibition by corticosterone of calcium inflow and insulin release in rat pancreatic islets. J Endocrinol 100:227–233[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  20. Lambillotte C, Gilon P, Henquin JC 1997 Direct glucocorticoid inhibition of insulin secretion: an in vitro study of dexamethasone effects in mouse islets. J Clin Invest 99:414–423[Medline]
  21. Hellerstrom C 1977 Growth patterns of pancreatic islets in animals. In: Volk BW, Wellman KF (eds) The Diabetic Pancreas. Plenum Press, New York, pp 61–97
  22. Pierluissi J, Navas FO, Ashcroft SJH 1986 Effect of adrenal steroids on insulin release from cultured rat islets of Langerhans. Diabetologia 29:119–121[CrossRef][Medline]
  23. LaVoie HA, Witorsch RJ 1995 Investigation of intracellular signals mediating the anti-apoptotic action of prolactin in Nb2 lymphoma cells. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 209:257–269[CrossRef][Medline]
  24. Hegre OD, Marshall S, Schulte BA, Hickey GE, Williams F, Sorenson RL, Serie JR 1983 Non-enzymic in vitro isolation of perinatal islets of Langerhans. In Vitro 19:611–620[Medline]
  25. Morgan CR, Lazarow A 1963 Immunoassay for insulin; two antibody system. Diabetes 12:115–126
  26. Brelje TC, Scharp DW, Lacy PE, Ogren L, Talamantes F, Robertson M, Friesen HG, Sorenson RL 1993 Effect of homologous placental lacotgens, prolactins, and growth hormones on islet B-cell division and insulin secretion in rat, mouse, and human islets: implication for placental lactogen regulation of islet function during pregnancy. Endocrinology 132:879–887[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  27. Riad-Fahmy D, Read G, Hughes IA 1979 Corticosteroids. In: Gray CH, James VHT (eds) Hormones in Blood. Academic Press, London, pp 237–243
  28. Sorenson RL, Brelje TC, Roth C 1993 Effects of steroid and lactogenic hormones on islets of Langerhans: a new hypothesis for the role of pregnancy steroids in the adaptation of islets to pregnancy. Endocrinology 133:2227–2234[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  29. Brelje TC, Scharp DW, Sorenson RL 1989 Three-dimensional imaging of intact isolated islets of Langerhans with confocal microscopy. Diabetes 38:808–814[Abstract]
  30. Brelje TC, Wessendorf MW, Sorenson RL 1993 Multicolor laser scanning confocal immunofluorescence microscopy: practical applications and limitations. Methods Cell Biol 38:98–182
  31. Brelje TC, Parsons JA, Sorenson RL 1994 Regulation of islet ß-cell proliferation by prolactin in rat islets. Diabetes 43:263–273[Abstract]
  32. Hoorens A, Van de Casteele M, Kloeppel G, Pipeleers D 1996 Glucose promotes survival of rat pancreatic ß-cells by activating synthesis of proteins which suppress a constitutive apoptotic program. J Clin Invest 98:1568–1574[Medline]
  33. Davis MAD, Smith MW, Chang SH, Trump BF Characterization of a renal epithelial cell model of apoptosis using okadaic acid and the NRK-52E cell line. Toxicol Pathol 22:595–605
  34. Mathieu C, Jozan S, Mazars P, Come MG, Moisand A, Valette A 1995 Density-dependent induction of apoptosis by transforming factor-ß1 in a human ovarian carcinoma cell line. Exp Cell Res 216:13–20[CrossRef][Medline]
  35. Ling Z-C, Khan A, Delauny F, Davani B, Ostenson C-G, Gustafsson J-A, Okret S, Landau BR, Efendic S 1998 Increased glucocorticoid sensitivity in islet ß-cells: effects on glucose 6-phosphatatase, glucose cycling and insulin release. Diabetologia 41:634–639[CrossRef][Medline]
  36. Philippe J, Missotten M 1990 Dexamethasone inhibits insulin biosynthesis by destabilizing insulin messenger ribonucleic acid in hamster insulinoma cells. Endocrinology 127:1640–1645[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  37. Gremlich S, Roduit R, Thorens B 1997 Dexamethasone induces posttranslational degradation of GLUT2 and inhibition of insulin secretion in isolated pancreatic ß-cells. J Biol Chem 272:3216–3222[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  38. Philippe J, Giordano E, Gjinovci A, Meda P 1992 Cyclic adenosine monophosphate prevents the glucocorticoid-mediated inhibition of insulin gene expression in rodent islet cells. J Clin Invest 90:2228–2233
  39. Khan A, Ostenson C-G, Berggren P-O, Efendic S 1992 Glucocorticoid increases glucose cycling and inhibits insulin release in pancreatic islets of ob/ob mice. Am J Physiol 263:E663–E666
  40. Ohneda M, Johnson JH, Inman LR, Unger RH 1993 GLUT-2 function in glucose-unresponsive ß-cells of dexamethasone-induced diabetes in rats. J Clin Invest 92:1950–1956
  41. Khan A, Hong-Lie C, Landau B 1995 Glucose-6-phosphatase activity in islets from ob/ob and lean mice and the effect of dexamethasone. Endocrinology 136:1934–1938[Abstract]
  42. Hernandez-Sanchez C, Leroith D 1998 Glucocorticoids regulate the expression of the sulfonylurea receptor. Diabetes [Suppl 1] 47:A176
  43. Gembal M, Detimary P, Gilon P, Gao ZY, Henquin JC 1993 Mechanisms by which glucose can control insulin release independently from its action on adenosine triphosphate-sensitive K+ channels in mouse B-cells. J Clin Invest 91:871–880
  44. Gala RR, Westphal U 1965 Corticosteroid-binding globulin in the rat. Possible role in the initiation of lactation. Endocrinology 76:1079–1088[Abstract/Free Full Text]



This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
EndocrinologyHome page
M. Johansson, J. Olerud, L. Jansson, and P.-O. Carlsson
Prolactin Treatment Improves Engraftment and Function of Transplanted Pancreatic Islets
Endocrinology, April 1, 2009; 150(4): 1646 - 1653.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
EndocrinologyHome page
R. Arumugam, E. Horowitz, D. Lu, J. J. Collier, S. Ronnebaum, D. Fleenor, and M. Freemark
The Interplay of Prolactin and the Glucocorticoids in the Regulation of {beta}-Cell Gene Expression, Fatty Acid Oxidation, and Glucose-Stimulated Insulin Secretion: Implications for Carbohydrate Metabolism in Pregnancy
Endocrinology, November 1, 2008; 149(11): 5401 - 5414.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J EndocrinolHome page
T C. Brelje, N. V Bhagroo, L. E Stout, and R. L Sorenson
Beneficial effects of lipids and prolactin on insulin secretion and {beta}-cell proliferation: a role for lipids in the adaptation of islets to pregnancy
J. Endocrinol., May 1, 2008; 197(2): 265 - 276.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
ScienceHome page
S. K. Karnik, H. Chen, G. W. McLean, J. J. Heit, X. Gu, A. Y. Zhang, M. Fontaine, M. H. Yen, and S. K. Kim
Menin Controls Growth of Pancreatic {beta}-Cells in Pregnant Mice and Promotes Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
Science, November 2, 2007; 318(5851): 806 - 809.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J EndocrinolHome page
G. F Anhe, T. C A Nogueira, J. E Nicoletti-Carvalho, C. Lellis-Santos, H. C Barbosa, J. Cipolla-Neto, J. R Bosqueiro, A. C Boschero, and S. Bordin
Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3-regulated sarcoendoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase 2 expression by prolactin and glucocorticoids is involved in the adaptation of insulin secretory response during the peripartum period
J. Endocrinol., October 1, 2007; 195(1): 17 - 27.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J Mol EndocrinolHome page
H. Ghanaat-Pour, Z. Huang, M. Lehtihet, and A. Sjoholm
Global expression profiling of glucose-regulated genes in pancreatic islets of spontaneously diabetic Goto-Kakizaki rats
J. Mol. Endocrinol., August 1, 2007; 39(2): 135 - 150.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
JAMAHome page
J. C. Voltarelli, C. E. B. Couri, A. B. P. L. Stracieri, M. C. Oliveira, D. A. Moraes, F. Pieroni, M. Coutinho, K. C. R. Malmegrim, M. C. Foss-Freitas, B. P. Simoes, et al.
Autologous Nonmyeloablative Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Newly Diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
JAMA, April 11, 2007; 297(14): 1568 - 1576.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
DiabetesHome page
M. J. Holness, G. K. Greenwood, N. D. Smith, and M. C. Sugden
Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-{alpha} and Glucocorticoids Interactively Regulate Insulin Secretion During Pregnancy
Diabetes, December 1, 2006; 55(12): 3501 - 3508.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
DiabetesHome page
F. Ranta, D. Avram, S. Berchtold, M. Dufer, G. Drews, F. Lang, and S. Ullrich
Dexamethasone induces cell death in insulin-secreting cells, an effect reversed by exendin-4.
Diabetes, May 1, 2006; 55(5): 1380 - 1390.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
DiabetesHome page
Y. Fujinaka, D. Sipula, A. Garcia-Ocana, and R. C. Vasavada
Characterization of Mice Doubly Transgenic for Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein and Murine Placental Lactogen: A Novel Role for Placental Lactogen in Pancreatic {beta}-Cell Survival
Diabetes, December 1, 2004; 53(12): 3120 - 3130.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
DiabetesHome page
E. Gesina, F. Tronche, P. Herrera, B. Duchene, W. Tales, P. Czernichow, and B. Breant
Dissecting the Role of Glucocorticoids on Pancreas Development
Diabetes, September 1, 2004; 53(9): 2322 - 2329.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Endocrinol. Metab.Home page
J. Shao, L. Qiao, and J. E. Friedman
Prolactin, progesterone, and dexamethasone coordinately and adversely regulate glucokinase and cAMP/PDE cascades in MIN6 {beta}-cells
Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, February 1, 2004; 286(2): E304 - E310.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
EndocrinologyHome page
M. J. Holness and M. C. Sugden
Dexamethasone during Late Gestation Exacerbates Peripheral Insulin Resistance and Selectively Targets Glucose-Sensitive Functions in {beta} Cell and Liver
Endocrinology, September 1, 2001; 142(9): 3742 - 3748.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Endocrinol. Metab.Home page
B. Blondeau, J. Lesage, P. Czernichow, J. P. Dupouy, and B. Breant
Glucocorticoids impair fetal {beta}-cell development in rats
Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, September 1, 2001; 281(3): E592 - E599.
[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 Weinhaus, A. J.
Right arrow Articles by Sorenson, R. L.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Weinhaus, A. J.
Right arrow Articles by Sorenson, R. L.


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