Cosecretion of amylin and insulin from isolated rat pancreas

AbstractAmylin, a 37 amino acid C-terminal amidated peptide is an integral part of secretory granules of pancreatic β-cells. Utilizing a specific radioimmunoassay system we demonstrate in the present study a cosecretion of amylin and insulin from the isolated rat pancreas. The secretion pattern of both peptides during glucose or glucose plus arginine stimulation is identical. The molar ratio of amylin amounts to 10% of that of insulin. The biological significance of amylin is still unknown, but a paracrine/endocrine role in glucose homeostasis is speculated

Calcitonin receptor-like receptor is expressed on gastrointestinal immune cells

Background/Aims: Pharmacological and morphological studies suggest that the gut mucosal immune system and local neuropeptide-containing neurones interact. We aimed to determine whether gut immune cells are targets for calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), which has potent immune regulatory properties. Methods: Using density gradient centrifugation, rat lamina propria mononuclear cells (LP-MNCs) and intra-epithelial lymphocytes (IELs) were isolated. RT-PCR was employed for the detection of mRNA of rat calcitonin receptor-like receptor (CRLR), which is considered to represent the pharmacologically defined CGRP receptor-1 subtype, as well as mRNA of the receptor activity-modifying proteins, which are essential for CRLR function and determine ligand specificity. A radioreceptor assay was employed for the detection of specific CGRP binding sites. Results: RT-PCR and DNA sequencing showed that LP-MNCs and IELs express CRLR. Incubation of isolated LP-MNCs with radiolabelled alphaCGRP revealed the existence of specific binding sites for CGRP. Conclusion: These novel data indicate that mucosal immune cells of the rat gut are a target for CGRP and provide significant evidence that CGRP functions as an immune regulator in the gut mucosa. Copyright (C) 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel

Endogenous glucagon-like peptide 1 controls endocrine pancreatic secretion and antro-pyloro-duodenal motility in humans

Background: Exogenous use of the intestinal hormone glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) lowers glycaemia by stimulation of insulin, inhibition of glucagon, and delay of gastric emptying.Aims: To assess the effects of endogenous GLP-1 on endocrine pancreatic secretion and antro-pyloro-duodenal motility by utilising the GLP-1 receptor antagonist exendin(9-39)amide (ex(9-39)NH2).Methods: Nine healthy volunteers underwent four experiments each. In two experiments with and without intravenous infusion of ex(9-39)NH2 300 pmol/kg/min, a fasting period was followed by intraduodenal glucose perfusion at 1 and 2.5 kcal/min, with the higher dose stimulating GLP-1 release. Antro-pyloro-duodenal motility was measured by perfusion manometry. To calculate the incretin effect (that is, the proportion of plasma insulin stimulated by intestinal hormones) the glycaemia observed during the luminal glucose experiments was mimicked using intravenous glucose in two further experiments.Results: Ex(9-39)NH2 significantly increased glycaemia during fasting and duodenal glucose. It diminished plasma insulin during duodenal glucose and significantly reduced the incretin effect by approximately 50%. Ex(9-39)NH2 raised plasma glucagon during fasting and abolished the decrease in glucagon at the high duodenal glucose load. Ex(9-39)NH2 markedly stimulated antroduodenal contractility. At low duodenal glucose it reduced the stimulation of tonic and phasic pyloric motility. At the high duodenal glucose load it abolished pyloric stimulation.Conclusions: Endogenous GLP-1 stimulates postprandial insulin release. The pancreatic \textgreeka cell is under the tonic inhibitory control of GLP-1 thereby suppressing postprandial glucagon. GLP-1 tonically inhibits antroduodenal motility and mediates the postprandial inhibition of antral and stimulation of pyloric motility. We therefore suggest GLP-1 as a true incretin hormone and enterogastrone in humans

JNK inhibition sensitises hepatocellular carcinoma cells but not normal hepatocytes to the TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand.

Background: cJun terminal kinase (JNK) is constitutively activated in most hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), yet its exact role in carcinogenesis remains controversial. While tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosisinducing ligand (TRAIL) is known as a major mediator of acquired immune tumour surveillance, and is currently being tested in clinical trials as a novel cancer therapy, the resistance of many tumours to TRAIL and concerns about its toxicity in vivo represent obstacles to its clinical application. In this study we investigated whether JNK activity in HCC could contribute to the resistance to apoptosis in these tumours. Methods: The effect of JNK/Jun inhibition on receptormediated apoptosis was analysed by pharmacological inhibition or RNA interference in cancer cells and nontumour cells isolated from human liver or transgenic mice lacking a phosphorylation site for Jun. Results: JNK inhibition caused cell cycle arrest, enhanced caspase recruitment, and greatly sensitised HCC cells but not normal hepatocytes to TRAIL. TRAILinduced activation of JNK could be effectively interrupted by administration of the JNK inhibitor SP600125. Conclusions: Expression and TRAIL-dependent feedback activation of JNK likely represent a mechanism by which cancer cells escape TRAIL-mediated tumour surveillance. JNK inhibition might represent a novel strategy for specifically sensitising HCC cells to TRAIL thus opening promising therapeutic perspectives for safe and effective use of TRAIL in cancer treatment

Suppression of the Nuclear Factor Eny2 Increases Insulin Secretion in Poorly Functioning INS-1E Insulinoma Cells

Eny2, the mammalian ortholog of yeast Sus1 and drosophila E(y)2, is a nuclear factor that participates in several steps of gene transcription and in mRNA export. We had previously found that Eny2 expression changes in mouse pancreatic islets during the metabolic adaptation to pregnancy. We therefore hypothesized that the protein contributes to the regulation of islet endocrine cell function and tested this hypothesis in rat INS-1E insulinoma cells. Overexpression of Eny2 had no effect but siRNA-mediated knockdown of Eny2 resulted in markedly increased glucose and exendin-4-induced insulin secretion from otherwise poorly glucose-responsive INS-1E cells. Insulin content, cellular viability, and the expression levels of several key components of glucose sensing remained unchanged; however glucose-dependent cellular metabolism was higher after Eny2 knockdown. Suppression of Eny2 enhanced the intracellular incretin signal downstream of cAMP. The use of specific cAMP analogues and pathway inhibitors primarily implicated the PKA and to a lesser extent the EPAC pathway. In summary, we identified a potential link between the nuclear protein Eny2 and insulin secretion. Suppression of Eny2 resulted in increased glucose and incretin-induced insulin release from a poorly glucose-responsive INS-1E subline. Whether these findings extend to other experimental conditions or to in vivo physiology needs to be determined in further studies

Neuronal correlates of ADHD in adults with evidence for compensation strategies – a functional MRI study with a Go/No-Go paradigm

Objective: Response inhibition impairment is one of the most characteristic symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Thus functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a Go/No-Go task seems to be an ideal tool for examining neuronal correlates of inhibitory control deficits in ADHD. Prior studies have shown frontostriatal abnormalities in children and adolescents. The aim of our study was to investigate whether adults with ADHD would still show abnormal brain activation in prefrontal brain regions during motor response inhibition tasks

Relation of gallbladder function and Helicobacter pylori infection to gastric mucosa inflammation in patients with symptomatic cholecystolithiasis

Background. Inflammatory alterations of the gastric mucosa are commonly caused by Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection in patients with symptomatic gallstone disease. However, the additional pathogenetic role of an impaired gallbladder function leading to an increased alkaline duodenogastric reflux is controversially discussed. Aim:To investigate the relation of gallbladder function and Hp infection to gastric mucosa inflammation in patients with symptomatic gallstones prior to cholecystectomy. Patients: Seventy-three patients with symptomatic gallstones were studied by endoscopy and Hp testing. Methods: Gastritis classification was performed according to the updated Sydney System and gallbladder function was determined by total lipid concentration of gallbladder bile collected during mainly laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Results: Fifteen patients revealed no, 39 patients mild, and 19 moderate to marked gastritis. No significant differences for bile salts, phospholipids, cholesterol, or total lipids in gallbladder bile were found between these three groups of patients. However, while only 1 out of 54 (< 2%) patients with mild or no gastritis was found histologically positive for Hp, this infection could be detected in 14 (74%) out of 19 patients with moderate to marked gastritis. Conclusion: Moderate to marked gastric mucosa inflammation in gallstone patients is mainly caused by Hp infection, whereas gallbladder function is not related to the degree of gastritis. Thus, an increased alkaline duodenogastric reflux in gallstone patients seems to be of limited pathophysiological relevance. Copyright (c) 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel

Pathophysiology of acute experimental pancreatitis: Lessons from genetically engineered animal models and new molecular approaches

The incidence of acute pancreatitis is growing and worldwide population-based studies report a doubling or tripling since the 1970s. 25% of acute pancreatitis are severe and associated with histological changes of necrotizing pancreatitis. There is still no specific medical treatment for acute pancreatitis. The average mortality resides around 10%. In order to develop new specific medical treatment strategies for acute pancreatitis, a better understanding of the pathophysiology during the onset of acute pancreatitis is necessary. Since it is difficult to study the early acinar events in human pancreatitis, several animal models of acute pancreatitis have been developed. By this, it is hoped that clues into human pathophysiology become possible. In the last decade, while employing molecular biology techniques, a major progress has been made. The genome of the mouse was recently sequenced. Various strategies are possible to prove a causal effect of a single gene or protein, using either gain-of-function (i.e., overexpression of the protein of interest) or loss-of-function studies (i.e., genetic deletion of the gene of interest). The availability of transgenic mouse models and gene deletion studies has clearly increased our knowledge about the pathophysiology of acute pancreatitis and enables us to study and confirm in vitro findings in animal models. In addition, transgenic models with specific genetic deletion or overexpression of genes help in understanding the role of one specific protein in a cascade of inflammatory processes such as pancreatitis where different proteins interact and co-react. This review summarizes the recent progress in this field. Copyright (c) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel

Iron Status and Analysis of Efficacy and Safety of Ferric Carboxymaltose Treatment in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Background and Aims:We analyzed iron deficiency and the therapeutic response following intravenous ferric carboxymaltose in a large single-center inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) cohort. Methods: 250 IBD patients were retrospectively analyzed for iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia. A subgroup was analyzed regarding efficacy and side effects of iron supplementation with ferric carboxymaltose. Results: In the cohort (n = 250), 54.4% of the patients had serum iron levels 60 mu g/dl, 61.6% had ferritin >100 ng/ml, and 90.7% reached Hb >12/13 g/dl at follow-up (p < 0.0001 for all parameters vs. pretreatment values). The most frequent adverse event was a transient increase of liver enzymes with male gender as risk factor (p = 0.008, OR 8.62, 95% CI 1.74-41.66). Conclusions: Iron deficiency and anemia are frequent in IBD patients. Treatment with ferric carboxymaltose is efficious, safe and well tolerated in iron-deficient IBD patients. Copyright (C) 2011 S. Karger AG, Base